Greg Norman says he appreciates how hard it was for Rory McIlroy to "fall on his sword" and make some positive comments about LIV Golf - saying it was a "significant turning point for everybody".
The LIV Golf commissioner also says that his company is "on the right side of history" and says McIlroy softening his stance on them means that the Northern Irishman is coming around to the same way of thinking.
McIlroy has been LIV golf's fiercest critic since the start, but said recently that he was "maybe a little judgemental of the guys who went to LIV" when players first started to leave the PGA Tour.
The four-time Major champion also told Gary Neville's Stick to Football podcast that he had "just accepted the fact that this [LIV] is part of our sport now" as he explained how he thought it could fit into the current golfing schedule.
And Norman's reaction to McIlroy's comments was one of delight.
“Happy New Year golf! That’s my reaction," Norman told the LIV Golf Fairway To Heaven podcast.
"I’ve got to be honest with you – I’m very appreciative of what Rory said. It’s been a painful couple of years. What we have done is be consistent. Our narrative has been consistent. Our delivering mechanism has been consistent.
“The reason I say I appreciate Rory to fall on his sword to some degree is the fact that he did judge us by not knowing the facts. He judged us on other people’s thoughts and opinions."
Norman again reiterated that he hopes a deal is done between the PGA Tour and Saudi PIF - saying that what he had wanted all along was to find a way in incorporate LIV into the golf ecosystem.
"We wanted to sit down from day one with them to completely make them understand the value of the LIV footprint, business model and the impact it can make on the game of golf," Norman added. "I say ‘hey thank you Rory’.
"We all knew it was going to work within the golf ecosystem. We all want to be there, we are going to be there – he said that. To me, this is a significant turning point for everybody.”
We're on the right side of history
Norman has had plenty to say during the whole saga, including some verbal jousting with McIlroy - but the Australian said on the podcast that he had been taking the high road, because he knew he was doing the right thing.
"It's simple, what we're doing is right, nothing more than that," said Norman.
"I've been a 101% believer, I've been a 101% believer that the game of golf is above everybody, any individual player, any institution.
"So for me, when I know what we're doing is 100% right it's easy to take the high road, because everyone else makes themselves look like they're judgemental.
"Time is the greatest healer, but time can only heal if what you are doing is right, and what we are doing is right, because we are proving it.
"In 22 events we've proven to all the Rory McIlroys of the world that in that short time period if we can make this much of an impact on the game of golf, imagine what we can do in 53 years like the PGA Tour."
McIlroy likened LIV to the IPL in cricket and said it could fit into short windows in between Majors and big PGA Tour tournaments - which Norman says validates his argument that they're doing the sport some good.
"We are on the right side of history," said Norman. "Our players are on the right side of history, all of us within the LIV worldwide organisation are on the right side of history.
"For Rory to do this, like I said I appreciate it, it's not easy for somebody to be so negative then all of a sudden turn around and fall on your sword and say hey we are on the right side of history, making those positive comments towards LIV from a innovation standpoint.
"It's a very powerful testament to, going back to saying, what we have is right."
