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Tiger Woods could have been nearly $1 BILLION richer if he had joined LIV Golf this year ... so says Greg Norman, who confirmed the new, Saudi-backed league offered the legend around $700-$800 million to defect from the PGA Tour.

Norman, who's LIV Golf's CEO, revealed the details of the staggering offer during an interview with Tucker Carlson that aired on Monday night -- saying the huge proposal came from the league even before he had officially taken the executive role with the org.

"That number was out there before I became CEO," Norman said. "So, that number's been out there, yes. And, look, Tiger's a needle mover, right?"

"So," he added, "yes, that number is somewhere in that neighborhood."

Tiger, of course, did not accept the offer ... and when he spoke about the new golf org. while at The Open in Scotland last month -- he ripped some of golf's biggest stars for taking the money and bolting from the PGA Tour.

"I think that what they've done is they've turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position," Woods said of the LIV golfers -- which includes huge names like Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson.

Woods also called out Norman for his role with LIV at the July event -- saying he didn't believe the former golf star was doing things that were "in the best interest of our game."

"What these players are doing for guaranteed money, what is the incentive to practice?" Woods added. "What is the incentive to go out there and earn it in the dirt? You’re just getting paid a lot of money upfront and playing a few events and playing 54 holes. They’re playing blaring music and have all these atmospheres that are different."

Donald Trump is calling for all PGA golfers to jump ship and join the Saudi-backed LIV tour ... claiming if they don't take the massive payday now, they'll be left in the dust when there's an "inevitable merger" between the organizations.

#45 made the comments on his Truth Social media platform on Monday -- just days ahead of LIV's tournament at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster.

"All of those golfers that remain 'loyal' to the very disloyal PGA, in all of its different forms, will pay a big price when the inevitable MERGER with LIV comes," Trump said. "And you get nothing but a big 'thank you' from PGA officials who are making Millions of Dollars a year."

"If you don’t take the money now, you will get nothing after the merger takes place, and only say how smart the original signees were."

Trump's involvement in LIV has garnered criticism from many -- especially families of 9/11 victims, considering Trump once publicly speculated Saudi Arabia played a role in the World Trade Center attacks.

Members of 9/11 Justice -- which consists of those affected by the 2001 terrorist attacks -- sent a letter to Trump earlier this week ... calling for him to cancel the event.

LIV Golf responded ... saying, "As we have said all along, these families have our deepest sympathy. While some may not agree, we believe golf is a force for good around the world."

Cameron Smith, #2 ranked golfer in the world and winner of The Open, is nearing a deal to join LIV Golf, TMZ Sports has learned … which would make him the latest star to join the Saudi-backed organization.

Of course, big names like Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau have defied the PGA Tour and inked huge money deals to play in the new league. Smith, by far, would represent the highest-ranked player they've been able to lure over.

Our sources tell us they'd be shocked if the deal didn't happen.

In fact, after winning at St. Andrews, Smith was asked by reporters about rumors he was going to LIV. Cam's response? He wasn't thrilled with the question, but didn't say no.

“I just won the British Open, and you’re asking about that? I think that’s pretty not that good,” Cameron said. “I don’t know, mate. My team around me worries about all that stuff. I’m here to win golf tournaments.”

As for the money Smith would receive, that's not known ... but obviously it'll be significant.

For reference ... Mickelson was reportedly paid $200 million to sign with LIV. DeChambeau's contract was said to be around $125 million. All the big named players received huge deals.

Of course, the PGA Tour and LIV are in the midst of a full-on war with each other ... as the upstart org. has persuaded some of the game's biggest names with windfalls of cash. The Tour has responded by threatening to ban players who sign.

In fact, there was talk last week that LIV players may not be allowed to compete in the four Majors starting in 2023 ... a move that'd be a huge blow to the golfers.

Not all of the biggest golfers have said "yes" to LIV. Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy both turned down lucrative offers. Woods's offer was said to be "high nine figures," according to LIV CEO Greg Norman.

Golf fans, try not to get teary-eyed watching this ...

Tiger Woods broke down while out on the golf course Friday morning, appearing to cry on the 18th fairway just before formally missing the cut at The Open -- and video from the scene is very emotional.

Woods -- who made it a goal to return to St. Andrews this year for the British Open after badly injuring his leg in a Feb. 2021 car crash -- struggled throughout the first two days of the tournament, and did not qualify for weekend play.

So, on his last hole of his second round on Friday, he received a massive ovation from the crowd in the stands -- and he couldn't hide his emotions.

