Rory McIlroy has harsh advice for Greg Norman

May 30, 2019; Dublin, OH, USA; Rory McIlroy looks on during the first round of the 2019 Memorial golf tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

LIV Golf may be in the process of trying to replace Greg Norman as the face of the league, and Rory McIlroy thinks that would be a wise decision.

A report last week claimed LIV is pursuing a well-known CEO to help steward the league for the next few years. The 67-year-old Norman has frequently made headlines for his combative attitude toward the PGA Tour, and LIV may be looking to move away from that. McIlroy told reporters ahead of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai on Tuesday that he believes Norman has to go.

“Greg needs to go. He needs to exit stage left,” McIlroy said, via BBC’s Iain Carter. “He’s made his mark but I think now is the right time to say you’ve got this thing off the ground but no one’s going to talk unless there’s an adult in the room that can actually try to mend fences.”

One of the many shots Norman took at the PGA Tour came over the summer, when the Tour announced sweeping changes that will allow top players to earn more money. Norman accused PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan of following LIV’s lead. The 67-year-old later said McIlroy, Tiger Woods and others should be “thankful” LIV has given them the opportunity to earn more money on their own tour.

McIlroy on Tuesday credited Woods for growing the game.

“I’ve said this a million times: Tiger is the reason that we are playing for as much as we are playing for,” he said. “Tiger is the reason that the stature of our game is where it is. The generation of Tiger and the generation coming after Tiger have all benefited from him and his achievements and what he’s done for the game of golf.”

McIlroy said back in September that he believes LIV and the PGA Tour should stop squabbling and try to coexist. He obviously feels that cannot happen as long as Norman remains the Saudi-backed league’s CEO.