Tiger 'rejected $700-800m offer'

Tiger Woods turned down an offer of about $700-800 million to take part in the Saudi-funded LIV Golf series, the rebel circuit's chief, Greg Norman, said.

Fifteen-time major champion Woods has always made clear his opposition to the series which is threatening to tear golf apart.

Speaking in an interview on Fox News, LIV chief-executive Norman was asked if it was true that the American golf legend was offered"700, 800, a billion dollars" to join the breakaway circuit.

"That number was out there before I became CEO so that number's been out there, yes," Norman, a former world No 1 who is the public face of LIV Golf, said in the interview at Trump National in Bedminster, New Jersey, where the third LIV Golf Invitational was held last weekend.

"And look, Tiger is a needle-mover, right? So of course you are going to look at the best of the best.

"They had originally approached Tiger before I became CEO, so yes, that number is somewhere in that neighborhood."

The 46-year-old Woods has consistently declared his loyalty to the PGA Tour and said he has no intention of following other major winners such as Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia and Dustin Johnson in jumping ship to the upstart LIV circuit.

"I disagree with it," Woods said ahead of the British Open at St. Andrews last month when asked about his fellow professionals who have joined the hugely lucrative circuit.

"I think that what they've done is they've turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position," Woods said.

AFP