Cameras captured Woods wiping away tears for several moments as he walked toward his ball near the green.

Tiger was eventually able to gather himself, and he went on to make a par -- finishing the event with a score of +9.

It could be the last time Woods ever competes in another Open at St. Andrews -- and he said afterward that's why he got so emotional out on the course.

"I don't know if I'll be physically able to play another British Open here at St. Andrews," said the 46-year-old, who's previously won two Opens at the famous course. "I certainly feel like I'll be able to play more British Opens. But, I don't know if I'll be around when it comes back around here."

"So, the warmth and the ovation at 18, it got to me."

Six Univ. of Southwest student-athlete golfers were not killed by a 13-year-old boy driving a pickup truck -- as originally suspected -- it turns out the teen's dad, who had meth in his system, was behind the wheel during the horrific, fatal accident.

The crash occurred in West Texas in March around 8:17 PM ... and left six athletes -- age 18 to 22 -- and one 26-year-old male coach dead after a 2007 Dodge pickup truck veered across the center line and into the Ford van carrying the team, who just competed in a tournament. Two students survived, but were seriously injured.

Shortly after the accident, authorities from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the 13-year-old, who did not have a license, was driving the pickup at the time of the head-on collision.

However, after a more thorough investigation, the NTSB is revising its story in a new preliminary report ... indicating the teenage boy's 38-year-old father was actually the driver, and when authorities tested his blood, they found methamphetamine.

They did not specify how much of the drug was in his system ... or whether it would've impacted his ability to operate a vehicle.

The NTSB say they used DNA to reach the new conclusion.

Both the 13-year-old and the father also died.

The NTSB also points out there's no evidence to suggest the crash was caused by a sudden flat tire, or any other catastrophic incident that could've caused the crash.

Tiger Woods is teeing off on LIV Golf ... making it clear on Tuesday that he ain't a fan of the new org., or the golfers who have defected to it.

The 46-year-old railed against the new, Saudi-backed league for several minutes during a meeting with media members ahead of this week's The Open tourney ... explaining he just doesn't understand how guys have ditched the PGA Tour for it.

"I think that what they've done is they've turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position," Woods said of the LIV golfers.

Woods, who reportedly turned down a massive offer to play in LIV Golf earlier this year, explained he believes the Tour has given athletes the chance to "earn what we get" and establish a legacy -- something he clearly thinks is lacking in the new golf league.

In fact, Woods questioned how anyone taking the guaranteed payday from the new org. could find a desire to try to get better going forward.

"What these players are doing for guaranteed money, what is the incentive to practice?" the golf legend said. "What is the incentive to go out there and earn it in the dirt? You’re just getting paid a lot of money upfront and playing a few events and playing 54 holes. They’re playing blaring music and have all these atmospheres that are different."

Woods also said he agreed with The Open's decision to ban LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman from some of this week's most meaningful events.

"Greg has done some things that I don’t think is in the best interest of our game," Woods said, "and we’re coming back to probably the most historic and traditional place in our sport."

LIV Golf officially kicked off its first event last month in England. More than a dozen of the top players in the world -- including Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau -- have elected to play in it.

The PGA Tour, meanwhile, has suspended all of the defectors indefinitely, saying in a statement in June that anyone who follows suit will face similar punishments.

It's unclear yet what the four major championship events will do with the LIV golfers going forward -- though Tiger said even the slightest possibility of a ban from those tourneys would have turned him off to the idea immediately.

The Department of Justice is investigating whether the PGA Tour -- who punished players for signing with wealthy Saudi golf startup, LIV Golf -- engaged in anticompetitive practices, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

Agents of players have been contacted by the antitrust division of the DOJ in recent months, and asked about the Tour's rules preventing players from playing in other golf events, and the punishment of players who signed with LIV, according to the report.

Of course, many top players have signed with the new, Saudi Arabia-backed organization ... Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and others have signed incredibly lucrative deals with LIV.

TMZ Sports contacted the PGA Tour which acknowledged the investigation, but didn't seem worried in the least.

"This was not unexpected. We went through this in 1994 and we are confident in a similar outcome," a spokesperson for the Tour told us.

FYI, PGA's referring to a Federal Trade Commission investigation in the mid-90s that looked into the Tour's rules barring players from participating in rival tournaments. The FTC dropped the investigation by 1995.

As for what could happen with this investigation ... the DOJ could pursue punishment of the PGA Tour. Or, players who signed with LIV, and/or the organization itself, could file an antitrust lawsuit against the Tour.

