Greg Norman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Greg NormanAO |
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Norman in 2014
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| Personal information | |
| Full name | Gregory John Norman |
| Nickname | The (Great White) Shark |
| Born | 10 February 1955 Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in |
| Weight | 180 lb |
| Nationality |  Australia |
| Residence | Florida, U.S. |
| Spouse |
Laura Andrassy
(m. 1981; div. 2007)Kirsten Kutner
(m. 2010) |
| Children | 2 |
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 1976 |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour of Australasia PGA Tour European Tour Champions Tour |
| Professional wins | 88 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 20 |
| European Tour | 14 |
| Japan Golf Tour | 2 |
| PGA Tour of Australasia | 33 |
| Other | 21 |
| Best results in Major Championships (Wins: 2) |
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| The Masters Tournament | 2nd/T2: 1986, 1987, 1996 |
| U.S. Open | 2nd: 1984, 1995 |
| The Open Championship | Won: 1986, 1993 |
| PGA Championship | 2nd: 1986, 1993 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| World Golf Hall of Fame | 2001 |
| PGA Tour of Australia Order of Merit winner |
1978, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988 |
| European Tour official money list winner |
1982 |
| PGA Tour money list winner |
1986, 1990, 1995 |
| Byron Nelson Award | 1988, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995 |
| Vardon Trophy | 1989, 1990, 1994 |
| PGA Tour Player of the Year |
1995 |
| PGA Player of the Year | 1995 |
| Old Tom Morris Award | 2008 |
| Charlie Bartlett Award | 2008 |
Gregory John Norman (born 10 February 1955) is an Australian former professional golfer. He was ranked as the world number one golfer for 331 weeks in the 1980s and 1990s. That's a very long time!
He won 88 professional golf tournaments. This includes 20 PGA Tour events. He also won two major championships: The Open Championship in 1986 and 1993. Norman often finished in the top 10 at major tournaments. He was also runner-up eight times.
Because of his blond hair, strong build, and exciting golf style, Norman earned the nickname "the Great White Shark." People often just call him "the Shark." He got this nickname after playing in the 1981 Masters.
Norman also has many business interests. He is the chairman and CEO of the Greg Norman Company. This company works in areas like apparel (clothing), real estate, wine production, and golf course design. From 2021 to 2025, he was the CEO of LIV Golf Investments. This new golf company started its tournament series in 2022.
Norman has also supported and created many charities. One example is the QBE Shootout, which helps the CureSearch for Children's Cancer fund. He received an award in 2008 for his charity work.
Contents
Early Life and Golf Beginnings
Greg Norman was born in Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia. His parents were Mervin and Toini Norman. His mother's father was from Finland, and his own father was an electrical engineer.
When he was young, Greg played rugby and cricket. He even dreamed of becoming a professional surfer. His mother, Toini, was a good golfer herself. She taught 15-year-old Greg how to play golf. She also let him be her caddy at the Virginia Golf Club in Brisbane.
In just about 18 months, Norman improved his golf game a lot. He went from a 27 handicap to a scratch handicap. This means he became a very skilled player very quickly. He attended schools in Townsville, Queensland and Brisbane.
Amateur Golf Career
In June 1974, when he was 19, Norman started getting attention in the media. This happened at the Queensland Open. News reports mentioned "the young amateur Greg Norman" was close to the lead after the first day.
Becoming a Professional Golfer
Norman became a professional golfer in March 1975. He worked as an assistant golf professional in Sydney, New South Wales. Later that same year, he became a trainee at the Royal Queensland Golf Club. He earned A$38 a week.
Playing in Australia and Europe
Norman's first professional tournament was the 1976 South Coast Open. He played well and finished tied for fifth place. The next week, he finished tied for third at the Queensland Open. His fourth tournament was the West Lakes Classic in Adelaide. He played amazingly, taking a big lead. Even though he had a tough final day, he won by five shots. Norman called the win "unreal."
The next year, Norman joined the European Tour. He won his first European event, the Martini International, in Scotland. In 1980, he won the French Open by a huge ten shots. He also won the Scandinavian Enterprise Open and the Suntory World Match Play Championship. That year, he won his first Australian Open, which he would win five times in total.
In 1981, Norman finished 4th in his first Masters in Augusta. He won the British Masters and his third Martini International tournament that year. In 1982, Norman earned the most money on the European Tour. He won three European events, including defending his British Masters title. The next year, Norman joined the U.S. PGA Tour.
Success on the PGA Tour
In June 1984, Norman won his first PGA Tour event, the Kemper Open. A week later, he became even more famous at the 1984 U.S. Open. He made an amazing 45-foot putt on the last hole to force a playoff. He lost the playoff to Fuzzy Zoeller. But he bounced back quickly. He won the Canadian Open the next month.
In 1985, Norman won two more tournaments in Australia. He also finished second twice on the U.S. PGA Tour.
