Ah yes the Shark he has done quite a bit in his life, even married Chris Evert after divorce:

Gregory John Norman AM (born 10 February 1955) is an Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur who spent 331 weeks as the world's number one ranked golfer in the 1980s and 1990s. He is nicknamed "The Great White Shark," or simply "The Shark," a reference to a shark inhabiting Australian waters as well as Norman's blond hair, size and aggressive golf style.

[edit] Background and family

Norman was born in Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia to Merv and Toini Norman. His mother was of Finnish descent. As a youth, he played rugby and cricket and was a keen surfer. His mother was a fine golfer with a single-figure handicap. Norman began playing golf at 16 and within a year was playing to a scratch handicap. Norman attended Aspley State High School on the north side of Brisbane, Queensland.[1]

[edit] Marriage

He married Laura Andrassy, an American flight attendant, on 1 July 1981.[2] They have two children: Morgan Leigh, and Gregory. Gregory is a business management & organization major student at the University of Miami. Gregory also played with his father in a father-son team at the 2008 ADT Skills Championship in Aventura, Florida. The family lived in Hobe Sound, Florida. In May 2006, Norman announced he and his wife would divorce.[3][4] He refused to comment on the reasons for this, other than to say there was no third party involved.

In September 2007, Norman announced he and former tennis champion Chris Evert would be married.[5] Evert was married twice, to British tennis player John Lloyd (1979-87) and former American ski racer Andy Mill (1988–2006), with whom she has three sons. The couple became engaged on 9 December 2007 and on 28 June 2008 were married in The Bahamas. Mill went on record as saying he wished Evert and Norman happiness.

[edit] Career

[edit] Professional career

His professional career began as Charlie Earp's trainee in the Royal Queensland Golf Club pro shop, earning $A28 a week.[6] In 1976, Norman turned pro and that year earned his first victory at the West Lakes Classic at The Grange in Adelaide, South Australia. He joined the European Tour in 1977 and in 1982 he was the tour's leading money winner. The following year, he joined the U.S. PGA Tour.[7] In 1984 Norman won his maiden PGA Tour victory at the Kemper Open. Norman first came to worldwide prominence a week later at the 1984 U.S. Open. Norman holed a dramtaic putt on the 72nd hole to force a playoff with former Masters champion Fuzzy Zoeller. The next day's playoff was a blowout, with Zoeller beating Norman 67-75.[8] This was the first of what would be numerous narrow defeats, unlucky breaks and unfortunate collapses throughout his career. He was able to put the defeat behind him and win the Canadian Open in July for his second win to finish off a great year.

Norman in 1986

In 1986 Norman won two regular PGA Tour events; the Panasonic Las Vegas Invitational and the Kemper Open (for the second time), but 1986 is remembered for the Norman Slam or the Saturday Slam. Norman held the lead for all four majors through 54 holes. This meant he played in the final group for every major and had perhaps the best chance in history of winning the Grand Slam. Unfortunately for Norman he was only able to win the Open Championship at Turnberry. At the Masters Norman held the lead with Seve Ballesteros through 9 holes on Sunday. Norman double-bogeyed the par 4 10th and fell out of the lead. With Norman seemingly out of the contention the focus moved towards Jack Nicklaus, Tom Kite and Ballesteros. By playing behind the leaders, Norman was able to rejoin the pack and eventually tie for the lead with Jack Nicklaus by birdieing the 17th. He nailed his tee shot on the 18th, but pushed his approach shot to the green into the spectators and made bogey when a par would have gotten him into a playoff. At the U.S. Open he also faltered, shooting a 75 on the final day at Shinnecock Hills. He finally broke through at the Open Championship for his first major title. Norman shot a brilliant 63 on Friday and survived the weekend's brutal conditions to win by 5 shots. He was again in contention at the PGA Championship showing amazing consistency never before seen during all four majors. Once more Norman found himself in the lead at Inverness until he stumbled on Sunday again. A clear favourite for the title, he shot a 76. The tournament is famous for Bob Tway’s hole-out from the greenside bunker on the 72nd hole. Tway eventually won by two strokes over Norman. 1986 established Norman as one of, if not the, best player in the world; he topped the Australian Order of Merit for the fifth time and the PGA Tour money list for the first time. Norman ended the year officially ranked number 1 in the brand new Official World Golf Rankings.

