Greg Norman, former golf dominator

[LongTimeListener]

"What I’m seeing is that Tiger’s really intimidated by Rory,” he says. “When have you ever seen him intimidated by another player? Never.

“But I think he knows his time’s up and that’s normal; these things tend to go in 15-year cycles.

“Jack took it from Arnold (Palmer). I took it from Jack, Tiger from me and now it looks like Rory’s taking it from Tiger.”

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/blogs/sentinel-sports-now/os-tiger-woods-rory-mcilroy,0,1227272.post

I can't say I'm a huge golf fan, but did I just sleep through some five-year stretch when Greg Norman was the singular force in golf and not a choking dog?

 

[hondo]

Yeah ... Norman really took it from Jack when he hit that weak-assed push at No. 18 at Augusta in 1986.

Norman had the lineage right when it said Jack took it from Arnold. He left out a few ... like Watson, Trevino, Ray Floyd and Seve who had all much better records than Norman. When Jack faded, it was far from just Norman. There was a level of very good players that included Norman, Price, Langer, Strange, Kite, Couples, Love, Wadkins and maybe Sutton. They all had comparable records to Norman.

And Sharkie, lest you forget ... you've got exactly as many majors as Andy North and less majors than Larry Nelson. Chew on that one you pompous ass.

 

[Tarheel316]

Good grief. Norman won a grand total of two majors and he "took it" from Jack?

 

[Donny in his element]

Good grief. Norman won a grand total of two majors and he "took it" from Jack?

Maybe he meant his hair.

 

[qtlaw]

This from the guy who first said his return to prominence at the Open was due to finally getting the right partner, Chris Evert, (it was his wife's fault) and then he dumped her about 1 year later. The guy who won the Saturday Slam (still impressive) but folded on Sunday.

Yeah, you were the Dominator; you keep telling yourself that while you ponder how Larry Nelson, Nick Price, and Hale Irwin have MORE majors than you, and LEE JANZEN has the same as you. You pretty much dominated the Greater Greensboro Opens.

 

[clintrichardson]

I wonder if Norman, in his head, meant as a golf business force. He certainly was the big man in terms of endorsement and golf course design business and star power, such as it was, in the early-mid90s. But that was generally regarded as a fallow period overall for golf, which is why golf people back then seemed so hopeful that John Daly would become a top player.

 

[Hokie_pokie]

Well, I certainly hope Norman wasn't suggesting he was "intimidating" on anywhere near the level of Nicklaus. That sort of delusion normally lands someone in a padded room.

Intimidating bank account? Sure. The guy is obviously rich beyond comprehension.

But it would've been damn near impossible to be intimidated by a guy who you just knew was going to gag when all the chips were in the center of the table.

Even at his best, the Shark was all hair, no balls.

 

[mateen]

I will not dispute that Norman's record on Sundays in majors was, um, spotty, even before it happened . . . but you do wonder what having players twice hole out from improbable circumstances to beat him (Tway at the '86 PGA, Mize at the '87 Masters) did to him mentally when it came his to late-round play in subsequent majors. Maybe nothing, and if he was unable to put those behind him it sort of proves the point, but it certainly couldn't have helped.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

"What I’m seeing is that Tiger’s really intimidated by Rory,” he says. “When have you ever seen him intimidated by another player? Never.

“But I think he knows his time’s up and that’s normal; these things tend to go in 15-year cycles.

“Jack took it from Arnold (Palmer). I took it from Jack, Tiger from me and now it looks like Rory’s taking it from Tiger.”

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/blogs/sentinel-sports-now/os-tiger-woods-rory-mcilroy,0,1227272.post

I can't say I'm a huge golf fan, but did I just sleep through some five-year stretch when Greg Norman was the singular force in golf and not a choking dog?

Yeah, I saw this yesterday and thought the same ****ing thing.
He left a few off between he and (Watson and Seve to name two) Jack and skipped some more (Faldo) before giving way to Tiger.

 

[hondo]

Well, I certainly hope Norman wasn't suggesting he was "intimidating" on anywhere near the level of Nicklaus. That sort of delusion normally lands someone in a padded room.

Intimidating bank account? Sure. The guy is obviously rich beyond comprehension.

But it would've been damn near impossible to be intimidated by a guy who you just knew was going to gag when all the chips were in the center of the table.

Even at his best, the Shark was all hair, no balls.

Faldo and Seve and Nick Price weren't any more intimidated by Norman than Alabama is intimidated by Vanderbilt.

 

[Bubbler]

I'd pay to see Nick Faldo kick Greg Norman's dumb ass right back to Oz.

 

[Shoeless Joe]

As someone who owned quite a bit of the Shark line of merchandise 15-20 years ago, I have to stand up and say, "Uhhh, Shark, what are you smokin?"

 

[Ben_Hecht]

I wonder if Norman, in his head, meant as a golf business force. He certainly was the big man in terms of endorsement and golf course design business and star power, such as it was, in the early-mid90s. But that was generally regarded as a fallow period overall for golf, which is why golf people back then seemed so hopeful that John Daly would become a top player.

That's as generous a read as can be made.

When it mattered . . . in the big ones . . . you could hear the gagging thousands of miles away.

 

[Mark2010]

Who was No. 1 for longer? Norman or Nick Faldo. I think it's pretty close, IIRC.

One could make a case for Faldo based on major victories, but Norman was a darn good player, made a lot of money and won a lot of tournaments all over the world.

As for McIlroy. he's impressive, no doubt. But I think someone has to sustain that excellence over a period of several years before they can be called the next big thing.

 

[JC]

If he sustained it would he not just be the big thing?

 

[hondo]

Norman ended seven seasons as the No. 1-ranked player in the world. Seve had four, Faldo two.

But Seve had five majors and Faldo six. All that counts.

 

[Mark2010]

Seve was pretty much done after winning the 1988 British Open. Faldo was just getting started (won the 87 Open for his first major); Norman somewhere in the middle.

 

[TwoGloves]

Norman is a huge douche bag.

 

[qtlaw]

Norman won two British Opens; Peter Thompson won 5.

As someone else wrote, majors are what count; not wins at the Phoenix Open, or Malaysian Open.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

No. 1 in the world is kinda meaningless. Before Rory, Luke Donald was No. 1. Forty weeks at No.1 and never won a major.

Prior to Luke, Lee Westwood, another majorless winner.