THIS week I stand beside Aussie golf greats Wayne Grady and Karrie Webb, along with many others, in condemning Greg Norman’s defence of the murderous Saudi regime.
“The Great White Shark was my childhood sporting hero, just as he was for World Golf Hall of Famer Webb.
I closely followed his two British Open wins (1986, 1993), his major meltdowns (Augusta ’96, above all else) and even when he turned back the clock at the 2008 British Open with new bride Chris Evert alongside him (before the marriage ended 15 months later).
I loved his flamboyance, and, like many, I bought much of his Shark clothing apparel in the ’90s.
But as I’ve written before, the 67-year-old started losing me a few years ago when he posed naked for a magazine and has since shared numerous nude selfies on his social media accounts.
I thought the skinny-dipping-in-a-lake pics were bad. But the latest one of a full-length, bare-bummed Shark in a raunchy shower pose takes the cake.
If that’s not narcissistic enough, he’s run a competition in search of his biggest fan in recent times.
I mean, you can’t make this stuff up, right?
However, he hit a new low last week as he goes about trashing his legacy as one of Australia’s greatest ever sportspeople.
As the face of a new eight-tournament, Saudi-backed Golf League, which kicks off next month, Norman was asked his thoughts on Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the 2018 murder of Washington Post reporter Jamal Khashoggi.
“Look, we’ve all made mistakes, and you just want to learn from those mistakes and how you can correct them going forward,” The Shark said.
It’s incomprehensible that he could brush off this Saudi human-rights atrocity with such indifference.
While Norman sells his soul, the 18-time major champion, Jack Nicklaus, this week revealed he turned down more than $100 million to be the face of the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series.
Webb and Grady’s reactions on social media sum up how the majority of sports fans feel about Norman now.
“The little girl in me just died well and truly!! Has anyone’s childhood hero disappointed them as much as I am now??” Webb posted with a crying emoji.
Grady teed off on Norman and his anti-US PGA Tour crusade: “From someone who has known Greg for 50 years, Greg is only about Greg.
“He has been trying to take down the tour for 30 years. The admiration I had for him for what he has achieved and what he did for Australian golf is gone.
“For him to try and trivialise what the greats before him did to grow and create what the PGA Tour is today is an absolute disgrace.
“You should hang your head in shame, Shark. I went to the memorial service of Jack Newton yesterday and was surrounded by true professional golfers who believe in loyalty and history.
“GFY (go f*** yourself) Shark.”
A true clubman
I want to give a big thumbs-up to Mildura Heat women’s basketball coach James Madigan.
This time last year, he hit a magical milestone of coaching 400 representative games, and his fine career and commitment to the Heat continues in 2022.
I have so much admiration for Madigan.
As the club administrators and players are fully aware, he is so much more than a coach.
He’s the bus driver on road trips, is a virtual psychologist, club scout, mentor and friend to the women’s and men’s players, and goes well beyond the call of what’s expected of him.
And he is so respectful to the media.
I’ve lost count how many times he’s thanked me for my interest in the Heat and his appreciation of Sunraysia Daily’s coverage of local basketball.
You’re one of the nice guys of Sunraysia sport, James.The silent treatment
I was probably preaching to the converted, but I had a good response to last week’s column on the AFL’s new (and failing) PlayHQ system.
It’s a nightmare for club volunteers to get a handle on the technology, as well as the media as we continually have to chase up details missing from the Sunraysia and Millewa footy games.
I have put in two requests for an interview with AFL Victoria about this issue and others in country footy, but there’s been no response yet.
The invitation remains open to AFL Victoria to defend why they moved to this shambolic, half-baked new system.