The following year Norman once again found himself tied for the lead at the Masters. After an even-par 72 he found himself in a playoff with Larry Mize. On the second extra playoff hole, Norman hit his approach on the green with a chance at birdie, Mize on the other hand bailed out right of the green. Facing one of the most difficult chips on the course, Mize miraculously holed the 45-yard chip. Norman missed his birdie effort and came up short for the second year in a row. Norman had a rough 1987 which featured no wins on either the PGA or European tours. He enjoyed mild success between 1987 and 1989 including four wins in Australia in 1988. He had another great chance at a major in 1989 this time at the Open Championship. He played brilliantly in a final-round 64 to force his way into a playoff with Mark Calcavecchia. The two players came to the home hole, the fourth in a four hole playoff, with Norman level with Calcavecchia. Calcavecchia sliced his drive badly to the right and Norman hit a tremendous drive down the middle of the fairway. Unlucky for Norman his drive bounced to the right and bounded into a fairway bunker 310 yards from the tee. Once more Norman went for broke from the bunker and the ball smashed into the bunker’s face and limped into another. Norman thinned his next shot and the ball careered out of bounds. That was the end as Calcavecchia took home the title.[9]

Greg Norman practicing for the Buick Classic at Westchester Country Club

In 1990 Norman would miss the cut at the Masters for the first time in his career, but he did win the Doral-Ryder Open in March and Jack Nicklaus’s Memorial Tournament for the first time. It might have not been the strongest year in the majors for Norman but he finished atop the PGA Tour money list for the second time in his career along with winning the Vardon Trophy and Byron Nelson Award. Later that year he won the Australian Masters in his home country of Australia for a final and record sixth time. After a career slump in the early 1990s, Norman turned to Butch Harmon for help. Together, the two rebuilt Norman's game to top form by solving mechanical problems that had crept into Norman's swing. The new swing brought him great results including his second major at Royal St George’s. In ideal conditions, Norman defeated a star studded leader board including Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer and Corey Pavin. Norman returned a 64, the lowest final round in Open history. Gene Sarazen, who stood at the 18th Green of St Georges later said of Norman’s achievement: “I never thought I would live to see golf played like this.” Norman’s playing partner Langer also commented, calling it the finest round he had ever witnessed. The year’s PGA Championship was again staged at Inverness. He had a final green putt of around twelve feet for victory that lipped right around the hole and failed to drop, and lost the subsequent playoff to Paul Azinger. At the PGA Championship, he became one of only two players to have competed in - and, like Craig Wood, to have lost - playoffs in all four of the major championships.

The next year at the Players Championship, Norman obliterated the records for the lowest 18-, 54- and 72-hole scores. After opening with a course-record-tying 63, he followed with three 67s to give him a 24-under 264 total - six strokes better than any previous winner.[10]

Norman started 1995 with a third place finish at the Masters and again found himself with the 54 hole lead at the U.S. Open. Even though he held the lead for most of the day he was over taken by Corey Pavin on the back nine. In June, Norman won his second Memorial Tournament, a victory that marked the beginning of one of his best years on the PGA Tour. After his win at the Canon Greater Hartford Open, Norman overtook Nick Price as the number one golfer in the world. He would hold the position for 331 weeks in his career. He also topped the money list for the third time and was named PGA Player of the Year. 1995 is arguable Norman’s greatest year even without winning a major title.

The following year, Norman came into the Masters having already won at the Doral-Ryder Open. With 5 top five finishes at Augusta, Norman’s long awaited Masters victory seem to be evident. He opened his championship with a course record 63 which propelled him to the top of the leaderboard. He held the lead through three days for play. In perhaps the worst meltdown in Masters history, he took a six-stroke lead into the final round and lost the tournament to Nick Faldo by five strokes, shooting a Sunday 78 to Faldo's 67. Norman’s 6 shot lead evaporated quickly and by the 12th hole playing companion Faldo had taken the lead. Norman tried to give himself a chance down the stretch including an eagle chip on the 15th which lipped out of the hole dropping Norman to his knees. Maybe the most infamous shot of his career was on the very next hole; a hooked tee shot into the water ending any chance at victory. ESPN, as part of their "ESPN25" 25th-anniversary celebration, ranked Norman's 1996 Masters disaster as the third-biggest sports choke of the last 25 years. Despite the losses, though, Norman still has 30 top-ten finishes in the majors.

Norman did win twice in 1997, but they where his last. Norman struggled for the rest of his career and was never able regain his once amazing game. Whether the cause was shaken confidence, the new technology, or the emergence of golf's next generation of young stars (including Tiger Woods), Norman was never the same after his final Masters collapse.

