Cam Smith reacts to Greg Norman leaving LIV Golf and confirms what their relationship was like before his departure

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LIV Golf’s 2025 season kicks off in Saudi Arabia this week but there’ll be no Greg Norman overseeing things for the first time since the tour’s inception.

Norman has moved on from his role as LIV CEO after playing a crucial part in getting things off the ground and then bringing in some of the biggest names in the sport.

Norman himself believes LIV has actually benefitted the PGA Tour, despite the two tours still not coming to terms on any deal, although Norman did admit a lack of TV deal had harmed LIV as well.

In Norman’s place is the well known Scot O’Neil, who is tasked with pushing them onto the next level.

However, ahead of LIV Riyadh and with no Greg Norman in sight, Australian Cam Smith has admitted that Norman’s exit is a little bit ‘weird’ for him.

Cam Smith gives verdict on Greg Norman leaving LIV Golf

Speaking to the press ahead of LIV Riyadh this week, Smith was asked about how LIV might move forward now with Norman gone and O’Neil in charge.

And for Smith, he admitted seeing Norman leave after being such a prominent figure is a bit strange.

“Yeah, it’s a weird one for me obviously getting very close to Greg the last couple years. I think he’s done a really great job. He’s taken a lot of bullets for the Tour, and I don’t know many other people that could have done that, to be honest,” Smith said.

“On the other hand, I think we’re making some great strides, and as a tour we’re really going in the right direction, which I think everyone is really happy with.

“Like I said, it’s a little bit of a weird one for me, but I’m happy the trajectory that the Tour has gone.”

How other LIV Golf stars reacted to Greg Norman leaving

Despite the controversy that often follows Norman, it’s safe to say that his impact on LIV has been felt and the players over there feel strongly towards him.

Jon Rahm was among those to praise Norman, although he did admit getting an outside like O’Neil in can be good for LIV.

“Yeah, Scott, spent a little bit of time with him last week in some live commercial, photo shoots, I never know how to call those. You know, even though Greg has treated me great, I think having somebody like Scott, who is a little bit outside the world of golf but very much in the world of sport, I think, makes him kind of a perfect match for that,” Rahm said during his press conference at the Dubai Desert Classic.

“I think, unfortunately, there’s been a little bit, possibly a little too much bad blood between Greg and maybe the governing bodies, and to have somebody outside of that might help the situation. Plus his overall view with what a league or an organization could work and should work with his experience in the NBA, right.”

Another LIV star, Marc Leishman, also heaped the praise on Norman and admitted he wants Norman to remain involved in some way.

“Love him or hate him, as a golfer, he’s certainly helped our lifestyle. He’s worked really hard, really given a few years of his life. We don’t know how many years that is,” Leishman said.

“I would hate to think how many hours he works a week and how many hours he flies. LIV has been going for two and a half years, but how long he’s been doing it before that, who knows.

“He’s sacrificed a lot. Obviously, he’s got pretty well compensated as well, but I hope he stays involved in some way.”

This feels like a fresh start for LIV Golf in 2025 and with a TV deal coming and the night golf event in Riyadh, they will be attracting more and more eyes.