Greg Norman: Going the Reverse Choke?

[chops_a_must]

As a businessman, Norman makes a half decent golfer. It would have been interesting to see what he would have made for himself if he was an Obstetrician however.

But this is not the point of this discussion.

I guess we are all familiar with Norman's past heroics: playing a shot from under 2m of water, knocking it to within 2 feet of the cup from 150m away, but missing the putt and subsequently losing the tournament etc.

After choking so seriously many times in the past, when he was expected to win it all, he is now playing in career best form when he isn't expected to win jack.

He readily admits to playing more tennis than golf these days, and having his love life sorted. This poses an interesting question: in that was his failures on the course indicative of him not being able to "get over the final hurdle" elsewhere?

And now with his tennis interests, plenty of practice with going into the box, has his pressure been eased and has it helped him get over this serious problem?

It now remains to be seen whether he can perform once it has become meaningless to him.

Discuss.

 

[2020hindsight]

hey chops
rumour has it he'll be a wild card entry in next year's Wimbleton
with Crissy-Evatt-Lloyd-Norman as his seconder
cheers

 

[Macquack]

As a businessman, Norman makes a half decent golfer.

Unfair comment.
The Great White Shark has 87 worldwide tournament wins to his credit and spent 331 weeks as the world's number one ranked golfer.
In 2001, Norman was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Norman currently leads the 2008 British Open by two strokes going into the final round.
Go the sharky.

 

[wildkactus]

Its good to see the shark back on the course and on top of the leader board, he would have to be one of the true greats of the game.

This good form possibly comes from him just playing the game for the game and enjoying it as such.

It also goes to show what great skill as a golfer he has, to come out and be leading some of the worlds current best with little practice behind him.

GO SHARK GO

 

[springhill]

Just curious as to if anyone had a few dollars on the shark? Heard on a radio sportstalk program, he started the tournament at 500/1 as of 10am yesterday he was at 15/1

 

[chops_a_must]

Unfair comment.
The Great White Shark has 87 worldwide tournament wins to his credit and spent 331 weeks as the world's number one ranked golfer.
In 2001, Norman was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Norman currently leads the 2008 British Open by two strokes going into the final round.
Go the sharky.

That's precisely why he underachieved so badly. 2 majors with 8 second place finishes is obviously a blight on him when he was leading for the great majority of those he lost. By the way, 2 opens is nowhere near making you a great of the game in Golf.

If he wins, he's up there with the greats of the British Open, and he'll retire with an odd distinction of being one of the biggest wastes of talent, and at the same time, best uses of talent in the one life time. Go figure.

Ten bucks on him lipping out a putt on the 18th to lose.

 

[Macquack]

That's precisely why he underachieved so badly. 2 majors with 8 second place finishes is obviously a blight on him when he was leading for the great majority of those he lost.

Your a goose, or is that an albatross (double eagle).

The greatest golfer of them all - Jack Nicklaus with 18 major champoinship victories had:-
19 second place finishes
46 top three finishes
57 top five finishes, and
73 top ten finishes in the four majors.

With the above stats, would you call the "Golden Bear" a choker?

 

[chops_a_must]

Your a goose, or is that an albatross (double eagle).

The greatest golfer of them all - Jack Nicklaus with 18 major champoinship victories had:-
19 second place finishes
46 top three finishes
57 top five finishes, and
73 top ten finishes in the four majors.

With the above stats, would you call the "Golden Bear" a choker?

Nope.

Because for starters, he won 18 majors, with 19 second place finishes.

What is that ratio compared to Norman's?

Player had 9 Major wins, 6 seconds.

Woods has 14 Majors and 5 seconds.

Want to keep arguing about it?

 

[Macquack]

Nope.

Because for starters, he won 18 majors, with 19 second place finishes.

What is that ratio compared to Norman's?

Player had 9 Major wins, 6 seconds.

Woods has 14 Majors and 5 seconds.

Want to keep arguing about it?

Obviously, Jack Nicklaus has a better record than Greg Norman, as does Tiger Woods, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer and many more.

The point is with:-
2 British Open Champonships (hopefully three)
87 worldwide tournament wins
331 weeks as the world's number one ranked golfer
Induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame :
the Shark is one hell of a golfer in contrast to your accolade of a "half decent golfer".

