It has only been a few months since Scott O’Neil took over from Greg Norman as the LIV Golf CEO. As soon as O’Neil took control, his first order of business was a big partnership with FOX Sports. After years of struggling to get viewership with the CW Network, FS1 provided them the right medium to reach more golf enthusiasts through a recognized sports network. While that may not have propelled the viewership for LIV Golf, it did set the groundwork for a better future. So, did Norman’s departure open doors for LIV? Is Scott O’Neil doing things differently?

Speaking of his vision for the future, O’Neil recently joined his daughter’s podcast on YouTube for a conversation about his business approach. In a short clip shared by 54 Golf | LIV’s New Media, the LIV Golf CEO was heard saying, “I try to set standards of excellence. I like to set a vision of, some might say, unreasonable expectations of what we can achieve. And then I like to surround myself with people smarter and more talented than I am. And then help with the human dynamics of how we operate and how we work effectively together. And that’s a very modern-day vision of leadership. It’s not top down.”

That last sentence probably described his strategy the best. O’Neil doesn’t like to be the sole decision maker for LIV Golf. He is a businessman, after all, so his expertise lies in achieving financial goals. He realizes that and focuses on getting help from experts for the sports side of things. Also, to have an understanding that you don’t have to be the smartest man in the room shows how he likes to work with other experts to develop the most beneficial business strategies for promoting LIV Golf.

The bit about the “human dynamics” suggests that O’Neil thinks of himself as more of a people manager than an outright leader. This is quite different from what Greg Norman was trying to do. His conflicts with many in the golf community made it impossible for him to be a visionary who could trust and collaborate with others. Norman was also more impulsive as he tried to rush the launch of LIV Golf. Hence, they were not able to land a better media partner than the CW Network. Under O’Neil, LIV Golf events have also earned recognition from the management teams of the Open Championship and the U.S. Open. That was something the former boss found difficult to achieve.

While he is still the decision maker in the organization, management is a vital part of developing a business. Especially when you’re dealing with multiple athletes in a sport. Even Bryson DeChambeau finds the new LIV Golf project promising since the arrival of O’Neil. After seeing what the new CEO has done, DeChambeau killed the rumors of his exit by saying, “I’m very excited about the future of LIV Golf. I continue to see LIV Golf growing. It’s going to grow at an (exponential) pace for years to come, and we aren’t going anywhere.” Looks like one of the best golfers in the world supports O’Neil’s aspirations to take LIV Golf to the next level.

Many have seen the positive side of Scott O’Neil’s leadership. And they have also spoken fondly of the new LIV Golf CEO.

Unlike Greg Norman, Scott O’Neil gets a vote of approval from the golf world

While Greg Norman was often condemned by everyone, Scott O’Neil has been a far more acceptable leader in golf. His desire to work in a collaborative setup makes it easy for others to start a conversation with him. And that has led to others speaking quite positively about him. One of the biggest and most unexpected compliments O’Neil received recently came from the PGA Tour Commissioner, Jay Monahan.

Weeks after O’Neil took the chair, Monahan sat down for a press conference for the 2025 Genesis Invitational. When asked about his views on the new LIV Golf boss, the PGA Tour Commissioner said, “Listen, Scott — Scott’s had a really strong career in the sports industry. I think you see his pedigree. I’ve gotten to know him. I’d say a lot of the people that I have a lot of respect for that are in this industry think very highly of Scott.” Not only did Monahan give his vote of confidence for O’Neil, but he also hinted that other leaders in golf are also in favor of the new LIV Golf CEO.

He also revealed a shocking conversation he had with his rival. Monahan said, “He reached out to me the first day that he took on his role, and I think if you just look at his success in the past, I think he’s nothing but additive and is going to be an important part of this as we go forward.” While commending O’Neil’s experience, the PGA Tour leader also confirmed that the two had a conversation right after the former took office. Just goes to show that they share a lot of mutual respect. This is quite the opposite of the dynamic Greg Norman and Jay Monahan shared.