Final Shot with Greg Norman

The Great White Shark, a two-time Open Championship winner, talks business, the origin of his nickname, Masters Tournament heartbreak and his favourite golf courses

Norman with the Claret Jug in 1993

Do you have heroes?

Absolutely. The highest respect I can give to anyone is to Nelson Mandela because of what happened to him. It was 22 or 23 years of incarceration and the guy doesn't have one bit of malice in his body. I had dinner with him one time and it was probably the best meal I've ever had in my life. It was the only time I've ever sat there just mesmerized.

Who would be in your ideal fourball?

I would love to have played with Ben Hogan, Sam Snead and Bobby Jones, but sadly I never got to experience them live. They all epitomize the game of golf to such a high degree and in different ways too - such a broad spectrum of individuals. Hogan was the stoic guy, Snead the pure swinger and Jones the true gentleman.

How did Great White Shark Enterprises get started?

I wanted to get involved with businesses, not just do endorsement deals. The plan was twofold: I wanted to structure my business interests in such a way that after I stopped playing golf I would have something to go on to that I would enjoy doing. Second, I wanted to structure them in such a way that the fruits of my energies were not in a three-year or five-year endorsement.

What in your life are you most proud of?

Without question my two children - Morgan and Gregory.

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Written by The Editors

Photography by AFP

Click here to see the published article.

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