Tiger Woods was not offered “even close” to $700-800m to join LIV Golf, according to Majed Al Sorour, the chief executive of Golf Saudi.
Al Sorour, who has claimed that LIV Golf will just create their own majors if their players are banned from the big four, has told The New Yorker that Woods’ offer was “not straight-out money”.
Earlier in the year Greg Norman, the chief executive of LIV Golf spoke about the carrot that was dangled in front of the 15-time major champion and 82-time PGA Tour winner.
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“That number was out there before I became CEO,” Norman previously said of the $700-800m figure to Fox News. “That number has been out there, yes.
“Tiger is a needle mover. So of course you got to look at the best of the best. They originally approached Tiger before I became CEO so yes, that number is somewhere in that neighborhood.”
Woods has never spoken publicly about what, if any, discussions he had with LIV Golf.
He is not the only legendary golfer that LIV Golf has tried to prize away from the PGA Tour’s clutches. Jack Nicklaus previously confirmed he met with the representatives of LIV Golf allegedly over occupying the role Norman occupies, but he insisted his meeting was out of courtesy.
When Woods returned to public life for the first time since his car crash in November 2021, there was an awful lot of chatter about the potential of a new golf league funded by the Saudis.
Back then it was just smoke and mirrors.
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The big cat was pressed on this subject during his press conference at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas.
“I’ve decided for myself that I’m supporting the PGA Tour. That’s where my legacy is,” Woods said after revealing there was a 50 percent chance his leg could have been amputated.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have won 82 events on this tour and 15 major championships, and been a part of the world golf championships, the start of them and the end of them.”
A few months later he then tore into players who decided to join LIV Golf before the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews, saying of the renegades: “I just don’t understand it.”
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He accused the players who have joined LIV of turning their backs on the PGA Tour and questioned their incentive to go out and practice.
That assertion by Woods has been rubbished by Aussie pro Matt Jones, who claimed that LIV players are working harder than they ever did on the PGA Tour.
Al Sorour said of Woods’ offer: “It’s not straight-out money, I never offered him that money – not even close to that.”
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