The LIV Golf Series has been dealt a huge blow after the Royal Sydney Golf Club ‘refused’ to host one of the breakaway circuit’s events. LIV boss Greg Norman was hoping to take the series across to one of the most iconic courses in his home country of Australia.
However, according to the Sydney Morning Herald the club has told the Saudi-backed series that they are not hosting an event. Norman is getting ready to take his breakaway circuit global, with the series set to head to Australia in April 2023.
The Aussie national was clearly hoping to take LIV Golf to one of his country’s most prestigious setups in Royal Sydney, but now Norman will be forced to look elsewhere.
The Sydney-based course has seen many a famous win when hosting the Australian Open, with American star Jordan Spieth the last man to win there over Aussie, and new LIV defector Cameron Smith. Other marquee names to win Australia’s marquee title at Royal Sydney include another Australian star in Adam Scott, and golfing legend Gary Player.
Norman won five Australian Open titles across his illustrious career, but was never able to get over the line at the course he was chasing to be involved in his LIV Golf venture. The saga surrounding the Saudi-backed series has continued this week, with 18 LIV golfers making a controversial return to the DP World Tour at the BMW PGA Championship this week.
There has unsurprisingly been plenty of tension at the tour’s flagship event at Wentworth, following the controversial comeback of the likes of Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia. One man who is less than impressed to see LIV players competing in Surrey is European Ryder Cup star Shane Lowry, who admitted he “can’t stand” seeing certain Saudi defectors making an appearance this week.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “I can’t say I’m 100% OK with everyone being here, but some of the guys, I kind of don’t mind them being here because of what they’ve done on the tour over the years. There are certain guys that I can’t stand being here, to be honest, and I don’t like it that they’re here.”
(
Sky Sports)
He went on: “I think the one thing that has really annoyed me over the last few months is how disruptive they’re all trying to be. They’re here to get world ranking points, but in a way, I think they’re here for that and to be disruptive. I don’t think they’re here for anything else.”
The BMW PGA Championship was suspended on Thursday evening following the death Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Play was also cancelled on Friday, but tournament officials announced it will resume on Saturday with the event being limited to 54 holes across three rounds.
