On the 40Th Anniversary of His First European Tour Win at Blairgowrie, Greg Norman Sits Down with Bunkered to Reflect on His Incredible Career
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EXCLUSIVE A Shark’s tale... On the 40th anniversary of his first European Tour win at Blairgowrie, Greg Norman sits down with bunkered to reflect on his incredible career WORDS MICHAEL McEWAN PHOTOS SUPPLIED / GETTY IMAGES 44 BUNKERED.CO.UK TWITTER.COM/BUNKEREDONLINE 45 COVER STORY FTER THE BEAR BUT BEFORE TIGER, THERE WAS THE SHARK. Not ‘MY ROUND just any shark. The Great White Shark. So-called because of his flowing WITH THE blond locks, aggressive style of play and his Australian roots, Greg SHARK’ Norman was arguably golf’s most dominant figure for the best part of MURRAY RITCHIE ON two decades, topping the Official World Golf Ranking for a total of 331 THE DAY HE PLAYED weeks - a record bettered only by Tiger Woods. Now 62, he’s still one of WITH NORMAN the game’s most influential and instantly-recognisable individuals. In this WHEN THE INVITATION came exclusive, wide-ranging interview, Norman reflects on the highs and lows to play in the Texas Scramble of his extraordinary career, explains the secrets of his huge success as a businessman, and pro-am before the Suntory World Matchplay at Wentworth sharesA his thoughts on Tiger, course design, technology and more. in 1987, I was nervous at the very thought. When they Sam Torrance, Bernhard Langer, Ian AS A CHILD GROWING UP IN shrewd judge of a golfer, couldn’t told me I was last out with QUEENSLAND, Norman played have predicted it better. Woosnam, Stewart Ginn and John Greg Norman, the defending rugby and cricket. He was a keen O’Leary, guys like that. They were - champion and World No.1, I surfer, too, but harboured ambitions Let’s start with your first European and are - all great guys who I really was terrified. On the practice of becoming a fighter pilot. Golf Tour win at Blairgowrie in 1977. Do enjoyed being around. But, like I didn’t appear on his radar until his you remember much of that week? said, my goal was to get to America. putting green, I became aware mid-teens when his mother, a single- Absolutely. Being completely That was my focus. I knew that if I of a crowd gathering. When figure handicapper, taught him how to honest, I don’t recall all 18 holes could get there and I could beat the I looked up, there was only play. She also allowed him to caddy on the course but I remember the best American golfers, in their own me - and Seve Ballesteros. I for her at the Virginia Golf Club in week vividly. It was an important win backyard, that I’d be in good stead to don’t think they were there for Brisbane and, within 18 months, he and I’ll always remember it fondly have a long and successful career. me. Seve smiled as I picked up went from a 27 handicap to scratch. because it made a statement, to and made a beeline for the first At the age of 20, he served as an myself as much as anyone else. It Was becoming a golfer something tee where, to my horror, there assistant professional at Beverley told me that I was good enough you always wanted to do? were thousands of spectators. Park Golf Club in Sydney before to compete and win at the highest Actually, no. My earliest ambition Down the right there were moving on to become a trainee of level. It gave me a huge amount of was to become a fighter pilot in the millions of pounds worth of Charlie Earp at Royal Queensland, confidence. I’d already won a few Royal Australian Air Force. I grew up luxury limos just waiting for earning $38 a week. In 1976, just six titles in Australia and Japan by that in North East Australia, close to an an expensive slice. I managed years after he took up golf, he turned point and so the next logical step air force base, and I used to watch an almost respectable drive - pro as a tournament player, earning was to try to win in Europe. I came the fighter jets taking off all the time. and we were off. Playing with his first victory the same year in the over with the simple goal of trying to I figured that would be a pretty cool a legend was a wonderful West Lakes Classic in Adelaide. learn different courses, different ways thing to do but somewhere along experience. Greg showed The following year, he joined the of playing and to improve my ball- the way golf just took over. I’ve seen interest in my ancient Ping European Tour, finishing in a tie for striking. The turf on links courses in it written