|
Jason's Big Day Out With The Shark
Greg Norman may have secured son Gregory a start in this week's Pebble Beach National Pro-Am but it's his likely pro pairing that will most excite Australian golf fans.
The Shark is expected to play alongside 20-year-old tour rookie Jason Day, the gifted Australian who makes no secret of his ambition to chase Tiger Woods and eventually become world No.1.
Norman, who spent 331 weeks atop the world rankings, has always been generous with encouragement and advice for rising Australian golfers and would have plenty to share with Day.
 | | Norman is expected to play alongside 20-year-old tour rookie Jason Day. |
Set to turn 53 as the tournament concludes on Sunday, Norman is making an increasingly rare appearance on US PGA Tour - his first in 18 months - after prompting from 22-year-old Gregory.
Several calls from the two-time British Open champion were enough to get two-handicapper son Gregory a start on Thursday.
The University of Miami senior is the sole student listed among the Hollywood celebrities, renowned musicians and captains of industry who fill the amateurs spots.
Norman outlined his thoughts on world No.1 Tiger Woods' dominance of the current scene and other issues in a pre-tournament interview with Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco Chronicle this week.
"Tiger's got the game and the confidence, and it doesn't seem like anyone else wants to step to the plate," Norman said.
"In my era, there were always three or four or five guys vying for a tournament (title). You don't see that anymore. Now we're in era where one guy dominates. Is that good for the game? I can't answer that."
Norman's best individual result in the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am during his tour days was a third placing in 1988, one shot outside a playoff between Steve Jones and Bob Tway after a closing 66.
He famously teamed with friend Kerry Packer for a six-stroke victory in the pro-am competition in 1992.
These days, Norman told the San Francisco Chronicle, he plays golf two or three times a week.
That was enough to see him tie for seventh in a European Tour event in South Africa in December, ahead of younger major winners in Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Angel Cabrera.
| 
