This is Greg Norman. They call him “The Shark.” Appropriate handle for this guy. More on him later.
And I acknowledge my opinion may not be yours. But here goes …

In the highly acclaimed play, “Fiddler on the Roof” Tevye the lead actor played by Zero Mostel, delivers the mantra … “tradition! tradition!
“In the presence of danger? How do we keep our balance?” he decries. TRADITION!

Tradition came to my mind this morning as I was watching the British Open golf tournament. Exciting stuff. What captured me most was the fact that this was the 150th celebration of this wonderful spectacle.
Back and forth. The leaders exchanged first place. Drama. Only one would win. So many more would lose. So much at stake for these great players. The Open is inarguably the most prestigious competition in the sport of golf.
Tradition … tradition… tradition. Golf has always been known for its traditions, its great history. Its lore. On display the values and depth of character the game has stood for. For over one hundred and fifty years.

But traditions have taken a beating lately. Politics, conflict and violence. Threats to our personal safety that have negatively impacted our lives. Self interest abounds. Greed feels as though it’s become a contagion. An expected norm of society today.

This brings me to the new, no cut, huge Saudi money fueled “LIV” Tour. Founded by that guy pictured above. Greg Norman. A new golf organization formed with one thought in mind. Dollars. Millions and hundreds of millions of dollars. Showered for the most part on washed up or non performing PGA players.
Even one, Phil Mickelson, who sold out to pay off an alleged $50M gambling debt. He’d sold our previously years ago switching golf club sponsors to do the same.

These “pros” rose to fame and fortune playing golf in the well established, well respected Professional Golf Association (PGA). Only to abandon their long supporting home to grab a huge checkbook opened to them by a country riddled with human rights and issues of corruption. See ya “tradition!” Doesn’t matter. Players are guaranteed large $ winnings regardless of how well or poorly they play. All winners, no losers. No chance of loss. Repeat, there is no chance of loss.

Years ago there was a TV show, “The Wide World of Sports.”
Every show opened with a clip and narrative, “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat!” This depicted much of life’s story. Imagine a business … any game, any life pursuit that had no downside. Essentially no risk. Some would call this socialism. A world where successful endeavors taking little or no risk. Winning, money at least, would be guaranteed. Shameful.

Welcome the LIV Golf Tour. Capitalizing on the greedy, overpaid, looking for nothing but more money, former PGA stars.
“Traditions” of golf be damned. Just “show me the money” and I’m gone.

Unfortunately, I think “LIV” is emblematic of the decline society today. Forget values. Forget tradition. Just “show me the money.” They could care less about anybody other than themselves.

At this week’s Open we saw golf at it’s best. There was prize money for winners and none for many of those who played poorly. All took a risk playing this week. There was the chance for victory as well as the chance for defeat. Like life for God’s sake! No guts, no glory! But as the renowned golfer Rory McElroy put it, “Anything done solely for money usually doesn’t end well.”

Thus,  I’m afraid will be the case with the new birthed LIV Tour. LIV ing without, minus any respect for the traditions that birthed its dollar driven new members.

Back to Greg Norman. The PGA Tour rejected Norman when he tried to launch a PGA alternative years ago. Never known for his good spirit, LIV seems much to be as much a grudge match as anything else. A “poke in the eye” to anyone who doubts or pushes him. Norman has accumulated a lot of wealth. Hundreds of millions of dollars of it. Three marriages, fights and suits with business partners. All of it. Greg Norman? I met him twice. Believe me. This is a bad guy.

When Greg played, he won twenty PGA tournaments and two majors. Enough money here to fund any luxurious life style. But a Gulfstream 5; a helicopter and a hundred foot yacht later, Greggy Boy is grubbing for more with LIV. “Come on over, guys!” You too can be just like me!” An egomaniac!

Greg Norman is pictured above. On his back. Just after he blew another tournament. Yes, he won some. But those he lost? Labeled him, “the choker.” Perhaps LIV will be his next venture in golf that will end up choking him someday too. Bet on it.