U.S Masters Shark Attack

OK…so no one expects The Shark to repeat his efforts from 2008 where he was one of very few players to tame The Birkdale Beast at its very worst during the British Open where he finished tied for 3rd having led the tournament.

I doubt even he expects huge results.

But that’s not the point. For Australian golf fans growing up Greg Norman was it – there was no one else to barrack for. And we didn’t need anybody else. We got everything you could ask for with Norman. Power, skill, charisma, drama and heartbreak – more than enough heartbreak.

I remember being at school in ’96 and one of the lads from our year had placed most of his life savings (a couple of hundred dollars – big money for a 17yr old) on The Shark to win The Masters. He got pretty goods odds before the tournament and took them.

After the third day and early into the fourth he was over the moon – Norman was 6 shots clear and shooting the lights out. Money in the bank…I think my mate had already splashed out on the cheap alcohol to celebrate.

We all know what happened after that – Nick Faldo ended up winning by five in one of the most famous turnarounds in world sport.

At his peak Greg Norman sat atop the world rankings for a total of 331 weeks and was in contention for more major titles than any other competitor of the past two decades with the exception of Tiger Woods. He has lost multiple times on chip-ins, is the only player to have lost all four major’s in a play-off and has the ignominy of holding the Shark Slam – he led all four majors going into the final round in 1981. He has finished runner-up at a major 8 times.

Journalists over the years inevitably painted him with the tag as a choker.

But I think the time is past for that – I prefer to think of him as being unlucky. Really unlucky…like cosmically cursed unlucky.

Instead I want to focus on the next few weeks in which Norman will be building his campaign for one final shot at Augusta. One more chance for his many fans to see him strut the fairways as only he can.

I’m going to be keeping you posted on any Shark sightings, news and developments as he focuses his attention – if only for a short time – on once more competing at the highest level of this sport.

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Greg Norman Golf Swing 1986 – 1995 – 2008