Norman is 53 years old leading the Open into the final round. If he wins, he will be the oldest winner of a major championship in history.

Get off his back and give some support for this great Australian sportsman.

 

[chops_a_must]

Obviously, Jack Nicklaus has a better record than Greg Norman, as does Tiger Woods, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer and many more.

The point is with:-
2 British Open Champonships (hopefully three)

Nothing else matters.

Lets take Nick Faldo for instance. 98 weeks at number 1, 6 majors. Who will go down in the history book as greater? Most people would rate Norman as a better player, but Faldo will end up being by deafult. Majors are all that matter 20 years on.

When you look at it, there are a heap of Golf players with 2 or 3 major wins. A lot of relative no namers. That's how Norman is regarded in the Golfing world.

Norman is 53 years old leading the Open into the final round. If he wins, he will be the oldest winner of a major championship in history.

Hence me calling it the best use of talent, at the same time as the biggest waste.

Get off his back and give some support for this great Australian sportsman.

I and a lot of people would argue that last point.

But it doesn't change the fact that he was a massive choker, and is perhaps the biggest waste of sporting talent Australia has ever seen.

God damn you are getting pounded in these arguments, and this time, by a troll of all people.

P.S. - will be barracking for him. But expect him to fall into old habits... Anyone that has watched him in the majors know all about this.

 

[cuttlefish]

Interesting - is it possible that Norman with a changed love life/different relationship and thus maybe healthier personal emotional circumstances might have a different frame of mind and place less pressure on himself? Or is it within him regardless? If he wins this is it any kind of reflection anyway?

I definitely consider Norman a great Australian sportsman. There seems no doubt that he didn't perform well under pressure and so the win record eluded him. It seemed that the more the majors eluded him the greater the fear of choking became - the media attention to it etc. would have fed the mental hurdle he created for himself and made it larger.

Regardless of the choking he is likely to be remembered in history for the extremely talented golfer that he wasis, even without the same win record as some of the others.

I certainly would love to see him win this one.

 

[Macquack]

But it doesn't change the fact that he was a massive choker, and is perhaps the biggest waste of sporting talent Australia has ever seen.

I see your point clearly now. As Greg Norman is not the greatest golfer of all time, then he must be a bum.

P.S. - will be barracking for him. But expect him to fall into old habits... Anyone that has watched him in the majors know all about this.

The phrase "with friends like you who needs enemies" comes to mind.

 

[YOUNG_TRADER]

I guess we are all familiar with Norman's past heroics: playing a shot from under 2m of water, knocking it to within 2 feet of the cup from 150m away, but missing the putt and subsequently losing the tournament etc.

Discuss.

Let me get this right, he played a shot under water???????????????????????

Give me a link please that would be the most amazing thing ever!

 

[Sprinter79]

Let me get this right, he played a shot under water???????????????????????

Give me a link please that would be the most amazing thing ever!

Hahahahahahahahahahaha














Hahahahahahahahhaah

From Wired World of Sports Volume 1 I think :

 

[chops_a_must]

I see your point clearly now. As Greg Norman is not the greatest golfer of all time, then he must be a bum.

Nope.

But he wont go down as a great. However, his reputation will be helped if he wins here...

 

[Sprinter79]

I think he'll go down as a great of Australian Golf, but he is nothing compaired the above mentioned.

It's just like compairing Lleyton, or Rafter or the Poo to Sampras and Federer, great players and all, but not an all time great.

 

[cuttlefish]

not a promising looking start ... seems to be falling into the same rut at the moment.

 

[cuttlefish]

well its enjoyable viewing anyway - bit mixed but he's still sharing the lead and just got so close to sinking a long put for a birdy on the current hole - tricky with the amount of wind.

 

[chops_a_must]

well its enjoyable viewing anyway - bit mixed but he's still sharing the lead and just got so close to sinking a long put for a birdy on the current hole - tricky with the amount of wind.

Don't tell me, it's not live here. :

Putting looks ordinary once again under pressure.

 

[cuttlefish]

Actually he's been putting ok - he did just miss another one to go over par but it wasn't an easy one and he was a bit unlucky it didn't sink I thought. Given how windy it is its not that easy for anyone and I wouldn't say he's lost his nerve yet but he's going to have a job on his hands.

Spoke too soon I think he's in a sand trap.