“The fans are still the fans and they will support. We’re going to have our loyal fans because we’re a franchise model. We could easily co-exist. From the outset that [players moving between tours] is always what we wanted. They’re independent contractors and they should have the freedom to go play where they want to.”

But does this merger mean the end for Norman?

Notably, his name was nowhere to be seen in the press release announcing the new shock deal. Instead, PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan was left to do the talking in the announcement, and later alongside Monahan in a too-awkward-to-be-true television appearance in the United States.

Norman was the head-kicker Saudi Arabia needed. They gave him the finance to make his world golf tour a reality, his profile gave them public cut through and he didn’t care how many toes he stepped on.

But speculation has been rife for months his overlords have slowly but surely been winding back his public appearances for a mooted move sideways. He’s been conspicuous since he spearheaded the Adelaide event, a success few would have imagined. His work appears almost done (even though he tweeted his pleasure at the new deal).

Few have any clue how the merger and new schedule will work, apart from Al-Rumayyan taking over as chairman and Monahan saving his skin as the for-profit organisation’s new chief executive officer. It’s logical the traditional tours and LIV’s teams model will continue as is, but the movement of players between each should be far more transient.

The secrecy of the deal, which many golfers, agents and local administrators confessed they had no idea was happening when contacted on Wednesday, has stunned all and sundry. It begs so many questions, and it appears even Al-Rumayyan and Monahan don’t have the answers yet.

LIV’s biggest stars, like Smith, are on long-term contracts which run until as late as 2027. In briefings during the Adelaide tournament, LIV officials were adamant they were in it for the long haul. They want their franchise principals such as Smith, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson to eventually build their own golf courses and academies.

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But the commercial reality was stark.

While it’s getting traction in other parts of the world, LIV’s American TV ratings on the CW Network have been poor. CW left the Tulsa tournament last month with three holes to play to run local programming including The Goldbergs and infomercials, infuriating viewers who missed Dustin Johnson winning a play-off.

The plan to have commercial backers buying teams like in Formula 1 has also not taken off, albeit it might be far more attractive now.