Greg Norman

At 69 years old, Greg Norman has this physical status:

Gregory John Norman AO (born 10 February 1955) is an Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur who spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 Official World Golf Rankings ranked golfer in the 1980s and 1990s.

He has won 88 professional tournaments, including 20 PGA Tour tournaments and two majors: The Open Championships in 1986 and 1993.

Norman also earned thirty top-10 finishes and was the runner-up 8 times in majors throughout his career.

He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2001 with the highest percentage of votes (80%) of any golfer to date.

In a reference to his blond hair, size, aggressive golf style and his birthplace's native coastal animal, Norman's nickname is "The Great White Shark" (often shortened to just "The Shark"), which he earned after his play at the 1981 Masters.During and after his playing career, Norman engaged in numerous entrepreneurial and philanthropic endeavors.

He currently serves as the chairman and CEO of the Greg Norman Company, a global corporation with a portfolio of companies in fields like apparel, interior design, real estate, private equity, golf course design, and more.

Norman has also donated to and established numerous charities and charity events like the QBE Shootout which benefits the CureSearch for Children's Cancer fund.

He became a Trustee of the Environmental Institute for Golf in 2004 and received the Golf Writers Association of America's Bartlett Award in 2008 for his philanthropic endeavors.In 2009 as part of the Q150 celebrations, Greg Norman was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for his role as a "sports legend".

Early years

Norman was born in Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia to Mervin and Toini Norman. His mother was the daughter of a Finnish carpenter, and his father an electrical engineer. As a youth, he played rugby and cricket and aspired to be a professional surfer. His mother Toini, who had a single-figure handicap, taught the 15-year-old Norman how to golf and allowed him to caddy for her at the Virginia Golf Club in Brisbane. Within about eighteen months, Norman went from a 27 handicap to a scratch handicap. In Townsville, Queensland, Norman attended Townsville Central State School (enrolled 1964) and then Townsville Grammar School then moved on to Aspley State High School on the north side of Brisbane.

In June 1974, at the age of 19, Norman received media attention at the Queensland Open. The Canberra Times reported that "the young amateur Greg Norman" was one shot off the lead after the first round.

Personal life

Norman had a brief romance with British tennis player Sue Barker before he met Laura Andrassy, an American flight attendant. Norman married Andrassy in July 1981. They had two children—Greg Norman, Jr. and Morgan-Leigh. They divorced in 2006, with Andrassy receiving a $105 million settlement. He married former World No. 1 tennis player Chris Evert on Paradise Island in the Bahamas in June 2008, but they separated after only 15 months and were subsequently divorced. In November 2010, Norman married interior designer Kirsten Kutner on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands, with Greg Jr. as his best man. Norman has two grandchildren—Harrison and Hendrix.

In December 2020, Norman was hospitalized with COVID-19. While in hospital, he shared an update on Instagram saying, "It's been an ugly one. I for one am looking forward to getting out of this quarantine and looking forward to building whatever the great future is for 2021 and beyond."

Source

Career

Norman played assistant under Billy McWilliam OAM at Beverley Park Golf Club in Sydney, New South Wales, in 1975. Norman began working in the Royal Queensland Golf Club pro shop as Charlie Earp's trainee, earning A$38 per week. Norman turned pro in 1976, six years since he first started golfing, and he spent six years as a tournament player. He won his first match at The Grange Golf Club in Adelaide, South Australia, in 2015. He joined the European Tour in 1977 and won the Martini International in Scotland, his first victory in the European event of the same season.

Norman won the French Open by ten shots in 1980, winning the tournament by ten shots. In the final round, he defeated the Scandinavian Enterprise Open in Sweden with a course record of 64 points. Norman took the Suntory World Match Play Championship in 1980. Norman also won his first Australian Open that year, his first in five years in the competition.

Norman finished 4th on his debut at the Masters in Augusta in 1981, just three strokes behind champion Tom Watson. Norman was victorious in the 1981 British Masters, and he later won his third Martini International tournament that year as well. Norman was the best money winner on the European Tour in 1982. He has appeared in three European competitions this year, including successfully defending his British Masters title. Norman returned to the United States PGA Tour in 2005.

Norman won his first PGA Tour victory at the Kemper Open in June 1984, winning by five strokes. He rose to international prominence a week after at the 1984 US Open. On the 72nd hole, Norman holed a spectacular 45-foot putt, triggering a playoff match with former Masters champion Fuzzy Zoeller. Zoeller will win by 67–75 over Norman on the next day in an 18-hole playoff. With a victory at the Canadian Open in July, he was able to put the loss behind him for his second victory of the year.

Norman captured the Toshiba Australian PGA Championship and the National Panasonic Australian Open in 1985. He had two runners-up finishes in the United States PGA Tour this year, finishing tied for second place at the Canadian Open and the Bank of Boston Classic.

