LIV Golf will make an astounding attempt to host their own majors if stars of the rebel series are banned from the sport's four most prestigious events.
The chief executive of Saudi Golf Federation, Majed Al Sorour, has made the audacious claim with the future participation of LIV rebels in majors hanging in the balance. Al Sorour and Public Investment Fund (PIF) kingpin Yasir Al-Rumayyan have been the instigators behind golf's push into Saudi and have led the breakaway LIV series that has divided the sport.
LIV, fronted by CEO Greg Norman, has utilised its Saudi riches to bring chaos to male golf's eco system, poaching several big name stars from the PGA and DP World Tours. But the invitational series, comprising of 54-hole, 48-man events, has yet to legitimise its status as a serious rival tour after being blocked in its pursuit of ranking points by the Official World Golf Rankings board.
And Norman's next major hurdle to overcome is the manner in which officials at the Masters, US Open, Open and PGA Championship will approach the LIV conundrum. And LIV, maligned by ardent backers of the status quo, have now opened themselves up to further derision and ridicule.
Al Sorour has claimed in the New Yorker 's extensive investigation into the LIV series that he would not be perturbed by his players being banned from majors, and instead would set up his own.
"For now, the Majors are siding with the Tour, and I don’t know why," Sorour said. "If the Majors decide not to have our players play? I will celebrate. I will create my own Majors for my players. Honestly, I think all the Tours are being run by guys who don’t understand business.”
Some LIV golfers will still be seen at the 'Big Four' regardless of ongoing speculation due to their exemption status as major champions. Cameron Smith's triumph at the Open Championship at St Andrews granted him exemptions to all majors for the next five years, before he became the highest ranked player to defect to the LIV Series.
Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson, who has been at the centre of golf's LIV storm due to his inflammatory comments on the human rights abuses of its financial backers, is exempt until 2026 after his PGA Championship victory at Kiawah Island.
But many of LIVs defectors do not share the same privilege and there is a distinct possibility that they could miss out on majors if the series is not accredited with world ranking status, or tournament chiefs issue a ban. And Golf Saudi CEO Al Sorour's bold alternative of new majors will be perceived by LIV critics as completely ignorant of the game's richest traditions.