The PGA Tour has just dropped the hammer on Phil Mickelson and the other golf stars who have defected to the new LIV league ... announcing Thursday it's suspended the guys indefinitely.

Commissioner Jay Monahan explained the punishment in a lengthy memo to PGA Tour golfers ... saying players like Phil, Dustin Johnson, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia "are suspended or otherwise no longer eligible to participate in PGA Tour tournament play, including the Presidents Cup."

In the memo, Monahan said the ruling came down because the players' decisions to join the new Saudi-backed golf league violated the org.'s "Tournament Regulations."

Monahan vowed similar punishments for anyone who follows in their footsteps.

Monahan specifically named 17 golfers who were receiving the punishment -- though he noted 10 (including Johnson) have already resigned their memberships.

It should be noted, Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed -- who have reportedly committed to eventually joining the LIV League -- were not named in the memo.

It's unclear if the suspended golfers will ever be allowed to play in the PGA Tour again ... Monahan said in the statement that's to be determined.

LIV officials, meanwhile, blasted Monahan for the decision ... saying in a statement Thursday, "Today's announcement by the PGA Tour is vindictive and it deepens the divide between the Tour and its members."

"It's troubling the Tour, an organization dedicated to creating opportunities for golfers to play the game, is the entity blocking golfers from playing," they added. "This certainly is not the last word on this topic. The era of free agency is beginning as we are proud to have a full field of players joining us in London, and beyond."

ESPN anchor Sage Steele returned to work on Wednesday less than three weeks after she was struck in the face by a golf ball -- and she said on-air that she felt fortunate to still be alive.

Steele was hit at the PGA Championship on May 19 by an errant Jon Rahm drive ... and she explained during an episode of "SportsCenter" on Wednesday morning that she feared for her life after impact.

"One moment you're out on a course just innocently watching amazing golfers play out at a golf major," Steele said. "Next moment, you're on the ground. You're in pain with your entire life flashing before your eyes, scared to death, trying to comprehend what the hell just happened."

Steele thanked God on the show, and said that she feels like "the luckiest person in the world to still be here and be standing after that."

The 49-year-old also thanked her co-host, Matt Barrie, for all that he did out at the event and at the hospital to keep her calm.

Steele suffered undisclosed mouth injuries in the incident -- and shared a photo showing the golf ball caused her to bleed profusely.

She said she's spent countless hours with her dentist in wake of it all, and added there's still more work to be done on the road to recovery.

Tiger Woods is officially out of the U.S. Open ... the golf superstar just announced his surgically repaired leg is not in good enough shape to compete in the major tournament.

"My body needs more time to get stronger for major championship golf," Woods said in a tweet on Tuesday morning.

The 46-year-old, who badly injured his leg in a car accident in February 2021, had competed in both the Masters and the PGA Championship earlier this year. But, in both major tourneys, Woods' leg seemed to really bother him.

At the Masters in April, he performed well in the first two rounds, but struggled in the last two. At the PGA Championship in May, he labored around the course for three rounds before he eventually withdrew prior to the fourth round.

Tiger did say, though, he was hopeful he'd be able to get his body strong enough to compete in the last major of golf's calendar year -- The Open Championship -- which is slated to begin on July 14.

"I'm excited to get back out there soon!" Woods said.

Jon Rahm almost took out a female member of the broadcast team after tossing his club in frustration at the Memorial Tournament on Friday ... leaving the golf star apologizing profusely.

The incident happened after the Spanish pro hit an approach shot on the par 5 11th hole at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio ... and while he made it to the green, Rahm was clearly not pleased -- throwing his wedge and nearly hitting a woman holding a microphone on the fairway.

The TV worker appeared to dodge out of the way to avoid contact, but Rahm immediately regretted the move and apologized.

Rahm -- the former #1-ranked golfer, who's currently second in the world -- has been known to be an emotional player ... but his actions could end up resulting in a fine.

Rahm went on to continue his round as usual ... two-putting his way to par on the 11th.

Pro golfer Bart Bryant -- a 3-time PGA Tour winner -- was tragically killed in a car crash on Tuesday. He was 59 years old.

Tour commissioner Jay Monahan confirmed the sad news in a statement on Wednesday ... saying, "The PGA TOUR is saddened by the tragic passing of Bart Bryant and our hearts go out to his family and friends during this difficult time."

