Augusta National’s chairman hopes for peace but the battle lines have been drawn – and this most traditional of tournaments is not immune
Greg Norman believes he was not welcome at the 2023 Masters. In his traditional pre-tournament address, Augusta National’s chairman, Fred Ridley, confirmed precisely that. Ridley refused to offer an assurance that Norman, the chief executive of the rebel LIV circuit, will ever receive an invitation to the opening major of the year.
The schism at the heart of professional golf has put Norman in direct opposition to the PGA and DP World, formerly European, Tours. The Saudi Arabian-backed LIV series has 18 golfers in the Masters field, including six past champions, but Norman is a notable absentee inside this venue’s gates. Umpteen other leading administrative figures in the sport are in attendance.
