Greg Norman is no longer the CEO of LIV Golf, but he has been vocal about how professional golfers faced “unfair” treatment under the PGA Tour system. The Australian legend argued that top players never owned their IP rights, which kept them from maximizing their earning potential. He also said that LIV Golf was the answer, a league where players would finally have control over their own IP. But while Norman fights to protect his legacy, his successor is taking a very different path. And insiders are taking notes of it.

Gabby Herzig, a golf insider, just threw Norman under the bus, comparing his style to that of Scott O’Neil, who became LIV’s CEO in January 2025. Herzig was asked on a recent episode of 5 Clubs if O’Neil would have a stronger presence in 2026 after being quiet in 2025. Her response exposed how different the two leaders are. O’Neil “was new to his job” and “wasn’t doing a ton of media” during his first year. Instead, he was “operating behind the scenes to get a few things done that he wanted to make happen, like the Fox Sports deal, like the move from 54 holes to 72 holes.” Herzig zeroed in on O’Neil’s break from Norman’s combative style.

“He’s quite different from his predecessor in that he’s not taking this kind of anti-establishment approach,” she said. When Herzig and colleague Brody Miller spoke with O’Neil, they pressed him on whether LIV’s shift to 72 holes represented real innovation or just a return to traditional golf. O’Neil told them “there is a purity to the game that needs to be upheld.” Herzig was blunt: “I don’t think we would have ever heard a word like that come out of Greg Norman’s mouth in the previous administration at LIV Golf.”

She believes O’Neil’s flexibility means “he’ll probably mesh a little bit better in the grander ecosystem of golf and its leaders.” Why? Well, it’s because “he has a wider perspective.”

During his time as commissioner, Greg Norman fought against the PGA Tour’s control over players. Notably, his aggressive style did cause problems with the golf establishment. On the other side, O’Neil appears to be more interested in joining the discourse than opposing it.

The Fox Sports deal stands as O’Neil’s signature achievement in year one. After struggling with minimal viewership on The CW, LIV secured a partnership with the broadcasting giant.

The LIV CEO has been candid about the challenges ahead. “[The U.S. is] the dominant No. 1 TV and sponsorship market in the world, and there’s not a close second,” he said. “The scrutiny we get in the U.S. is well, well-deserved, and we certainly take the challenge.”

LIV and Fox didn’t finalize their agreement until late 2024, which meant the league sometimes got less favorable time slots or channels with smaller audiences. Despite these hurdles, O’Neil called Fox Sports’ Eric Shanks an “extraordinary executive” and a “wonderful partner.” The deal gives LIV access to Fox, FS1, FS2, Fox Business Network, and the Fox Sports App throughout 2025.

It is still unclear if O’Neil’s style will lead to long-term growth, but his willingness to work within golf’s ecosystem rather than battle against it marks a clear break from Greg Norman’s playbook. And with 2026 coming up, he is hoping to gain OWGR points in LIV Golf.

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Scott O’Neil pushes for world ranking points

CEO Scott O’Neil’s main goal for LIV Golf is to get Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, which will help them catch up with more established tours. Since LIV started in 2022, its tournaments haven’t given out ranking points because their format comprises 54 holes long and doesn’t feature cuts. Owing to this, many of the league’s best players have found it difficult to get into Major championships. Getting OWGR certification would directly boost players’ chances of winning and make the tour more legitimate.

Scott O’Neil has said that talks with the OWGR leadership have been productive, which shows that LIV is eager to deal with the reasons because of which this did not materialize in the past. He is hopeful that changes, such as the switch to a classic 72-hole event structure in 2026, will meet important requirements for inclusion. He said, “We are working very closely with [chairman] Trevor Immelman and the board of OWGR,” and that the goal of the talks is to find a solution before the next season.

The quest for ranking points shows that the people in power know that players’ world rankings are very important for getting into key tournaments automatically. Without them, LIV stars have to rely on performances outside the league or specific exemptions to qualify, which makes it harder for them to compete at the biggest events in the sport.

LIV’s new OWGR application and adjustments to its structure are a big change and this shows that they want to make improvements while still keeping the tour’s own identity.