White Shark bares teeth to accuse PGA chief of bullying the players

Greg Norman has written an open letter to PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, accusing him of “bullying” players with “unenforceable” threats of a lifetime ban if they join a rival league.

In a meeting with players earlier this week, Monahan reiterated that those who joined the proposed Saudi-backed circuit, which is being spearheaded by former world number one Norman, would be banned by the PGA Tour.

That looked something of a moot point with Rory Mcilroy describing the breakaway as “dead in the water” after Dustin Johnson and Bryson Dechambeau pledged their future to the PGA Tour in the wake of Phil Mickelson’s explosive comments about the new venture.

Norman insists “this is just the beginning” at the end of his 500-word letter.

The letter reads: “For decades, I have fought for the rights of players to enjoy a career in which they are rewarded fully and properly for their efforts. They are one-in-amillion athletes.

“Yet for decades, the Tour has put its own financial ambitions ahead of the players and every player on the tour knows it. The Tour is the Players Tour not your administration’s Tour. When you try to bluff and intimidate players by bullying and threatening them, you are guilty of going too far, being unfair, and you likely are in violation of the law.

“Simply put, you can’t ban players from playing golf. Players have the right and the freedom to play where we like.

“I know for a fact that many PGA players were and still are interested in playing for a new league, in addition to playing for the Tour. What is wrong with that?”

Ten places in the US Open will be available via a European Qualifying Series comprising four DP World Tour events.

The places in the field at the Country Club, Brookline, will be awarded to the top 10 points earners, not otherwise exempt, from the Betfred British Masters, Soudal Open, Dutch Open and Porsche European Open.

Greg Norman.