Bryant went pro in 1986 ... but his career was troubled with injuries. He won his first PGA Tour in 2004 ... making him the oldest first-time winner at the Valero Texas Open in 9 years.

The Texas native then went on to win two more tournaments in 2005 ... the Memorial Tournament and the Tour Championship, the latter being a big win over Tiger Woods.

Bryant also won the Dicks Sporting Goods Open in 2013 and 2018.

Bryant's older brother, Brad, is also a former PGA Tour winner.

"The Bryants have been a part of the PGA TOUR family for over four decades," Monahan said.

"We are grateful for the impact and legacy he made on our organization and countless communities. Bart will be dearly missed."

Bryant is survived by his wife Donna, his two daughters, stepchildren and his brother. His first wife, Cathy, passed in 2017.

RIP

John Daly relaxed after the first round of the PGA Championship in the most John Daly way possible -- grabbing some wings at Hooters and hitting the casino.

The golf legend -- who is tied for 58th after shooting 2-over on Thursday -- posed with 6 Hooters girls in Tulsa just hours after hitting the links ... thanking the workers for their hospitality.

As it turns out, the dude didn't stop there -- he was spotted posted up at the slots on Thursday night as well ... with a Diet Coke and a pack of cigs sitting next to his machine.

Naturally, TMZ Sports had to hit Daly up to see if he had any luck at the casino ... and unfortunately, it just wasn't his day.

"The slots weren't hitting," Daly told us this morning.

Of course, Daly is known for his obsession with the wing joint ... and his love for the place eventually landed him a sponsorship with the chain.

We'll have to see if Daly's post-golf routine keeps him in the groove for round 2 -- he tees off at 12:25 PM Central time.

Tiger Woods is officially back -- the golf legend just teed off at The Masters ... only 408 days after he nearly lost his leg in a car crash.

The 46-year-old hit his opening drive 264 yards in the fairway, just short of the bunker on the first hole at Augusta -- and his surgically repaired leg looks just fine.

Tiger is expected to finish all 18 holes of his first round in the next roughly three hours or so.

The sight is something most golf fans didn't expect to see again ... after Tiger mangled his left leg in a car wreck back in February 2021.

Woods required multiple procedures to fix the damage ... and things were so dire at the time, Tiger said doctors seriously considered amputating the limb.

Woods has worked tirelessly to get back to the course, though ... and said earlier this week that he believes he can legitimately win this weekend's event.

Tiger is playing with Louis Oosthuizen and Joaquin Niemann on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Masters favorite, Jon Rahm, is expected to tee off at around 11 a.m. PT.

Tiger Woods is playing -- and yelling -- like he hasn't missed a beat on the course ... with a hot mic catching him cussing out his golf ball in the middle of his impressive return to the Masters.

The funny and candid moment all went down moments ago while Woods was on the ninth hole at Augusta.

Tiger was hitting a golf ball out of some pine straw -- and when it hit the green, the shot appeared to be a very good one.

But, it caught a slope, and as it was rolling back to the fairway -- broadcast microphones caught Tiger yelling "F*** off!" at the ball.

Tiger was able to ultimately save par on the hole.

While vulgar, the scene was pretty awesome, because it showed Tiger -- who's had some famous verbal blowups on the course over the years -- is truly back.

Tiger Woods' daughter said she and the rest of the golf legend's family seriously feared Tiger would lose his leg following his car crash last year.

14-year-old Sam Woods made the revelation while introducing Tiger at his World Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Wednesday night in Florida ... explaining the golfer's injuries were that dire.

You'll recall, Tiger suffered comminuted open fractures in his right leg after he crashed his SUV in February 2021 in Los Angeles. He needed a rod, pins and screws to fix the damage.

Tiger had previously said the possibility of amputation was discussed in the aftermath of the wreck ... and Sam reiterated to a crowd at the PGA TOUR's headquarters during her speech that they were VERY concerned it might happen.

"We didn't know if you'd come home with two legs or not," Sam said.

Fortunately, Tiger was able to recover -- and in her speech, Sam praised the 46-year-old for battling through it all.

"Now, not only about to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, but you're standing here on your own two feet," Sam said. "This is why you deserve this. Because you're a fighter."

Tiger showed off the injured leg without a sleeve on it for the first time publicly while walking into the ceremony earlier Wednesday in a pair of shorts -- revealing there's no serious scarring visible from feet away.

It's unclear when the golfer will be able to compete on the PGA Tour again -- but he was able to play (and play REALLY well) in a fun tourney with his son, Charlie, back in December.