Norman's 11 world victories in 1986 included four victories in Australia and two regular PGA Tour events; the Panasonic Las Vegas Invitational and the Kemper Open (for the second time) but 1986 is best remembered for the Norman Slam or the Saturday Slam. Through 54 holes, Norman maintained the lead for all four majors. He was in the final group for every major, and had arguably the best chance in history of winning the single-season Grand Slam. Despite this, Norman's only major triumph of the year was in the 1986 Open Championship at Turnberry.

Norman led the final round with a one-stroke lead that he maintained until he double-bogeyed the 10th. Norman tied for fourth consecutive birdies on holes 14 to 17, and Jack Nicklaus was tied for 18th, with Jack Nicklaus on the 18th. Norman missed a par putt on the 18th, which would have put them into a sudden-death playoff match. Norman was still lead after 54 holes at the 1986 US Open at Shinnecock Hills. Norman, on the other hand, faltered on the final day, ending with a final round 75, placing him six strokes behind the winner, Raymond Floyd.

Norman won his first major championship at the 1986 Open Championship. On Friday, Norman shot a second round of 63, tied for the lowest round at the Open. In the second round, only 15 players broke par. Norman's feat was described as "the best round ever played in a tournament in which I was a participant," Tom Watson said. Norman beat the Open by five shots after suffering with the weekend's gruesome weather at Turnberry. Norman said: "Outside of Australia, Britain was the first place to recognize me as a professional golfer." It's the most satisfying feeling to win my first Open in front of the British people. At the 1986 PGA Championship, Norman was back in contention. On the final day, he was leading the charge but he was unable to finish 2 strokes behind eventual winner Bob Tway.

Norman's four victories in Australia in 1986 helped him to finish first on the Australian Order of Merit for the fifth time. For the first time this year, he also topped the US PGA Tour money list for the first time this year. Norman won the Panasonic European Open at Sunningdale Golf Club in 1986 and then won his third World Match Play Championship at Wentworth. Norman retired 1986 with 11 world championships and was ranked No. 1 in the brand's new Official World Golf Rankings.

At the 1987 Masters, Norman had another setback. Norman had a 20-foot putt on the 18th green for a birdie that would win the tournament. The ball trickled over the left lip of the cup, missing by millimeters. Norman found himself in a sudden-death playoff with Larry Mize and Seve Ballesteros after his par on the 72nd hole at Augusta. Mize holed a 47-yard (140-foot) chip to take the tournament on the second playoff hole, with Ballesteros disqualified. Norman did win the Australian Masters in February 1987 and the Australian Open later this year by a ten shot margin over Jack Nicklaus's new Australian Open record winning margin of eight strokes. Norman's victory at the Australian Open in 1987 put him above Seve Ballesteros to the top of the Official World Golf Rankings.

In 1988, Norman had two more victories in Australia. Norman won the MCI Heritage Golf Classic in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, in April 1988, after a leukemia-stricken adolescent who wanted to meet Norman and watch him play. The teen boy had only been supposed to watch the golfer for two rounds, but Norman managed for him to stay until the tournament's conclusion. Norman named the boy with the trophy after the tournament. In that year, he was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

Norman missed a 12-foot par putt on the 72nd hole, putting him into a playoff match with Nick Faldo and Scott Hoch at the 1989 Masters. Norman had a second shot at a major in 1989, this time at the Open Championship at Royal Troon. He made his way into a playoff with Mark Calcavecchia and Wayne Grady, beginning with six straight birdies in his round. Norman and Calcavecchia were tied going into the final playoff hole, but Calcavecchia took the spoils after two consecutive bunker shots by Norman.

Norman won the Doral-Ryder Open and Memorial Tournament in 1990. In the 1990 Masters, he also missed the cut for the first time at Augusta National. Norman started with two rounds of 66, leaving him exchanging the lead with Nick Faldo after 36 holes and the pair four shots ahead of the rest of the field. Faldo then shot a third round of 67, but Norman could only muster 76 points. Norman finished in sixth place in the tournament, while Faldo took the top by five shots. Though 1990 was not Norman's best majors year, he finished at the top of the PGA Tour money list for the second time in his career and received the Vardon Trophy and Byron Nelson Award for his second year. He won the Australian Masters in his home country for the first time in his history later this year.

Norman turned to respected coach Butch Harmon for support after a career slumped in the early 1990s. The two men resurrect Norman's game by addressing mechanical issues that hadn't crept into his swing. Norman earned his second major at Royal St George's in the 1993 Open Championship as a result of his preparation. Norman defeated a leaderboard made up of Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, and Corey Pavin, who were all present. Norman's final round 64 was the lowest score by a winner in Open history until Henrik Stenson's 63 at the 2016 Open Championship.