The year 1986 was a huge one for Norman. He won 11 tournaments around the world. This included two PGA Tour events. But 1986 is best known for the Norman Slam or Saturday Slam. Norman was leading all four major championships after 54 holes. This meant he was in the final group for every major. He had a great chance to win the single-season Grand Slam. However, he only won one major that year: the 1986 Open Championship.
At the 1986 Masters, Norman was leading but struggled on the 10th hole. He made four birdies in a row to tie for the lead on the 18th hole. But he missed a putt that would have sent him into a playoff with Jack Nicklaus. At the 1986 U.S. Open, Norman led after 54 holes again. But he had a tough final day and finished behind the winner, Raymond Floyd.
Norman finally won his first major at the 1986 Open Championship. He shot an incredible round of 63, tying the record for the lowest score ever at the Open. He won by five shots. After winning, Norman said that Britain was the first place that accepted him as a professional golfer. He was very happy to win his first Open there. Norman was also close to winning the 1986 PGA Championship. He led on the final day but finished second.
Norman's four wins in Australia in 1986 helped him top the Australian Order of Merit. He also led the U.S. PGA Tour money list for the first time. He won two more events in England that year. Norman ended 1986 with eleven wins and was ranked number 1 in the new Official World Golf Rankings.
Norman faced another tough loss at the 1987 Masters. On the final hole, he missed a putt that would have won the tournament. He ended up in a playoff and lost to Larry Mize's amazing chip shot. However, Norman won the Australian Masters and the Australian Open that year. His Australian Open win was by a record ten shots. This win put him back at the top of the world rankings.
In 1988, Norman won four more times in Australia. In the U.S., he won the MCI Heritage Golf Classic. He was inspired by a teenager with leukemia who wanted to meet him. Norman made sure the boy could stay and watch him play the whole tournament. After winning, Norman gave the trophy to the teenager. He was also inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame that year.
At the 1989 Masters, Norman missed a putt on the last hole that would have put him in a playoff. He had another chance at a major in 1989 at the Open Championship. He shot a final round of 64, starting with six birdies in a row. This put him in a playoff, but he lost to Mark Calcavecchia.
Norman won the Doral-Ryder Open and Memorial Tournament in 1990. He also led the PGA Tour money list for the second time. He won the Vardon Trophy and Byron Nelson Award. Later that year, he won the Australian Masters for a record sixth time.
After a difficult period in the early 1990s, Norman worked with coach Butch Harmon. They fixed problems in his swing. This training helped Norman win his second major at Royal St George's in the 1993 Open Championship. He played a final round of 64, which was the lowest score by a winner in Open history at the time.
In 1994, Norman set records at The Players Championship. He shot a course record-tying 63 in the first round. He finished with a total of 264 strokes, which was 24 under par. This was six strokes better than any previous winner. Norman finished third at the 1995 Masters and second at the 1995 U.S. Open. In June, he won his second Memorial Tournament. After winning the Canon Greater Hartford Open, he became the number one golfer in the world again. He held this ranking for 331 weeks in his career. He also won the NEC World Series of Golf with an amazing 70-foot chip shot. He was named PGA Player of the Year.
In 1996, Norman started the 1996 Masters Tournament with a course record-tying 63. He led for three days. He had a six-stroke lead going into the final round. But he lost the tournament to Nick Faldo by five strokes, shooting a 78 on Sunday. In January 1997, Norman won one million dollars at the Andersen Consulting World Championship of Golf. He won two more tournaments in 1997, which were his last PGA Tour victories. In 1998, he had hip and shoulder injuries. He played well in the 1999 Masters, finishing third. He also finished sixth in the 1999 Open Championship.
In July 2008, even though he hadn't played in a major for three years, Norman finished tied for third at The Open Championship. He was 53 years old and was the oldest 54-hole leader in a major championship.
Playing as a Senior Golfer
Norman turned 50 in February 2005. He has not played much on the senior golf circuit. This is partly because he focuses on his businesses. Also, he has had ongoing hip and back problems. He had knee surgery in 2005 and 2006. Norman believes that if he had known about golf fitness earlier, he might have avoided some of his injuries.
Career Highlights and Awards
Norman has earned a lot of money playing golf. He was the first golfer in PGA Tour history to earn over $10 million in his career. He has finished in the top 10 in major championships 30 times. This means he was in the top 10 in more than 38% of the majors he played. His 20 PGA Tour wins in the 1980s and 1990s are second only to Tom Watson during that time.
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Norman was ranked number one in the world for seven years: 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996, and 1997. He also won the PGA Tour of Australia's Order of Merit six times. He won the European Tour's Order of Merit in 1982. He led the PGA Tour's money list in 1986, 1990, and 1995. He won the Vardon Trophy three times for having the lowest scoring average. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2001.
