Woods says Norman 'has to go' as a first step towards peace

Tiger Woods says Greg Norman "has to go" as commissioner of the LIV Golf Series if the upstart circuit is to exist in harmony with the PGA and DP World tours.

The 15-time major champion, speaking on Tuesday before his Hero World Challenge at the Albany in the Bahamas, echoed comments earlier this month by Northern Ireland star Rory McIlroy, both also saying that litigation between the parties must also be dropped if progress is to be made.

"There is an opportunity out there if both organisations put a stay on their litigation," Woods said. "That's the problem.

"There is no willingness to negotiate if you have litigation against you. I think Greg has to go first of all.

"It has to start with leadership on their side, understanding that what is happening right now is not the best future for the whole game of golf.

"You need to have the two bodies come together and if one side has so much animosity, trying to destroy our tour, then how do you work with that?"

Norman has been the very confrontational face of the breakaway circuit funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

He said in September he had "no interest" in negotiating with the established tours in a bid to heal the bitter split sparked by LIV Golf's luring of some of the game's biggest names with multi-million dollar purses for their 54-hole, no-cut tournaments.

The new circuit has been accused of "sportswashing" Saudi Arabia's human rights record, and the US tours responded to its challenge by suspending any players who competed in LIV events.

The European tour's attempt to sanction players making the jump to LIV is also facing a legal challenge, while it remains to be seen if the organisers of the four major championships - the Masters, US and British Opens and the