For the past 12 months, Greg Norman knew he had to have an “incredibly thick heat shield” as the golfing world circled the wagons against his start-up LIV Golf League.
So jumping into the water with sharks on the Eyre Peninsula on Tuesday, ahead of Thursday’s start of the LIV event in Adelaide was anything but scary.
The Great White Shark has weathered the troubled waters in his battle with the PGA Tour, one he hopes will ease as LIV marches on, but feels invigorated by renewing his place on golf’s main stage.
Norman, forever an Australian sporting legend, has been a pioneer in his sport long before LIV and so being involved in his new Saudi-backed venture is giving him that playing pleasure all over again.
“Just to see what we’ve created within the family of LIV … has really hit me pretty hard, emotionally, quite honestly,” Norman said.
“In my life, I was a part of changing the game of golf from 80s to the 90s. Corporate dollars were coming in, the way they did, I was at the tip of the spear with that.
“I was the first guy to do an exhibition match in mainland China, one of the first to go to the Middle East, and all those things that you did over a period of time, and here we are today, and I say this to my staff and my people, we’re part of history. This will never be replicated again. Ever, ever ever.
“You’re never going to have an investor as passionate as the one we have. You’ll never set up the opportunity like we have today with the players, you’ll never recreate it. So to be part of history on a couple of fronts over my lifetime is probably the most rewarding.”
Masses swarmed golf courses around Australia in particular when Norman was at the peak of his playing powers, and he said he’s feeling that vibe again from LIV crowds, a vibe he expects to feel in Adelaide.
“My last 12 months. Last year was I had to have an incredibly thick heat shield, I had to have it. I knew it going in. I didn’t expect it to the degree to be honest with you,” he said.
“But I walk around out there now with fans on the course and it’s just like sometimes you feel like you’ve got golf clubs on your hands still.
“I’ve been surprised by it, but it feels like sometimes I’m actually playing again.”
