Greg Norman still wonders why Tiger Woods has kept him at arm’s length for more than a quarter-century. Their careers once overlapped at the game’s highest level, yet the Australian great says every attempt to build a friendship with Woods has been politely deflected. “For 25 or more years, I’ve never really understood it,” Norman admitted in a recent 65-minute phone interview. The chilly dynamic only deepened after Norman became the public face of LIV Golf, while Woods, who is now the vice chairman of PGA Tour Enterprises and the lone man with 82 PGA Tour victories, has become the Tour’s most powerful guardian.
Norman’s puzzlement comes despite seeing Woods warmly mentor players such as Bryson DeChambeau, who once shared long-range sessions with Tiger, and Patrick Reed, a captain’s pick on Woods’ victorious 2019 Presidents Cup team. “Did either hesitate to leave the Tour out of allegiance to Tiger? No, not at all,” Norman said, calling both “independent thinkers.” For Norman, that independence underscores his belief that personal ties to Woods rarely dictate career choices, raising the question of why his own outreach never landed.
The Shark’s LIV tenure, which ended when his CEO contract expired earlier this year, remains central to the rift. Woods publicly opposed the Saudi-backed league from the outset, warning in 2022 that “the product is not in the best interest of the game” and urging players to honor the Tour’s legacy. Industry analysts estimate LIV invested over $2 billion to lure stars such as Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka, a disruption Woods has consistently resisted. Norman counters that if former commissioner Jay Monahan had “taken our calls,” golf’s global ecosystem would be “more equitable today,” with private capital spread to more players.
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Now refocused on his course-design business and Australia’s 2032 Olympic plans, Norman remains a towering figure: two-time Open champion, 20 PGA Tour titles, World Golf Hall of Fame. Yet the unanswered question lingers: why Tiger Woods, the sport’s ultimate establishment icon, never let the Shark swim closer.
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This is a developing story. Stay tuned!