The Shark finally tells his side of the LIV story—and he’s not asking for your approval.

Greg Norman didn’t just run LIV Golf—he bled for it. The 70-year-old Hall of Famer recently opened up about his tumultuous three-year stint as CEO, revealing the personal toll of building a league that fractured professional golf. Working 100-hour weeks while shouldering unprecedented criticism, Norman became the human shield for every LIV player who jumped ship. The part that stung most? People judging him without understanding what he was actually trying to build.

What Hurt More Than the Hate

The abuse was relentless, but Norman insists that wasn’t what kept him up at night. In his first extensive interview since leaving LIV in August, he revealed the real pain came from people refusing to have a conversation. “I’m the type of guy who will happily sit down and talk about things,” Norman said. “But don’t judge me. Don’t judge what LIV was truly all about.” For a competitor who built his reputation on facing pressure head-on, the character assassination hit differently than any missed putt ever could.

The PGA Tour’s Quiet Adoption

Here’s the twist Norman won’t let anyone forget: LIV changed everything, whether the establishment wants to admit it or not. Elevated events with bigger purses? Smaller fields? Private equity flooding into golf? Norman watches the PGA Tour’s evolution with a knowing smile. “Are they going to recognize LIV for doing that? No,” he admitted. “But I do know that was a significant uptick for them.” The Shark may have left the building, but his fingerprints are all over golf’s new business model.

Phil’s Thank You

When Norman’s contract expired, not every LIV player reached out—but the ones who did mattered. Phil Mickelson led the charge, expressing genuine appreciation for Norman taking the brunt of the backlash. Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood echoed the sentiment. Norman wore the “tip of the spear” label with pride, understanding that revolutionary change requires someone willing to run through brick walls and come out bloody. That’s exactly what he signed up for.

He’d Do It All Again

Despite the drama, the damage to his reputation, and the exhaustion, Norman has zero regrets. Asked if he’d do it again, his response was immediate: “In a heartbeat.” He approaches his LIV tenure the way he approached losing major championships—analyzing what worked, what didn’t, and learning from both success and failure. At 70, the Shark’s bite hasn’t softened. He’s just swimming in different waters now, focused on golf course design and helping organize the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.