Greg Norman was not one of the official LIV Golf representatives invited to the Masters 2024. However, the breakaway circuit CEO and Commissioner did not want to miss any of the event and sought his own way to be at Augusta National.
The presence of “The Shark” was noted at Augusta National Golf Club during the last practice session before the Masters 2024. Greg Norman Jr., the offspring of the two-time Major champion, verified this information on his personal X account (formerly Twitter) with the following message:
“Yes. All this is true. My dad paid for a ticket on the secondary market to attend the Masters as a patron. He was denied one directly after going through the proper professional channels. He had to be there anyway to support the LIV players.”
Yes. All this is true.
My dad paid for a ticket on the secondary market to attend the Masters as a patron. He was denied one directly after going through the proper professional channels. He had to be there anyway to support the LIV players.
It was an amazing experience;… pic.twitter.com/Yt5Uk9r7nG
— Greg Norman Jr (@GregJrNorman) April 11, 2024
Following this, Greg Norman personally provided comments to The Washington Post and stated the following:
“I’m here because we have 13 players who have won 10 Masters between them. So I’m just here to support them and do the best I can to show them.”
Greg Norman made his presence known at different spots throughout the Augusta National course, demonstrating his backing for multiple LIV players. Notably, he spent considerable time with Min Woo Lee, a promising Australian golfer on the PGA Tour.
According to the Telegraph, during the week leading up to the Masters, an official representative from LIV Golf received an official invitation to the event. However, it was mentioned that Greg Norman was not included in the guest list. There were also speculations about a potential visit by Yasir Al-Rumayyan, although it has not been confirmed.
Greg Norman’s career at The Masters
Greg Norman participated in the Masters Tournament on 23 occasions, achieving three second-place finishes and securing six other top-10 positions as his most notable accomplishments. His three runner-up finishes occurred in 1986, 1987, and 1996, and in each instance, he came remarkably close to claiming the championship title.
During the 1986 tournament, Norman remained a strong contender throughout the event and even held the top position on the leaderboard after completing 54 holes. However, his hopes were dashed as Jack Nicklaus managed to overcome a four-hole deficit and emerged victorious by a mere one stroke. This triumph marked Nicklaus’ sixth acquisition of the prestigious Green Jacket.
In 1987, it was Norman who made a remarkable comeback. Despite not being in the top 10 for the initial 36 holes, he played exceptionally well on moving day, scoring a 66 and securing a T3 position. Norman continued his strong performance in the fourth round, posting a score of 72 and tying for first place with Seve Ballesteros and Larry Mize. However, it was Mize who ultimately emerged as the winner after a thrilling 2-hole playoff.
Norman’s performance in 1996 was equally captivating. “The Shark” dominated the leaderboard for the first three rounds and held a commanding six-shot lead over Nick Faldo after 54 holes.
Norman maintained a four-stroke lead over Faldo at the seventh hole of the fourth round. However, he unexpectedly dropped five strokes in the following five holes. His downfall was solidified with a tee shot into the water on the 16th hole, ultimately dashing his chances of a comeback. In the end, he was defeated by Faldo by four strokes.
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