Greg Norman believes the increase in TV viewings at this month's Masters Tournament at Augusta was down to the return of LIV Golf stars to the PGA Tour.
Sunday's final round at Augusta saw the event draw in the most TV viewings of any golf broadcast for five years, after averaging 12.06 million viewers on the fourth day of tournament action according to CBS. The viewing numbers were up 19 percent on last year's event which saw Scottie Scheffler triumph as champion.
This year's Masters was one of the most highly anticipated in recent times, thanks to the ongoing battle between the LIV Golf Series and their rivals at the PGA Tour.
The opening major of the year saw a number of LIV players make a long-awaited return to the Tour, after having their memberships suspended by commissioner Jay Monahan. With the Masters managed by Augusta National bosses, LIV stars who were eligible to compete were granted entry to the iconic event.
18 rebels made their comeback at the Georgia course, and they more than made their mark. Four-time major champion Brooks Koepka impressed after holding the 54-hole lead, before just being tipped by eventual champion Rahm by four shots.
And he was joined by fellow LIV star Phil Mickelson, who rolled back the years to shoot a final round seven-under-par 65 to tie in second with Koepka. Whilst the Saudi-backed circuit has made moves in its first 10 months, PGA Tour suspensions and it's failure to secure world ranking points has no doubt halted their progress.
But after an impressive Masters showing, Norman believes the interest and growth in LIV Golf is alive and kicking. Speaking at their event in Adelaide this week, he said: "I do hope there gets to a position where there is resolution to this [ongoing dispute with PGA Tour], because the game of golf doesn’t need to suffer.
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"These guys don’t need to suffer. OWGR doesn’t need to suffer. Augusta National recognised that, and look what happened with their ratings when the LIV players came in. It was up 19 percent. Who was the benefactor of that? Augusta National, right?”
Singing the praises of the breakaway league, he added: "LIV is the force for good, and now guys want to play. They want to play in the majors. You don’t think CBS, NBC, you don’t think the corporations that sponsor those major championships don’t want Cam Smith, the Open champion, in their major tournament?
"Of course they do. It’s a crying shame if they take their shallow view of, caused by LIV, where because of another product they’re going to ban these guys? Well, I think Augusta National proved that case point very clearly.”
