LIV Golf denies rumors that it is replacing Greg Norman as CEO
LIV Golf, at least for now, has no plans to replace Greg Norman as its CEO.
The controversial Saudi Arabian-backed golf league shut down reports on Thursday night that it was preparing to replace Norman with former TaylorMade CEO and current Taco Bell boss Mark King.
"Greg Norman is our CEO and Commissioner. Any suggestion that changes are being made to Greg's title or role is patently false," LIV Golf managing director Majed Al-Sorour said in a statement to Sports Illustrated.
The Telegraph reported on Thursday that King was in line to replace Norman ahead of next season — when LIV Golf will expand to a 14-tournament schedule. King took over at TaylorMade in 1999, and also worked for Adidas before moving to Taco Bell.
That move, however, is apparently not happening.
Norman won 20 times on the PGA Tour throughout his career and 57 times internationally. He won the British Open twice, too, first in 1986 and again in 1993. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2001.
Norman then took over for LIV Golf ahead of its inaugural season as its CEO and commissioner.
“LIV has only just begun,” Norman said last week, via Sports Illustrated. “From my perspective it was one heck of a year, one heck of a season, one heck of a launch. I don’t think any new sports league in its first year accomplished as much as LIV Golf accomplished.’’