Golf’s future lies in Asia not America says LIV boss Greg Norman, calls region ‘a sleeping giant’

Players say investment from Saudi-backed group will revive the sport in Asia

Norman says region will play a central role in global expansion, with events planned for Hong Kong, Singapore and Vietnam

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LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman on stage at a welcome party in Bangkok. Photo: LIV Golf

Published: 7:30am, 11 Oct 2022Updated: 7:41am, 11 Oct 2022

It wasn’t long ago that players on the Asian Tour golf circuit were on the brink of quitting the sport entirely.

Almost two years without competition had left many without work and questioning their future on the Tour. Fast forward to today and things could not be more different.

At last week’s LIV Golf Invitational in Bangkok a very different picture of golf in Asia was on full display at the pristine surroundings of Stonehill.

Fans were back, optimism had returned and a genuine sense of energy could be felt among players – especially those cutting their teeth on the amateur circuit.

A post-Covid expansion of the Asian Tour is now on the horizon, thanks to a 10-year US$300 million investment from LIV Golf, a wave of new talent from Ratchanon “TK” Chantananuwat to Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho and Asia, it seems, is ready to reassert its place on the global circuit.

For Greg Norman, the LIV Golf CEO, Asia was always going to be a central part of his global expansion plans.

“Asia is the sleeping giant,” Norman told the Post during last week’s LIV Golf Invitational in Bangkok.

“America is not always going to be the place to be and I say that with 100 per cent confidence. We wouldn’t have got to where we are today without Asia. Our commitment to Asia was basically the key in the door that unlocked it all.”