Teeing Off

You’ve hurt me too many times, Greg Norman

July

I won’t lie: I was rooting for the guy.

There aren’t many people who can be insanely wealthy, possess world-class talent and have Chris Evert on their arm and still come across as a sympathetic character. Greg Norman is that guy.

One of my first epiphanies that golf produces drama like no other sport came watching Norman’s classic meltdown in the ‘96 Masters. I was a senior in college. It was the first warm day after another brutal New Hampshire winter, but we were all glued to the TV watching Norman and Faldo.

Until, that is, we couldn’t watch anymore. It was too painful to witness, too sad a display of heartbreak. One of my favorite pieces of sports writing is Rick Reilly’s account of that Sunday at the Masters in Sports Illustrated.

Three years later, Norman was at it again, with a chance to knock off Jose Maria Olazabal in the ‘99 Masters until he airmailed the green on the par 3 12th and wound up in the azaleas. I swore right then I would never get my hopes up watching Norman try to win another major.

Today I broke my own promise.

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 20th, 2008 at 2:30 pm by Sam Weinman.
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