LIV Golf chief executive Greg Norman has suggested that more of golf's PGA Tour stars are set to join his breakaway circuit for its second year.
The Open champion Cameron Smith sent shockwaves through the PGA Tour after joining the likes of Lee Westwood, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and Dustin Johnson in the Saudi-backed series last year and Norman says stars feel 'liberated' by the new concept.
The LIV Golf boss has suggested that seven more PGA Tour stars will join his rival circuit, meaning they would face suspension from PGA Tour events next year. Amongst those believed to be on LIV Golf's recruitment list are Americans Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele along with veteran Adam Scott and Belgium’s Thomas Pieters.
"Basically we're looking for maybe seven players, something like that," said Norman talking after the final LIV Golf round of this year in Florida.
While not giving any names away the LIV Golf boss except that the new recruits would come from inside the world's top 20. LIV Golf stars have faced a backlash for joining the series from the sports greats including Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods.
However, Norman says that the rebels feel 'liberated' by the breakaway series. He added: "Quite honestly, the players on the outside looking in to see what's happening with LIV today, these guys still talk to each other, right? "The ones on LIV feel like they have been liberated. There are players on the PGA Tour that we're speaking to today that want to be liberated."
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LIV Golf rebels have earned million by switching to the breakaway circuit with Pat Perez walking away with £7million in prize money despite not breaking the top 10 in any of the season's seven individual events.
While Norman wants to attract more of the world's top 20 stars, he says most of the restricted 48-man field will return for a second year.
He added: "The percentage of players that will come back probably - doing quick math - 85 to 90% of the players, I would say."