In July 2008, despite not playing in a major for three years, Norman finished nine over par in a tie for third at The Open Championship after being the 54 hole leader by two strokes. He set the record in becoming the oldest 54-hole leader in a major championship and earned an automatic bid to the 2009 Masters. His trip to the Masters will be his first since 2002.

Norman played his warm up to the 2009 Masters Tournament at the Shell Houston Open on the PGA Tour at the Redstone Golf Club where he made the half-way cut. It was only the fourth cut he has made on the PGA Tour since 2004.

[edit] Champions Tour

Norman turned 50 in February 2005, but has kept his distance from the senior golf circuit. Partly this is because of his other interests, but also because of back and knee injuries. (He required knee surgery for the latter in October 2005 and February 2006.[11]) Norman believes his back injuries could have been averted had he been introduced to the concept of golf fitness early in his career.[12]

Norman tees off in winding condtions at the 2008 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

In May 2008, Norman played in only his third Champion's Tour event since turning 50, the 69th Senior PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club. Norman, having not played competitive golf regularly in the last several years, stayed in contention all week and wound up three shots behind eventual winner Jay Haas (+7), tying for sixth place. His new wife, tennis legend Chris Evert, has been a large part of Norman's consideration to enter events on the PGA and Champions Tours. "I would doubt he'd go back full time," Evert said. "But for him to keep it up, one or two tournaments a month or whatever, would be great. I would 100 per cent support him if that's what he wanted to do."

After Norman's surprise success at the Open Championship, he continued his strong play, finishing in a tie for fifth at the Senior British Open Championship after a weekend 67-68 and fourth in the U.S. Senior Open after being the only player shooting 72 or lower all four days. He finished 2008 playing in four majors and finishing in the top ten in all of them.

[edit] Career achievements and legacy

Norman has earned more than $1 million five times on the U.S. PGA Tour, including three Arnold Palmer Awards as the Tour's leading money winner in 1986, '89 and '95. He was also the first person in Tour history to surpass $10 million in career earnings. He has 30 top 10 finishes in Majors, or more than 38 percent of those he has entered. [13]

Norman tees off at Royal Brikdale

Even with two Open Championships and a Players Championship, Norman will mostly always be regarded as an underachiever (given his talents), a characterization fueled by his myriad near-misses in The Masters, the U.S. Open, and the PGA Championship. He was equally a victim of his own bad luck and good luck on the part of his fellow golfers in major championships.

Norman won the PGA Tour of Australia's Order of Merit six times: 1978, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1986, and 1988. He won the European Tour's Order of Merit in 1982, and topped 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, and 1994; and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2001. His dominance over his peers (despite his comparative lack of success in the majors) was probably best expressed in the Official World Golf Rankings: Norman finished the season on top of the ranking list on seven occasions, in 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996 and 1997, and was second at the end of 1988, 1993 and 1994.

In 1986, Norman was awarded the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality Award, a feat he replicated in 1993 to join Muhammad Ali and Björn Borg as multiple winners (They have since been joined by Roger Federer). He received the 2008 Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, GCSAA's highest honor, at the 2008 Golf Industry Show in Orlando. Norman is a member of The Environmental Institute for Golf's board of trustees and also chairs The Institute's advisory council. He was the also the recipient of the Golf Writers Association of America's 2008 Charlie Bartlett Award.

Articulate and with a friendly image, Norman has for years been a spokesman for companies including General Motors-Holden, which developed a Commodore model named after him. His own businesses interests include MacGregor Golf and Greg Norman Golf Course Design. He continues to play tournaments, his growing business interests take up an increasing amount of his time. His personal wealth is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars.

[edit] Playing Style

Norman will always be remembered for his style of play. Norman had one of the best swings of his generation with one of the fastest tempos. He had incredibly high ball flight which enabled him to carry the ball very long distances. He demonstrated the best technique around the greens and was strong in all aspects.

With Jack Nicklaus past his best, Norman was regarded as probably the game's greatest long hitter. In his heyday, driving long and incredibly straight off the tee similar to that of Nick Price his contemporary with a persimmon (wood) clubhead, he intimidated most of his fellow professionals. However, with the advent of the "metal-wood" by TaylorMade and other subsequent advances in golf ball and golf club technology (especially the variable face depth driver), his dominance was significantly diminished, as the "new technology" enabled less precise ball-strikers to achieve equal or better accuracy and distance. Still some regard Norman has being the greatest driver of the golf ball in golf history.

