‘We’ve all made mistakes’: Greg Norman sparks outrage with comment about Jamal Khashoggi murder

Greg Norman addresses the media at Centurion Club

Greg Norman claimed that “we’ve all made mistakes” as he attempted to rebuff questions over Saudi Arabia’s human rights abuses and the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi on Wednesday.

Norman, who is fronting the Saudi-funded LIV Golf Invitational Series which begins next month at Centurion Club in St Albans, inevitably faced several questions over accusations of sportswashing at a media launch event.

Asked specifically about the murder of dissident journalist Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018, which a UN special rapporteur and the CIA claimed was sanctioned directly by crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, Norman said: “Everybody has owned up to it, right?

“It has been spoken about, from what I’ve read, going on what you guys reported. Take ownership, no matter what it is.

“Look, we’ve all made mistakes and you just want to learn from those mistakes and how you can correct them going forward.”

Bin Salman, who is the chairman of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund that is funding LIV Golf, has denied the allegation. Norman said he has never spoken to the crown prince but on Tuesday he announced that LIV had received $2bn in additional funding to establish a 14-event global golf league in 2024 that would directly rival the PGA Tour.

“I haven’t had one personal connection with MBS, I’ve never even met the guy, he said. “But at the same time, I do read that the Saudi government has made their statements about it and they want to move forward.”

The two-time Open champion became similarly flustered when asked about the execution of 81 men in Saudi Arabia on 12 March.

“I got a lot of messages but quite honestly I look forward,” he said. “I don’t look back.