Golf legend Greg Norman pressed behind closed doors in 'lively' GOP discussion about Saudi-backed LIV tour

By Manu Raju, Melanie Zanona and George Ramsay, CNN

Updated 1100 GMT (1900 HKT) September 22, 2022

Former world No. 1 Greg Norman is the face of the recently-launched LIV Golf series.

(CNN)Greg Norman, the head of the controversial Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour, faced some conservative criticism on Tuesday after he met with a group of House Republicans behind closed doors on Capitol Hill.

Norman, on a trip to Washington as part of a public-relations push to sell lawmakers about the benefits of the PGA tour's new rival, was also questioned during the Republican Study Committee meeting about his league's Saudi financing.LIV Golf is backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) — a sovereign wealth fund chaired by Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia — and has pledged to award $250 million in total prize money.Rep. Chip Roy, a Texas Republican, suggested that he didn't mince words with Norman, who told the Republican that the goal of his tour is «competition» — an assertion that Roy thought was «nonsense,» though he said he'd be happy to sit down and talk with Norman about it further.«Don't sell us, 'This is just about competition' when they won't answer about a billion dollars to buy off PGA players resulting in a billion dollars of PR for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,» Roy told CNN, saying they could be in violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act.Read MoreLIV Golf has spent eye-popping sums to poach top PGA tour players, reportedly offering nine figures for individuals just to sign with the new league and enormous purses for the winners of its tournaments. In early August, Norman confirmed on Fox News that golf legend Tiger Woods turned down an offer worth approximately $700-$800 million to