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A three-time Masters runner-up, it looks like Greg Norman was denied once again at Augusta National. This time off the course.
The LIV Golf CEO and World Golf Hall of Famer was spotted at Augusta National’s Par-3 Contest on Wednesday, walking outside the ropes, watching a few LIV golfers dial in their short irons. It was a bit of a shock to fellow patrons and viewers at home after Norman, a two-time Open champion, did not receive an invitation to the major in 2023 that is customarily given to past major champions.
“We did not extend an invitation to Mr. Norman,” Fred Ridley said last year. “The primary issue … I want the focus this week to be on the Masters competition, on the great players that are participating, the greatest players in the world, which, by our decision in December, we ensured that we were going to honor and be consistent with our invitation criteria.”
It was initially unclear how The Shark made his way inside the gates this year, but his son, Greg Norman Jr., took to social media on Thursday to explain.
MORE: Overheard in the gallery at Augusta on Wednesday ("Oh my God, Tiger's here!")
“Yes. All this is true,” Greg Norman Jr. posted. “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.
Related video: Keith Stewart's Masters Tournament Picks for Top 10s and 20s (SportsGrid)
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Keith Stewart's Masters Tournament Picks for Top 10s and 20s
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“It was an amazing experience; hundreds of golf fans approached him walking outside the ropes. All positive support of him and LIV. Not one person said anything negative to him.
“And this is exactly the point of me posting this: we have received a lot of hate over the years, but this stems from financially incentivized opposing parties or bottom-of-the-barrel sociopathic online trolls. The vast majority of folks we run into are positive, encouraging, fans of LIV, or simply fans of golf.
"So, in light of this, here's to an epic Masters. Four days where we put all the BS behind us, sit back, and watch a LIV player take the green jacket."
2148167756© Provided by The Loop
David Cannon
The Washington Post reported this out further stating that Norman “didn’t bother waiting for an invitation and came to the course with a pair of LIV executives through the main gate.” Asked about an invitation for Norman by Golf Digest, Augusta National declined to comment.
Greg Norman went on to say that he hopes more of the golfers from the Saudi-backed league get invites to the Masters, and that he's pulling for one of his LIV players to put on a green jacket after 72 holes. Imagine selling your tickets online and the buyer turns out to be The Shark. Some unlucky sap out there has definitely drawn Augusta National’s ire.
“I’m here because we have 13 players but won 10 Masters between them,” Norman said from Augusta. “So I’m just here to support them, do the best I can to show them, ‘Hey, the boss is here rooting for you.'”
The LIV Golf CEO and World Golf Hall of Famer was spotted at Augusta National’s Par-3 Contest on Wednesday, walking outside the ropes, watching a few LIV golfers dial in their short irons. It was a bit of a shock to fellow patrons and viewers at home after Norman, a two-time Open champion, did not receive an invitation to the major in 2023 that is customarily given to past major champions.
“We did not extend an invitation to Mr. Norman,” Fred Ridley said last year. “The primary issue … I want the focus this week to be on the Masters competition, on the great players that are participating, the greatest players in the world, which, by our decision in December, we ensured that we were going to honor and be consistent with our invitation criteria.”
It was initially unclear how The Shark made his way inside the gates this year, but his son, Greg Norman Jr., took to social media on Thursday to explain.
MORE: Overheard in the gallery at Augusta on Wednesday ("Oh my God, Tiger's here!")
“Yes. All this is true,” Greg Norman Jr. posted. “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.
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Keith Stewart's Masters Tournament Picks for Top 10s and 20s
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“It was an amazing experience; hundreds of golf fans approached him walking outside the ropes. All positive support of him and LIV. Not one person said anything negative to him.
“And this is exactly the point of me posting this: we have received a lot of hate over the years, but this stems from financially incentivized opposing parties or bottom-of-the-barrel sociopathic online trolls. The vast majority of folks we run into are positive, encouraging, fans of LIV, or simply fans of golf.
"So, in light of this, here's to an epic Masters. Four days where we put all the BS behind us, sit back, and watch a LIV player take the green jacket."
2148167756© Provided by The Loop
David Cannon
The Washington Post reported this out further stating that Norman “didn’t bother waiting for an invitation and came to the course with a pair of LIV executives through the main gate.” Asked about an invitation for Norman by Golf Digest, Augusta National declined to comment.
Greg Norman went on to say that he hopes more of the golfers from the Saudi-backed league get invites to the Masters, and that he's pulling for one of his LIV players to put on a green jacket after 72 holes. Imagine selling your tickets online and the buyer turns out to be The Shark. Some unlucky sap out there has definitely drawn Augusta National’s ire.
“I’m here because we have 13 players but won 10 Masters between them,” Norman said from Augusta. “So I’m just here to support them, do the best I can to show them, ‘Hey, the boss is here rooting for you.'”
