Tiger’s life, LIV Golf shakeups and more: Tour Confidential

Check in every week for the unfiltered views of our writers and editors as they analyze the hottest topics in sports, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @igalofu_com. This week, we discuss Tiger Woods’ latest health updates, LIV Golf’s Greg Norman departure, the LPGA Tour’s search for a new CEO and more.

Tiger Woods spoke to the media at the Hero World Challenge, calling last season a washout and still unsure how healthy he will be to continue playing in 2025. What’s the biggest takeaway from Tiger’s time with the media, and how long do you think he’ll approach each season with hope but uncertainty that he’ll play a few majors before he decides to hang it up for good? Are we close to that?

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): It’s like deja vu at this press conference every year. Tiger seems to be constantly frustrated with his life and unsure of what he will be able to do next season. When he said he hoped to play once a month, it turned out that it wasn’t close at all. But none of this is surprising at this point; it’s just the truth. This young man’s body has been through many things. That said, I think this will be the status quo going forward. He’s still going to compete and he’s still going to play at his best and I don’t think full retirement is coming anytime soon unless things get really bad. But I’m also curious as to how much (if at all) he’ll play on the Champions Tour once he’s on the wagon. That day is fast approaching.

Josh Sens, senior author (@joshsens): You agreed, Josh. Tiger is famous for playing things close to the vest. But for a long time now, I don’t think he knows more about his plans than the rest of us, and those plans have been to play as many majors as possible, and a few other events. All the majors are available to him as long as he is willing to be optimistic. And I don’t expect him to completely abandon them anytime soon. But as Red Sox second baseman Jerry Remy said when he became a broadcaster: we’re all one day at a time, even the goats.

Zephyr Melton, assistant editor (@zephyrmelton): Tiger always says he hopes to play in the majors (and a few select tournaments), but the truth is his body won’t allow it. The day his car left the road in 2021, his career was effectively over. How long will it take him to accept that fact.

The CEO of LIV Golf, Greg Norman, has confirmed reports that have been circulating for weeks, that he will step down as CEO of this division following his three-year run. (Former Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment CEO Scott O’Neil has been reported as his successor.) How will Norman’s time as CEO at LIV be remembered? And years from now, how important will his role be in any pro golf landscape?

How: Norman had a strange and complicated relationship with the game. It’s actually pretty hard to keep this answer short, but in short he’s done well by signing big-name players away from the Tour – Rahm, Bryson, Brooks, etc. – and, like it or not, he brought a distraction to the game o some fans and players thought it was for distraction. But he also didn’t get a high-profile TV deal, which was crucial for LIV Golf to expand its reach and prove it was more than just a hot and giggling start with a weird format broadcast on YouTube. Would LIV Golf or the pro golf landscape look different right now without Norman, and if someone else just took that role? Maybe not much, but Norman will always be tied to it.

Senses: With their financial body, the Saudis are likely to get any number of people to help them disrupt the men’s game. But Norman was the perfect vessel for it: a global star with restless ambition and – as visiting rivals were always his vision – a very sharp ax to grind. This weight of his name did not hurt by hiring a lot of guys that LIV has now. But anger at Norman may have served to silence others, and done little to advance the prospect of negotiations.

Melton: Norman will be remembered as a divisive and disruptive figure. Whether you see that as a good thing or a bad thing is up to you.

From one outgoing CEO to another, Mollie Marcoux Samaan, commissioner of the LPGA Tour, announced that she will step down from her position in January, two years before her contract expires. Although purses have risen significantly since Marcoux Samaan took over in May 2021, the 2024 season ended with a Solheim Cup parking dispute and a key sponsor calling the Tour out of its season-ending event. What will Marcoux Samaan’s legacy be? And what do you think ultimately led to this early departure?

How: Purses has grown tremendously during his tenure and while that can’t be entirely attributed to the league’s CEO, they get a lot of credit. Increasing the purse and increasing the league’s reach and exposure were probably the two most important things on his to-do list when he started, and while one was accomplished I’m not sure the other was accomplished. Was that entirely his fault? Maybe not, but if the manager can take credit for the rise in the stock market he should take the fall when things go wrong. Nelly Korda had an epic season and it never seemed like she got as much as she should have. (Also, Korda probably could have helped himself here, too.) Finally, the Solheim Cup parking snafu was bad and the immediate response wasn’t much better.

Senses: I don’t think you can put the parking argument entirely at his feet. His role is the big picture, not the nitty-gritty of on-the-ground logistics. But it was bad optics (and the slow social media response was a noob), and part of a manager’s job is taking the heat when things like that go wrong. That the third round of the season-ending CME Championship was shown on tape delay was another bad look. But that was a TV contract that was negotiated before Marcous Samaan took over. Again, however, the bull must stand somewhere, so that it is rooted in his legacy. In his defense, I think the frustration with the LPGA this season reflects a problem that exists in all of professional golf: players and organizations and networks want and expect more money than the market warrants. Golf is a niche sport.

Melton: I’ll give Mollie credit, she helped raise purses on the LPGA Tour and was generally well-liked among the players. However, in the end his inability to work as a successful person was his downfall. The problems facing the LPGA Tour are too big for one person to fix and I would expect the next commish to face similar storms. However, at the very least, they need to find someone who can better communicate with fans, sponsors and the media.

Following a year in which NBC Sports held small-scale “tryouts” for its lead analyst role, the network announced that Kevin Kisner will step in to take over the full-time gig recently held by Paul Azinger. Do you favor the selection of Kisner over the other candidates?

How: I think Kisner’s personality and relationship with many of the current Tour pros has been played to his advantage, but from that seat and it’s their job to criticize if necessary. How many times will Kisner pull that arrow out of his quiver? We will find out.

Senses: Kisner can be funny and it’s clear he knows what it’s like to be there, but there’s no doubt that being close to the cast is a benefit as well as a liability. I understand that Brandel Chamblee isn’t universally loved, but I also think he’s as smart and smart as golf gets. I would have liked to see him in the role.

Melton: That’s right. Rent isn’t a disaster, but it isn’t a complete flop either. I would have preferred to see Chamblee in the booth, but alas.

America’s top two players returned refreshed last week, with Jordan Spieth taking the Hero after a wrist injury and Will Zalatoris in full fitness on the DP World Tour following his first healthy season in years. Both sound optimistic about 2025. Who will have the better season?

How: Willy Z. has had a year to get more comfortable with the broom and his new swing. He seems healthy, happy and devoted. I like him to win at least once next season and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him do it twice.

Senses: Zalatoris. Even when he won the majors, Spieth relied on the foreign game of scratching and putting, which is difficult to sustain. Perhaps the most important thing is that he has dealt with a lot of problems with his game as a whole, which is a confidence booster.

Melton: My colleagues called me. Zalatoris looked like one of the best players in the world before his injury problems. If he’s back to 100 percent, watch out.