In January this year, Greg Norman’s LIV Golf career took a concerning downturn. Already a divisive figure infamous for his combative stance toward the PGA Tour, Norman’s departure as CEO was not unexpected. Just take Rory McIlroy’s reaction to Scott O’Neil’s appointment, for example. He called it “probably a good move”, while Jon Rahm stated how the departure gave the Saudi-backed league “a less threatening image”. And if that was not enough, reports also emerged revealing that PGA Tour officials had wanted to oust him—an idea rejected by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) at the time. Unfortunately, you can only hold out for so long with so many factors working against you. But does Norman even care about critics? Not really, as he’s quickly moved on toward the next best thing…

On September 16, the retired golf star took a long trip down memory lane to announce his new project. “25 yrs ago this week. 2000 Sydney Olympics. Now I am honoured to sit on the Brisbane 2032 Olympic board to showcase my home town with our goal to make 2032 the North Star of the Olympics.” Notably, less than a month after Norman was replaced by O’Neil, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had handpicked his fellow Aussie to replace a retiring Member for Moreton Graham Perrett on the 24-person organizing committee for the 2032 Olympics (Brisbane, Queensland).

“As a proud Queenslander, it is an honor and privilege to help shape the Brisbane Games,” the former LIV Golf CEO had said. Interestingly, being from the area is not his only connection with the upcoming Games. As a young boy, Norman used to work at the Royal Queensland Golf Club, the same riverside course set to host the Olympic golfing tournament in 2032. No wonder he’s excited to head to familiar territory. But did you know there was also a time when the 70-year-old was almost ousted from here as well?

As per a 100-day review panel of experts, the 24-member board was reduced to 15 to “enhance efficiency and effectiveness.” The decision was taken as the Queensland government passed laws to shrink the body to “streamline” decision-making. As part of the change, early reports suggested that Prime Minister nominees and Queensland Premier nominees were among those removed. However, by mid-July, The Courier Mail confirmed that the veteran golfer was retained as an independent director owing to his “significant global sport and business experience”. 

As for his LIV Golf association, The Great White Shark was reportedly associated in an unnamed capacity with the league before his contract expired last month. Just last week, in a lengthy and heartfelt Instagram post, Norman informed, “After four unforgettable years, I have officially closed out my time with LIV Golf, and reflecting with nothing but gratitude, pride and achievement. Together, we built a movement that changed the game globally. We created opportunities for both players and fans and broaden the ecosystem of golf. We truly globalized the game and expanded golf’s reach to fans around the world. We brought entertainment, innovation and private equity into golf (including to the PGA Tour) positioning the sport as an asset class. It’s been an incredible chapter, and I’m so proud of what we accomplished…”

“As for what’s next…stay tuned! Exciting times ahead. Onward to the next adventure 🔜,” he had signed off the caption with. Norman, with his four-year tenure, has helped the league make some crucial shifts to survive against the PGA Tour. Being the first CEO and founder, he led the tour to notable success with nearly 100,000 fans showing up to The Grange Golf Club to the LIV Golf Adelaide event earlier this year.

Additionally, over 60,000 more showed up to the 2025 LIV Golf Indianapolis tournament at The Club at Chatham Hills in Westfield. Not just this, the league also reached 875 million households across 200+ nations. In fact, just last month, the league was one of the “Most Innovative Leagues” award winners at the 2025 Front Office Sports Honors. However, despite all the good, Norman’s time with the organization will perhaps be remembered more for its controversies.

Not even an extension was offered to the former CEO. Safe to say that the partnership ended on a sour note. Unfortunately, the trend is still continuing as…

After Greg Norman, LIV faced another setback

Three days after Norman’s farewell Instagram post, the golf league faced another major setback. The chief marketing officer, Adam Harter, also stepped down from his position. The CMO has been reporting directly to Norman since May 2024 with his global marketing initiatives.

Harter shared a post on LinkedIn about his decision. At the end of the post, he shared gratitude writing, “I leave with immense gratitude, countless friendships, and excitement for both LIV Golf’s future and my next new adventure. Long LIV Golf! The mission continues…and I know the best is still yet to come.” He did not mention his next move.

With two decades of experience, including working for PepsiCo as a Senior Vice President (Media, Sports & Entertainment), Harter’s exit has got to hurt. Who will the next in line? Only time will tell.