Greg Norman has slammed the decision to ban him from events at The Open. The LIV golf rebel was prevented from enjoying the festivities of the major by The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A). The club will celebrate its 150th anniversary when the next edition of the tournament commences this week.
Norman, a two-time champion of the event, was not welcome at the event due to being the founder of the controversial Saudi-backed LIV golf series. He reportedly received a letter stating he was not welcome at a four-hole Old Course exhibition or the Champions' Dinner. After receiving the news, he fumed by telling the Palm Beach Post: “There have been a lot of dumb decisions made, quite honestly, and this one seemed as if it was very petty.
“'Governing bodies should stay above the fray. They should be Switzerland (neutral). For them to stoop to this level … as a past Open champion and all I've done for the game of golf on a global basis, I fit the model of what the R&A is all about, right? The Royal and Ancient growing the game of golf on the grassroots level. They only have to look at what I've been doing in Vietnam growing the game of golf. That's why it's so petty.
“I still can play. I know I can still play. Looking at the weather conditions, it's very hot and very dry so the ball is rolling, running out pretty good. That's right up my alley. Who knows.” Norman has been ostracised by large sections of the golf community by spearheading LIV and the decision to keep him away from The Open was supported by golf icon Tiger Woods. “Greg has done some things that I don't think are in the best interests of the game,” he declared.
Speaking of Woods, he denied retirement rumours in the lead-up to the tournament but did admit this may be his last chance to have a serious shot of winning another title at St. Andrews. "Who? Me, retire? No, no, no, no. I'm not retiring," Woods told Sky Sports . "But not playing a full schedule, that's just my reality. I don't like it, but I just have to accept it. As far as retiring, no. But this may be my last chance I'll be playing at St Andrews with a chance to compete at the highest level.
"If it comes around in five, six, seven or eight years' time, whatever the time frame is, who knows if I'll be playing the game of golf at this level? I appreciate every single moment, especially coming back here." The 15-time major winner played nine holes ahead of competing in the R&A's Celebration of Champions later that day, before playing another nine holes on Tuesday.
Following his withdrawal during the US Open citing pain in his surgically-repaired leg, Woods provided a positive update on his physical condition. "It [his body] is okay, it's never going to be great, but it is a lot better than what it was earlier in the year," he added. "I've got a lot stronger so the whole idea was to, yes it may seem like to people that I have played a lot, but I really haven't played that much.
"Saturday I just chipped and putted and walked, Sunday I touched the ball but I didn't do as much work on the green because I did a lot of that Saturday. Yesterday [Monday] and today [Tuesday] I just played nine and then tomorrow [Wednesday] I'm going to take a day off and practice and be ready for Thursday.
"I need to get myself into that position, making sure I'm doing all my homework, making sure I do all the things I need to do, making sure I put myself in there with a shout going into that back nine on Sunday. That's my responsibility and hopefully I can do it."
