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A 25 per cent stake in a LIV Golf franchise was sufficient to persuade Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman to affix the Saudi-backed sequence, says tour boss Greg Norman.
Chatting with The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age on the eve of LIV Golf’s fifth occasion in Chicago this week, Norman confirmed {that a} determination on the venue for an Australian occasion subsequent 12 months was imminent and that negotiations to tempt Adam Scott from the PGA Tour broke down earlier this 12 months.
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Norman opened up on the enterprise mannequin that attracted Leishman and Smith, the one participant inside the highest 10 to defect to LIV Golf, – which may see each gamers operating an Australian workforce which can compete in a worldwide league subsequent 12 months.
Smith, Leishman be a part of LIV Golf
“You have received to consider it from Cam’s perspective, he utterly understood one factor that different persons are struggling to grasp: the worth LIV Golf brings, and that new worth is the franchise,” Norman informed the publication.
“Cam is aware of about it, however he is in all probability just a little too younger to grasp what Kerry Packer did in cricket. He did what he did for the gamers, creating groups and evening cricket … look the place it is developed to from there with the IPL. The worth of these groups in India is unimaginable. That is the brand new worth we carry.
“[Smith] sees the market that Australia presents and the market which, fairly truthfully, has been starved of high-quality gamers and new worth for the sport of golf. The Presidents Cup is available in there as soon as each seven to 10 years, sucks the economic system dry after which disappears.”
Of Scott’s reluctance to affix the insurgent tour, Norman mentioned: “There have been discussions early on with Adam and I believe proper now with Marc and Cam being the principals of Workforce Australia, I believe fairly truthfully it is over to them.
“They need to construct out probably the most strong workforce which supplies them the very best worth going ahead. Clearly, they will come to us and ask us questions, and there is a lot good younger expertise popping out of Australia. I can identify you 4 or 5 of the youngsters. There are some superb ones and one or two have a connection up into Asia, and that Asian worth from a monetary standpoint is strong.”
LIV’s first occasion in Australia is deliberate for 2 weeks after the Masters in April subsequent 12 months.
Norman had LIV representatives tour greater than 20 programs, with Royal Sydney, the one one to say no the provide for an inspection.
It is understood a choice on which course would host the occasion is anticipated to be made by the tip of the month, with Gold Coast and Sydney the main candidates.
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