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The memory maker
Norman's love affair with the Masters isn't finished
Posted: Saturday April 06, 2002 8:13 PM
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Greg Norman is making his 22nd consecutive Masters appearance this year. Australia's Great White Shark still lacks a green jacket. Michael Holahan
The Augusta Chronicle |
By David Westin
The Augusta Chronicle
The memory maker
Greg Norman was expecting to sit out this Masters. He played sparingly on the PGA Tour in 2001, and didn't meet any of the 13 Masters qualifications for professionals.
There was still a way for the Australian to get in, as an international invitee. Those invitations are handed out at the discretion of Augusta National Golf Club.
When the field as of Dec. 18 was announced, Norman was on the list, as the lone international invitee.
"We are pleased to extend Greg a special invitation to play in the 2002 Masters," Augusta National Chairman Hootie Johnson said in a statement. "Greg has provided our patrons with much excitement by his inspired and superior play at Augusta National."
It will run Norman's streak of consecutive Masters appearances to 22.
"It was a huge surprise to me," Norman said of his invitation. "I wrote a letter off to Hootie about how great I felt. I think people understand my love affair with the tournament. Whether you win or lose, it's been a great event for me. I've loved every year I've played there."
For the 47-year-old Norman, there are some Masters that are more memorable than others. He's had a star-crossed career in major championships with the exception of the British Open, which he won twice. The Masters is at the top of his "just missed" majors list.
At the Masters, each of his three runner-up finishes were heartbreaking in their own way.
In 1986, he bogeyed the 72nd hole and lost by a shot to Jack Nicklaus. In 1987, Larry Mize beat him with the famous 140-foot chip-in in sudden death. In 1996, he blew a six-shot final-round lead to Nick Faldo, closing with a 78 and losing by five shots.
"There's no question that I've had a lot of great things happen to me at Augusta and some not-so-great things," Norman said. "But they're all just memories now, and I know that everything that has happened at Augusta has made me a better person.
"No matter how I play there this year, I love that place," Norman said of the Augusta National. "I'll always love that place. I think I've gotten more out of that golf tournament than anybody else, except maybe Jack Nicklaus. I've experienced the tremendous highs and lows of it all."
After losing the 1996 Masters the way he did - it was the biggest collapse in major championship history - Norman showed great dignity in defeat.
It struck a chord with the public, who rallied behind Norman with thousands of cards, letters and good wishes. Personally, the outpouring of support affected Norman tremendously and still does.
"The Masters has really helped me with my life in lots of ways - my view toward people, the public," Norman said.
In addition to his three runner-up finishes, Norman has finished in third place three times and has a total of eight top-10 finishes in the Masters.
"I'm not one to say a course owes me one, but given my record there and the fact that I know Augusta so well, perhaps something special will happen," Norman said.
He's come back from the golfing dead before. Norman also needed an international invitation to make the Masters field in 1992, then finished tied for sixth and went on to be 18th on the PGA Tour money list that year.
In 1999, three years after his crushing loss to Faldo that left many believing Norman would never contend again in the Masters, he made a spirited run at the green jacket. Norman finished third, three shots behind the winner, Jose Maria Olazabal.
"Although I have yet to accomplish my goal of winning the Masters, I don't think there is an event anywhere that has brought me more enjoyment or shaped my development as a player," Norman said. "I have great respect for the tournament and still have a goal in mind of adding a green jacket to my wardrobe."
The invitation to the Masters came at the right time for the man dubbed the Great White Shark. Because he played 11 PGA Tour events in 2001 - one shy of the minimum number to retain his membership - Norman isn't on the PGA Tour and can't play whenever he feels like it.
He's limited to seven PGA Tour events on sponsor exemptions, along with The Players Championship and the four majors.
"To get an invitation back was probably a little bit of a kick I needed right about now," Norman said of the Masters. "It's helped me. I've refocused. I've started practicing again. I've felt energized."
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