The chief executive of the LIV Golf Invitational Series, Greg Norman, has revealed that former world number one, Tiger Woods, refused a tempting offer to move to the Saudi-backed league. Norman, who has led some top players from the PGA Tour to the new league, said that the offer was made even before he was appointed CEO of the new league.

The former professional made this known in an interview with Fox. He said: “That number was out there before I became CEO. Tiger is a needle-mover, right? So, of course, you’ve got to look at the best of the best. That number is somewhere in that neighbourhood.

“They had originally approached Tiger before I became CEO.”

Adding Tiger Woods to the LIV Golf would have been a real boost for the league, but the 15-time major winner has decided to stick with the league that gave him a fulfilling career. Some weeks ago, Woods observed that he does not think the decision to join the LIV would pay off for the players involved: “You’re just getting paid a lot of money upfront and playing a few events and playing 54 holes. They’re playing blaring music and have all these atmospheres that are different.

“I just don’t see how that move is positive in the long term for a lot of these players, especially if the LIV organisation doesn’t get world-ranking points and the major championships change their criteria for entering the events.”

Woods also supported the decision of the organisers of The Open Championship at St. Andrews to exclude Norman from the ceremony of the 150th Open Championship, saying that Norman has “done some things that I don’t think is in the best interest of our game.”

The LIV Invitational may have failed to attract woods, but they are wooing other players in the PGA Tour and European Tour. If they get the approval to include world-ranking points in their events, that would be the masterstroke that would draw more players to them.

Written by: Leon Osamor