Tiger Woods turned down a reported offer worth between $700 million and $800 million to join LIV Golf in 2022, choosing to remain with the PGA Tour despite the enormous financial incentive. His decision was driven by concerns about the breakaway league’s impact on professional golf, the future of players and the traditions that shaped his career.
The staggering figure was confirmed by then-LIV Golf chief executive Greg Norman, who revealed that the Saudi-backed circuit had approached Woods before he took over as CEO. However, the 15-time major champion made it clear that financial rewards were not enough to convince him to abandon the PGA Tour.
Tiger Woods questioned LIV Golf’s long-term future
Woods made his position clear during the 150th Open Championship at St Andrews in July 2022, when he was asked about the growing number of players leaving the PGA Tour for LIV Golf.
The American questioned whether joining the breakaway circuit was a positive career decision, particularly given the uncertainty surrounding world ranking points and qualification for major championships.
“The players who have chosen to go to LIV and to play there, I disagree with it,” Woods said.
He also argued that players who had built their careers through the PGA Tour were turning their backs on the organisation that had helped establish them.
His concerns extended beyond the immediate financial benefits. Woods believed that the absence of Official World Golf Ranking points could create serious problems for LIV players seeking to remain eligible for golf’s biggest tournaments.
“I just don’t see how that move is positive in the long term for a lot of these players, especially if the LIV organization doesn’t get world-ranking points and the major championships change their criteria for entering the events,” he added. <Cite refs={[“turn948893search0″,”turn948893search7”]}/>
Woods questioned the motivation behind guaranteed LIV contracts
Another major part of Woods’ criticism centred on the guaranteed money being offered to players.
LIV Golf attracted several high-profile names with substantial signing agreements, allowing them to secure significant financial rewards without relying entirely on tournament performances.
Woods questioned what that meant for the competitive motivation of professional golfers.
“But what these players are doing for guaranteed money, what is the incentive to practice? What is the incentive to go out there and earn it in the dirt?” he said.
He also pointed to LIV’s shorter 54-hole format and its different tournament atmosphere, arguing that the new circuit did not offer the same competitive experience as the traditional PGA Tour schedule.
For Woods, the opportunity to compete in established tournaments and earn victories through the traditional structure of professional golf remained important.
Greg Norman confirmed the $700m-$800m approach
The financial details became public in August 2022 when Norman discussed the offer during an interview with Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson.
Asked whether LIV Golf had approached Woods with an offer in the region of $700 million to $800 million, Norman confirmed that the figure was broadly accurate.
“That number was out there before I became CEO,” Norman said. “Tiger is a needle-mover, right? So of course you’ve got to look at the best of the best.”
He added that LIV had originally approached Woods before he became chief executive. <Cite refs={[“turn948893search0″,”turn948893search5”]}/>
There was, however, an important clarification later that month. Norman explained that the reported $700 million to $800 million was not an upfront cash payment. Instead, the figure included the potential future value of a LIV team franchise and associated ownership opportunities.
“We never offered that cash value to Tiger Woods. That’s the reality of it,” Norman said in an interview with Fox Sports Australia. <Cite refs={[“turn948893search2”]}/>
Woods remained committed to the PGA Tour
While several major champions accepted LIV Golf’s financial offers, Woods remained one of the most prominent figures defending the PGA Tour during the dispute.
His decision also carried significance beyond his own playing career. As one of golf’s most influential figures, his involvement could have provided LIV with an enormous boost in visibility and credibility.
Ultimately, Woods chose not to make the move, maintaining his position that the traditional tour structure and access to golf’s biggest championships were important to the sport’s future.
The reported $800 million approach remains one of the most extraordinary financial stories from golf’s split in 2022. But Woods’ explanation showed that he viewed the decision as much more than a financial opportunity.
