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‘Stop assuming you have all the answers’ – Olympic champ is the latest Australian to blast Greg Norman

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Sitting around a table, Team Australia look one happy family.

Compatriots Cam Smith, Matt Jones, Marc Leishman and Wade Ormsby join LIV CEO Greg Norman to answer questions and points sent in by LIV viewers. After the most recent Open championship winner tells his ‘boss’ that he’s “doing a great job”, they unite with a toast of beer cans.

All looks rosy in the camp, but not every Aussie feels the same.

One of Australia’s most notable athletes, Kieren Perkins, told the National Press Club that Norman should “stop and listen to the people around you,” and stop “assuming you have all the answers.”

The two-time gold Olympic gold medallist and multiple champion at the 1994 Commonwealth Games became the new CEO of the Australian Sports Commission in December 2021, overseeing Sport Australia and the Australian Institute of Sport, and recently commented that Australian sport needs to be a societal leader and be more inclusive of minority groups.

The publication asked Perkins what message he would give to Norman, head of the LIV organization that has received plenty of criticism over its ties to Saudi Arabia and its disruption of the sport’s ruling bodies.

“Just stop and listen to the people around you, Greg, and think about some of the stuff that’s being told to you,” said the Sport Australia Hall of Famer. “See if actually there’s some value in it, instead of assuming you have all the answers.”

Whilst empathizing with Norman’s view that he wishes to ‘grow the game’ Perkins has doubts about the methods used:  “I understand and appreciate the need to disrupt sport and make it better, and the opportunity to create more competitive pathways that help athletes receive the benefit they deserve, [but] opening the door for more inclusion is incredibly important.”

LIV Golf plays round six of an initial eight event season at Bangkok from Friday, with the season-ending Team Championship at Trump National Doral Miami set for the end of this month.

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19th Hole

Phil Mickelson drops big retirement hint; Says LIV will grow the game ‘on a much more global basis’

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While speaking with Bloomberg, golf legend Phil Mickelson acknowledged that he is inching close towards retirement.

“I’m 53 now,” Phil said, “and my career, you know, it’s — if I’m being truthful, it’s on — it’s — it’s — I’m a — it’s towards its end.”

Mickelson added that one of his focuses now is helping other young players.

“Now, I would like to help others find the same enjoyment and fulfillment that the game has provided me. I’d like them to experience that as well.”

The six-time major champion credited LIV with reaching new markets in golf to help it grow.

“I think that’s exciting for everyone involved in the game because we are going to reach markets that we didn’t reach before. I think it’s going to inspire more golf courses, inspire more manufacturers selling clubs and equipment, but also inspiring young kids to try to play golf professionally. I just see that the game of golf is going to grow on a much more global basis because of the excitement and the presence that LIV Golf has.”

Mickelson is playing at this week’s LIV Singapore and shot a first round 72 (+1).

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19th Hole

Tiger explains why golf has ‘negative connotations’ for daughter Sam

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While Tiger Woods’ son, Charlie, has certainly inherited his father’s love for golf, his daughter, Sam, has not.

On Wednesday, Tiger made an appearance on The Today Show with Carson Daly and explained his daughter’s relationship with golf.

“Golf has negative connotations for her. When she was growing up, golf took daddy away from her. I had to pack, I had to leave, and I was gone for weeks. So, there were negative connotations to it.

“We developed our own relationship and our own rapport outside of golf. We do things that doesn’t involve golf. Meanwhile, my son and I, everything we do is golf related.”

The nine-minute interview touches on plenty of other subjects, such as Tiger’s relationship with his late father, Earl.

It’s arguably the most open we’ve seen the 15-time major champion in an interview and is most definitely worth watching.

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Gary Player claims this is what ‘completely ruined’ Tiger Woods’ career

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While speaking with KW Golf, golf legend Gary Player said that he believes swing coaches ruined the career of Tiger Woods.

“The US Open at Pebble Beach, he won by 15 shots. You know what that’s like? It’s like running the 100 meters in seven seconds. The next week, he’s having a lesson from a man who, I don’t think, if he played in the Masters, could break 80.”

“And then he goes to another guy who couldn’t probably break 85 in the Masters with the pressure, or the British Open or the PGA on the final day. And he’s having lessons from them.”

“Why did Tiger do that? He was so good, but I understand he wanted to get better,” Player went on. “If he had just gone along and never changed, he would have won at least 22.. He would’ve gone down as the greatest athlete the world has ever seen.”

In 2008, Woods had won 14 majors and was 33 years old. It would take him eleven years to win his 15th at the 2019 Masters.

In addition to the swing coach issue, there are many other issues throughout the career of Woods that golf fans will look back on and wonder “what if.”

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