Shark Sighting: Q & A With Golf Channel's Jason Sobel

Courtesy of Jason Sobel
The Golf Channel

Greg Norman didn't feel a whole lotta love on Valentine's Day this year. That was the day he underwent shoulder surgery, from which he is still recovering.

Norman is hoping to compete in the Australian Open, Australian PGA and Shark Shootout later this year - he just started chipping balls and putting on Thursday - but that doesn't mean he isn't paying close attention to the game in his absence.

Norman sat down on the Hot Seat to discuss Tiger Woods and his caddie issues, the Presidents Cup and his continuing relationship with Omega:

Q: There are so many elite players from all corners of the globe right now. Were you ahead of the curve when it came to the idea of the World Tour and do you still think it would work today?

A: Well, I think I was the player that saw the benefits of where the game was going globally, because I was traveling so much at the time and saw where the game was headed. It's the responsibility of all the tours to promote the game. When I looked at the international players and the quality of them - Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle, Nick Price, Fred Couples - it was more of a global quantity of players. I still think it would work - even more so today because of the domination of global players right now, from Asia to Europe to Australia.

Q: Which is more surprising: Six straight first-time major champions or six straight from outside of the U.S.?

A: I don't think it's surprising that we've had six straight from outside the U.S. I think it's surprising that we've had six straight first-time winners, no question. You have to look at what's happening outside the United States. I've become a bit more of a Frank Nobilo, to a degree, in that I'm an observer of different regions. This is fantastic for the game of golf around the world, which I keep a keen eye on because my business is global. Golf in America has hit a brick wall due to the economy; golf has suffered here for that reason, but there's a lot more to it. The other factor is that the Tiger Woods era is gone. The guys who were always there, always threatening, winning around the world, are starting to get the deserved publicity that they should have been getting for the past five or six years and that gives them confidence to go out there and perform. I watched with much interest the Masters this year. Tiger came on strong on the front nine and none of them got intimidated. Adam Scott, Jason Day, Charl Schwartzel - he just blew by Tiger on the back nine. They don't have that fear factor anymore, even when he's healthy.

Norman, one of Australia's favorite sons, has begun to chip and putt as he slowly builds toward a high-profile trip Down Under in November.

Q: Speaking of Tiger, what are your thoughts on him right now?

A: I really can't make a comment, just an observation. He's a different person, a different player. I'd like to see Tiger loosen himself up a bit, become more of a personable type of player, because he is such a daunting figure. I'd just like to to see him more accessible. When you reach the top of the heap, you have to accept some give and take. I feel for him; it's harder for him to come out and show that side of himself even more. I just hope he gets it sorted out quickly. I don't think he'll dominate golf like he once did, but I do think he'll come back and win again.

Q: Steve Williams was your caddie for quite a while. What will Tiger lose not having Steve on his bag anymore?

A: Well, Steve's first caddie job was for me at the Aussie Masters when he was 15 or 16 years old. He stayed with me for over 10 years and was a great kid to groom - very assertive, very confidential in respect to the boss. To me, he was the vital hub to a lot of my success and the same for Tiger. But there are a lot of great caddies out there now who can help him. I can think of one in Tony Navarro. I would like to think Tiger would take advantage of one of the best caddies in the game. As good as Steve was for me, Tony Navarro was far better as far as being a professional caddie. I think Tony would be wonderful for Tiger; he would push him just a little bit and get the confidence going again.

Q: Have you spoken with Tony recently? Do you think he would want the job?

A: I have spoken with Tony. That's a question you need to ask him. I asked if he would be interested and he said of course he would. Any caddie would, whether he was playing wounded or at his peak. The opportunity is there and the rest is Tiger's decision.

Q: We're still four months away from the Presidents Cup, but how is your International team rounding into form?

A: It's forever changing, to tell the truth. The young players are really coming up, guys like Jason Day, who has really impressed me. I like it; I like the strength of my team right now. I'm a bit concerned about some of the veteran players - Ernie Els and Retief Goosen haven't really had the results lately that I'd like to see. But, you know, the Presidents Cup is different than stroke play. You don't have to rely on shooting 16 or 18 under. So these veterans are vital to the success of the International team and I think my balance of young, enthusiastic players is there.

Q: Tell me about your relationship with Omega.

A: It's a fantastic relationship. Omega's commitment to golf has been huge over the years; they've been entrenched in golf long and hard. We saw an opportunity for Omega to be the watch or clock company for the PGA Championship, so we worked very hard with Joe Steranka, because we could see it would be the perfect fit for them. Joe is extremely intelligent and understands the power of marketing - so does Omega, so it's a perfect fit. As for me to be associated with Omega alongside individuals like George Clooney and Nicole Kidman, it's just out of this world. Obviously, I'm doing work in China and they want to get to the grassroots of the growth of the game there. They recognize that, so we focus in on that market, as well. This is a tremendous opportunity that we both have taken advantage of.

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