[edit] Other ventures

Norman's hobbies include offshore game fishing. He has owned a succession of increasingly large and luxurious boats (though his latest, called Aussie Rules, after the sport Australian rules football, may best be described as a small ship) for the purpose. He even described his "ugly" 1993 PGA Championship loss "[i]n fishing terms, this was a mackerel in the moonlight—shining one minute, smelly the next."[14] He became a wine lover in the 1970s while playing at tournaments in Europe.[15] Based in Hobe Sound, Florida, he typically plays only one or two tournaments per year in his homeland of Australia.

[edit] Charity

• Merrill Lynch Shootout is a team golf event hosted by Greg Norman. The event is played at the Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, Florida. The shootout benefits CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation.[16]
• Greg Norman Golf Foundation: The Greg Norman Golf Foundation was formed by Greg Norman and his father Merv Norman in 1987. The foundation provides professional guidance and instruction throughout Queensland to school students and those in other educational establishments, children with specific physical disabilities and junior members of golf clubs. [17]
• The Environmental Institute for Golf, the philanthropic arm of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), is a collaborative effort of the environmental and golf communities, dedicated to strengthening the compatibility of golf with the natural environment. In January 2003, The Institute evolved from The GCSAA Foundation, originally established in 1955, with a new name, mission and focus. The Institute concentrates on delivering programs and services involving information collection, research, education and outreach that communicate the best management practices of environmental stewardship on the golf course.[18]

[edit] Enterprises

Great White Shark Enterprises is a multi-national corporation headed by Greg Norman with offices in Jupiter, Fla., and Sydney, Australia. The company's interests are primarily focused around golf and the golf lifestyle.[19]

[edit] Golf Course Design

Norman has devoted much of his time to golf course design and established his Greg Norman Golf Course Design in 1987. GNGCD has completed more than 70 golf courses on six continents.[20]

[edit] Medallist Developments

Medallist Developments is a multi award winning residential developer which specializes in camenity-focussed lifestyle communities. Medallist was formed in 1997 as a joint venture between Greg Norman's Great White shark Enterprises and Macquarie Group Limited.

[edit] Southern Cross Developments

Southern Cross Developments International ("Southern Cross") is a real estate development and investment company specializing in the use of branding, lifestyle positioning and capital structuring to differentiate and enhance real estate. Southern Cross was founded by Greg Norman, Jeremy Seabridge and Brett Walsh and operates out of the Florida headquarters of Great White Shark Enterprises. Southern Cross is the exclusive licensor for Greg Norman in residential real estate applications, including the "Norman Estates", "By Greg Norman", "Norman Residences", and "Norman Club Villas" brands.[21]

[edit] Turf Company

Established in 1995, Greg Norman Turf Company licenses proprietary turfgrasses for golf courses, athletic fields and home lawns. GNTC owns the exclusive rights for GN-1 hybrid bermudagrass, which has been its main product.[22] It also was the turf of choice for Super Bowl XXXIII in Miami and XXXV in Tampa, the 1999 World Series and the 2000 Summer Olympic Games at Stadium Australia.[23] Greg Norman Turf Company is a charter member of the Southern Seed Certification Association

[edit] Wine Estate

During Norman's first trip to the United States in 1976, when he was chosen to represent Australia in the World Cup of Golf in Palm Springs, he soaked up as much of the culture as he could, including trying California's wines. In the 1990s, Norman partnered with winemakers from Berringer Blass to launch Greg Norman Estates wineries.[24]

[edit] Australian Grille

In October of 1999, Norman opened a his own restaurant in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina called the Australian Grille.

[edit] Personal life

On 15 March 1997, then U.S. president Bill Clinton fell down a flight of stairs at Norman's Florida home, tearing knee tendons which required surgery.[25]

While married to Laura, Norman commissioned the 228ft luxury yacht "Aussie Rules", built by the Australian ferry builder Austal/Oceanfast. The boat held four sports boats, including a 60ft custom sportfisherman, along with stowage for related gear: 200 rods. Built of aluminium, she cruised at 15 knots with a range of 8,000 miles.[26] The boat cost $70 million, but resulted in Austal making an AUS$18 million loss. The boat was quickly sold by Norman in 2004 for a rumored $77 million to the founder of Blockbuster Video, Wayne Huizenga.[27] She is now renamed M/Y Floridian, and available for charter at $400 000 per week or sale.[28]

Norman was also an early customer for the Boeing Business Jet, which he had ordered with custom fitted bedroom and office. However, the downturn in the Asian markets adversely affected his golf course design business, and he later cancelled the order after acting as an ambassador for Boeing.[29] He eventually retained his Gulfstream V.

[edit] Professional wins (87)

[edit] PGA Tour wins (20)