Norman easily defeated records for lowest 18-, 54-, and 72-hole scores at The Players Championship during the 1994-19th century. He started with a 63-tying record in the course, tying for a final total of 264 strokes, or 24 under par, to give him a total total of 264 strokes, or 24 under par, — six strokes better than any previous champion. Norman finished third at the 1995 Masters and was the runner-up at the 1995 U.S. Open. Norman won his second Memorial Tournament in June, marking the start of one of his best years on the PGA Tour. After his win at the Canon Greater Hartford Open, he was aided by a chip-in in No. eagle on No. 10. Norman defeated Nick Price in the final round, becoming the world's best golfer. He won the NEC World Series of Golf later this year, holing a 70-foot birdie chip shot to defeat Billy Mayfair and Nick Price in a playoff on the first hole. He ultimately retained No. 82. 1st place in his career for 331 weeks. For the third time, he topped the money list for the third time and was named PGA Player of the Year.

Norman debuted the 1996 Masters Tournament with a course record tying 63, putting him at the top of the leaderboard. He remained in charge for three days of play. Norman took a six-stroke lead into the final round and lost the tournament to Nick Faldo by five strokes on Sunday, shooting 78 to Faldo's 67. When Norman claimed the Andersen Consulting World Championship of Golf in January 1997, he earned his first winner's check to date, one million dollars. Norman also won two tournaments in 1997, but those were his last victories on the PGA Tour. Norman missed a portion of the season in 1998 due to hip and shoulder injuries. He shot for the top in the 1999 Masters Tournament with five holes remaining before finishing third, three strokes behind, and finally finished sixth, three strokes behind.

Norman finished nine over par in a tie for third at The Open Championship in July 2008, despite not playing in a major for three years. At 53, he set a new record for the oldest 54-hole champion in a major championship before 59-year-old Tom Watson led the 2009 Open Championship after three rounds.

Norman turned 50 in February 2005 but has kept his distance from the senior golf circuit. This is partially due to his continued focus on company, but also due to lingering hip and back issues. Norman said in 2003, "Hitting four million golf balls has resulted in unnecessary wear and tear." In October 2005 and February 2006, he underwent knee surgery. Norman claims that if he had been introduced to the concept of golf fitness early in his career, he may have avoided his back injuries.

Career achievements and legacy

Norman has won more than $2 million on the tour since being named the Tour's top money winner in 1986, 1990, and 1995. He was also the first person in Tour history to reach $10 million in career earnings. He has 30 top-ten finishes in majors, or more than 38% of those he has entered. During this period, his 20 PGA Tour victories in the 1980s and 1990s place second, behind Tom Watson (21 total). In 1993, he had his lowest total four-round score (since being beaten by Henrik Stenson in 2016) and The Players Championship (264, 1994).

Norman's elution in the majors despite his comparative lack of success in the majors, was undoubtedly reflected in the Official World Golf Rankings: Norman spent the year on seven occasions, including 1986, 1989, 1990, 1995, and 1997, finishing second, 1993, 1994, 1994, and 1994. Norman has won the Order of Merit six times: 1978, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1988, and 1988. He received the Order of Merit in 1982 and 1995 and ranked the PGA Tour's money list in 1986, 1990, and 1995. He won the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average on the PGA Tour three times: 1989, 1990, 1994, and 1994; and in 2001, he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Norman was named the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year Award in 1986, a feat he matched in 1993 to join Muhammad Ali as a multiple winner of the award (now joined by Roger Federer and Usain Bolt). Norman was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2007 for his "Legend" status. At the 2008 Golf Industry Show in Orlando, he was given the Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, the GCSAA's highest award. Norman is a member of The Environmental Institute for Golf's board of trustees and also chairs the institute's advisory committee. He was also the recipient of the 2008 Charlie Bartlett Award from the Golf Writers Association of America. Norman was inducted into the Queensland Sport Hall of Fame in 2009.

Greg Norman was named one of Queensland's Q150 Icons of Excellence in 2009 for his work as a "sports legend."

The Greg Norman Medal, which is awarded to the best Australian male or female golfer in any year, was established in 2015. In 2015, he received both the Australian Global Icon Award and the National Golf Course Owner's Association Award of Merit.

Norman had a unique and threatening style of play. He is widely regarded as one of the best golfers of his time. Norman placed in the top 20 in total driving on the PGA Tour twelve times and in the top six nine times in the ten seasons between 1984 and 1993, including first in 1988, 1989, and 1993). Norman threatened many of his fellow workers while driving long and straight off the tee with a persimmon (wood) clubhead in his prime. Because of his high ball flight, he was able to carry the ball for a long distance. "The best driver I ever saw was Greg Norman," Nick Price said in 2009: "The best driver I ever saw was Greg Norman."

Source