that I wanted to become 52nd on his debut at the Penfold Scotland is totally different to the turf a professional surfer but that’s not putter and told me never PGA Championship in May. His very on some of the more lush parkland true. Surfing was a big part of my to sell it because it was a next event yielded his first victory - courses I’d largely been playing up childhood. It was something I was collector’s item. I never have. the Martini International at Blairgowrie until that point, and the best way to good at and I loved doing it but it He looked at my new carbon- Golf Club in Perthshire. With Bernard improve is to learn. That was my aim, was never something I was going headed Dunlop driver, the Gallacher for company, he closed to learn as much as I could - about to do for a living. It’s interesting, fashion of the day, and seemed with a magnificent 66, the lowest double greens, summer greens, though, and this is something I’ve puzzled by its fishing-rod shaft. round of the week, to beat Simon winter greens, narrow fairways, wide spoken with [five-time World Surf “How do you wait for it?” he Hobday by three shots. fairways, thick rough, wispy rough, League champion] Kelly Slater about, asked. That was a bit technical Writing in The Herald, the late you name it - with the ultimate goal surfing is very good for your golf. for me. When I introduced him Raymond Jacobs proclaimed Norman of getting to the US. I knew that was When you’re on a board, you feel to the good lady he helpfully to be “a new - and rare - golfing where I needed to end up in order everything that is under your feet. informed her I needed a talent.” to really fulfil my potential but I didn’t The proprioception of your body in driver with a stiffer shaft. Well, “If ever a player looks the part,” want to take any shortcuts to get the golf swing is similar to that when even the boss could hardly wrote Jacobs, “both physically and there. I wanted to learn the game as you’re surfing. Even though they’re argue with the world No.1! My technically, he is Norman. A head of best I could to give myself the best opposites in so many ways, the two moment of glory came on the hair as strikingly blond as Nicklaus’s chance of succeeding when I did sports are similar. Looking back now, short 14th when Greg missed perches above a piratical-looking eventually get to America. I really believe my surfing prowess the green with a 6-iron and broken nose and a burly, broad- had a big influence on my golf. looked astonished. There was shouldered frame.” Who did you associate with in your a sudden wind, apparently. Noting the Aussie’s “aggressive” early years on the tour? shot-making, Jacobs added that Nobody, really. I mean, it was a I hit the green from the front he was “tailor made for American great time for the European Tour IN THE DECADE THAT FOLLOWED tee - to flattering applause, weather and courses.” Jacobs, a with the emergence of guys like HIS BREAKTHROUGH WIN AT continues on p48 46 BUNKERED.CO.UK COVER STORY BLAIRGOWRIE, Norman cemented continued from p47 fairways were tight. The rough was his place as one of golf’s most a strange experience - and high, so high that you wondered if dominant players, winning multiple made the world’s best golfer you might injure yourself trying to get times on the European Tour, PGA the ball back in play if you found it. play my ball. When I faced Tour of Australia and elsewhere. His And, on the eve of the championship, a three-footer - I hate short first PGA Tour victory arrived in the the wind picked up considerably. It 1984 Kemper Open at Congressional, putts - he saw my fear. “Don’t was cold, grey and windy. So, my where he defeated Mark O’Meara worry,” he said, “just knock plan was simple: grab the driver and by five shots. The only thing now it in. That’s what you do with try to take the left side of the course missing from his CV was a major these.” Easier said than done, out of play as much as possible. I championship. He’d come close, but in it went and I have tried had a lot of confidence in my driving. finishing fourth on his Masters debut that mental trick with varying It was always one of my strengths. I in 1981 and, a fortnight after his results ever since. A ridiculous knew that if I aimed down the left of Kemper victory, he lost an 18-hole six hours after we started we the fairway, and got that power-fade play-off for the US Open to Fuzzy reached the par-5 18th where going, I’d have more of the fairway Zoeller.