Masters organisers have excluded Greg Norman, the commissioner of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series, from the tournament this year. Fred Ridley, the Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, confirmed in his pre-tournament news conference on Wednesday that the decision was made to ensure the focus is on the competition.

Eighteen players from the LIV Golf series, which began last year with eight invitational events and has started a 14-event league this year, are competing at Augusta. However, Norman will not be present, even though he is a former major winner.

Norman has only visited Augusta twice in the past 10 years, and one of those was as a commentator. He expressed disappointment at the decision, calling it “petty.” He also claimed that he had only received a grounds pass last year and “nothing, zilch” this year. Nevertheless, Norman insisted he would still watch the event.

While Norman is a former world number one and a three-time runner-up at Augusta National in the 1980s and 1990s, he has become a controversial figure in golf due to his involvement in the LIV Golf series. Some have even called the series a “breakaway tour,” although its founders deny this.

In an interview earlier this week, Norman claimed that LIV Golf players would celebrate together behind the 18th green if one of them won the Masters on Sunday. This comment did not go down well with traditionalists, who feel that such a celebration would detract from the prestige of the Masters.

Norman was also not invited to last year’s 150th Open at St Andrews, despite being a two-time champion of golf’s oldest major. The R&A, which hosts the Open, suggested that Norman’s involvement in the LIV series would be a distraction.

While some may view Norman’s exclusion from the Masters as an attempt to discourage players from joining the LIV Golf series, the official reason given by Ridley was that he wanted the focus to be on the competition. This is not the first time that organisers have excluded a controversial figure from a major golf tournament. For example, the USGA banned Dustin Johnson from the 2017 U.S. Open after he admitted to taking cocaine. Explore more about this story and find good Golf betting odds in Nextbet. 

The decision to exclude Norman is unlikely to affect the quality of the tournament, as there are still plenty of talented players competing. However, it does highlight the tension that exists between traditionalists and those who want to modernize the sport. While the LIV Golf series may be seen by some as a threat to the established order, others see it as an opportunity to bring fresh ideas to golf and attract a new generation of fans.

In conclusion, the decision to exclude Greg Norman from the Masters this year has sparked controversy, but the official reason given by organisers is that they want the focus to be on the competition. While Norman’s exclusion may be seen by some as an attempt to discourage players from joining the LIV Golf series, it is unlikely to have a major impact on the tournament’s quality. Nevertheless, it highlights the tension that exists between traditionalists and those who want to modernize the sport.