In 1986 and 1993, Norman won the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year Award. In 2007, he was named a "Legend" in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. He received the Old Tom Morris Award in 2008. He is also involved with The Environmental Institute for Golf, which works to make golf more friendly to nature. In 2009, he was inducted into the Queensland Sport Hall of Fame.
In 2015, the PGA of Australia created the Greg Norman Medal. This award goes to the best Australian male or female golfer each year.
How He Played Golf
Norman was known for his bold and aggressive style of play. He was considered one of the best at hitting the golf ball far and straight. From 1984 to 1997, he was often in the top 20 for total driving on the PGA Tour. His powerful and high shots made him a challenging opponent. In 2009, fellow golfer Nick Price said Norman was the "best driver I ever saw."
The Greg Norman Company
Norman started his company, originally called Great White Shark Enterprises, in 1993. It is now a large global business. The company's main office is in West Palm Beach, Florida. It uses a shark logo, which was first used for his clothing line. The company now has many different businesses. In 2016, it changed its name to the "Greg Norman Company."
Norman owns several businesses through his company.
- Greg Norman Golf Course Design (GNGCD) started in 1987. It has designed over 100 golf courses around the world.
- The Greg Norman Collection began in 1992. It sells golf-inspired clothing for men and women.
- Greg Norman Estates is a wine company. It makes different types of wines from Australia, California, and Argentina.
- The company also has a real estate division. This includes projects like the Medalist Village in Hobe Sound, Florida. The Greg Norman Design Group handles interior design.
- The Great White Shark Opportunity Fund invests in growing companies.
- Shark Wake Park is a business Norman started with his son, Greg Norman Jr. They build wakeboarding parks. The first one opened in 2016 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
- In 2017, Norman launched a smart golf cart. It has a touchscreen for music and GPS.
- Greg Norman Eyewear sells sunglasses designed for golf.
- Greg Norman Australian Prime sells premium Wagyu steaks and other beef products.
- The Greg Norman Australian Grille is a restaurant in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It offers fine dining with an Australian theme.
Other Business Partnerships
Norman also has partnerships with other companies. He invested in GPS Industries in 2004. His company partnered with Kohlberg & Company to buy Troon Golf. This is one of the world's largest golf management companies. Norman is also a key investor in Alchemy Global, a company that finds investors for sports startups.
He is also a brand ambassador for companies like Qantas (since 1976), Cobra Golf, and OMEGA. In 2017, Authentic Brands Group became a major partner for his consumer products division.
Other Projects
World Golf Tour Idea
In 1994, Norman announced an idea for a new international golf series called the World Golf Tour. It would have had eight tournaments with big prize money. Norman believed the PGA Tour wasn't doing enough to grow golf globally. However, the idea didn't get enough support from players and was never launched.
LIV Golf Investments
LIV Golf Investments was led by Greg Norman as CEO from 2021 to 2025. The LIV Golf Invitational Series started in 2022. Players compete individually and as part of a team. This series faced strong opposition from the established PGA Tour and European Tour. Players who joined LIV Golf were suspended by these tours. The series also received attention for its funding from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
Helping Others (Philanthropy)
The QBE Shootout, a team golf event, is hosted by Greg Norman. It helps the CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation. The Greg Norman Golf Foundation was started by Greg and his father in 1987. This foundation helps school students and children with disabilities learn golf in Queensland. Norman is also a trustee for The Environmental Institute for Golf. This group works to make golf more compatible with nature.
Broadcasting Career
In 2014, Fox Sports announced that Norman would be a lead golf commentator for their coverage starting in 2015. However, after some criticism of his performance in 2015, he was replaced by Paul Azinger in 2016.
His Autobiography
Norman wrote a book about his life called The Way of the Shark. It was released in 2006.
Personal Life
Norman married Laura Andrassy in July 1981. They had two children, Greg Norman Jr. and Morgan-Leigh. They divorced in 2006. He then married former tennis star Chris Evert in June 2008, but they divorced after 15 months. In November 2010, Norman married interior designer Kirsten Kutner. He has two grandchildren.
In December 2020, Norman was hospitalized with COVID-19. He shared updates on social media, saying it was "an ugly one."
Views on Politics
Norman has been a supporter of Donald Trump's presidency. He has also spoken about his role with the LIV Golf series.
Images for kids
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Norman in 1969 on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia.
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Norman in 1986
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Norman's 1986 World Match Play victory with children Morgan Leigh and Gregory.
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Norman's second Major championship, 1993 Open at Royal St George's.
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Norman tees off in windy conditions at the 2008 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Norman tees off at Royal Birkdale
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Norman designing The Eastern Golf Club in Yering, Australia.
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Norman surfing in Jupiter, Florida, wearing clothing from the Greg Norman Collection.
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Norman with daughter Morgan Leigh and son Gregory in 2014.
See also
In Spanish: Greg Norman para niños
