While the big golf news on Monday is that Phil Mickelson is officially joining the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series, there was also a revelation about an offer made to Tiger Woods and just how substantial it was.
in an interview with the Washington Post, Greg Norman talked about a lot of things, including taking some shots at former friend Jack Nicklaus, who has criticized the endeavor. However, he also noted that the league offered Tiger Woods a massive deal to leave the PGA Tour and join LIV. Per Norman, the offer they made was “mind-blowingly enormous.”
“We’re talking about high nine digits,” Norman said.
That lines up with everything else we know about the way the organization is spending money. Nicklaus has admitted that he turned down a $100 million offer to take the role that Norman now has with LIV Golf. And Dustin Johnson reportedly jumped from the PGA to LIV thanks to a nine-figure deal.
Woods seems to have made it clear in recent weeks that he has no intention of leaving the PGA for LIV Golf. When asked about Mickelson’s comments about the two tours, Woods said that he is very concerned about preserving his legacy.
“It’s always disappointing when the defending champion is not here,” Woods said. “Phil has said some things that I think a lot of us who are committed to the Tour and committed to the legacy of the Tour have pushed back against. And he’s taken some personal time, and we all understand that.
“I understand different viewpoints, but I believe in legacies. I believe in major championships. I believe in big events, comparisons to historical figures of the past. There’s plenty of money out here. The Tour is growing. You have to go out there and earn it. You’ve got to go out there and play for it. We have the opportunity to go ahead and do it. It’s just not guaranteed upfront.”
Now we wait to find out how much LIV Golf is paying Mickelson. Based on what they reportedly offered Woods, it’s gotta be a truly obscene amount.
