Greg Norman adds 2 veteran execs to new golf group

Greg Norman announced he's added two executives to his team at LIV Golf Investments as the group attempts to start a new league, according to ESPN's Bob Harig.

Ron Cross, a former executive at the PGA TOUR and Augusta National, will become LIV's chief events officer. Sean Bratches, a former exec at ESPN and Formula 1, will serve as chief commercial officer.

Cross most recently acted as the senior vice president of corporate affairs for the PGA TOUR. Previously, he was a special assistant to PGA TOUR commissioner Jay Monahan. Cross has also served as executive director of The Players Championship and spent eight years as a senior director at Augusta.

Bratches was the executive vice president of sales and marketing for ESPN before becoming managing director of commercial operations for Formula 1.

The additions come on the heels of Norman's announcement that LIV will invest $200 million into the Asian Tour to start a 10-tournament series that will begin in 2022 in hopes of attracting the sport's biggest names. Those tournaments are expected to serve as a co-sanctioned feeder tour for the proposed new golf league.

"We believe the game of golf is poised to grow on a global scale and we are ready to make the necessary strategic investments to support its growth," Norman said in a statement.