I caught most of David Feherty's interview with Greg Norman the other night on Feherty's show on the Golf Channel. Norman was my favorite golfer for a long time and has always been a class act off the course. He has a lot of character and has been extremely successful as a businessman too. Norman was talking about how much he admired Jack Nicklaus and how after he moved to West Palm Beach (where Nicklaus also lived at the time) one of the first things he did was call Jack, as an act of respect and to ask him for advice on how to make the most of his new place of residence. Feherty asked him if Woods (who moved to the same Florida city as Norman a couple years ago) has ever called him. "No" was the predictable answer. Norman said that Woods has the opportunity to turn his life around and be a much better person, but he didn't say it with much conviction.
Greg Norman says Tiger Woods won't win another major
Greg Norman said Tiger Woods has too many distractions now to maintain the focus he had when he won 14 majors in 11 years, and he doesn't think Woods will win another major championship.
Norman, who held golf's No. 1 ranking for a total of 331 weeks between 1986 and 1998 and won two British Opens, made the comments in an interview that will be published in the November issue of Golf Magazine. Woods's last major win was the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, and he has not won a tournament since his Orlando car accident in November 2009 and the ensuing sex scandal.
"Tiger, when he dominated, had a single-shot approach," Norman said. "It was only about the golf."
That's just not the case anymore, Norman said.
"Now there are so many distractions, and people are looking for things that are wrong with Tiger now, so he's got to deal with that on a day-to-day basis, like every other mortal has to do, right?" Norman continued. "In our lives, in our business, we all have to be responsible for our actions. It's very hard for him to have that focus. And the more he shuts people off, the worse it gets."
Norman is one of the game's most popular and outspoken players. While many people in golf have been careful not to write off a slumping Woods — current world No. 1 Luke Donald issued a clarification after he was quoted as saying "the Tiger era is over" and Jack Nicklaus recently said Woods could still pass his record of 18 majors — Norman said Woods lacks the "street smarts" to recover his game and his life.
"He thinks everything's OK because his world is so cocooned," Norman said.
Prior to Woods's arrival on the pro scene in 1996, Norman, 56, was the game's biggest star. Woods, of course, eclipsed Norman and held the No. 1 ranking for a record 623 weeks before surrendering it last year. Woods also hired Norman's former caddie Steve Williams, who was with Woods for 13 years before being fired this year. After Woods let him go, Williams said that he "wasted two years of my life" standing by Woods during his scandals and injuries. Norman said that Williams's anger over the split points to "underlying issues" between Williams and Woods.
"I've known Stevie Williams since he was 15 years old," Norman said. "I know the DNA of the guy, how morally and ethically straight down the middle he is with things. I think there's more to it."
Norman advised his former caddie to hold his head high during Woods's scandals, something Woods has been unable to do, he added.
"Well, just look at his body language," Norman said of Woods. "He doesn't keep his head up anymore, he's got his eyes down, he's trying to keep his eyes away from the camera, right?
"It's like I said to Steve: 'Keep your head up, walk around proud of who you are,'"
http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,2094244,00.html?sct=hp_t2_a20&eref=sihp
Greg Norman says Tiger Woods won't win another major
Greg Norman said Tiger Woods has too many distractions now to maintain the focus he had when he won 14 majors in 11 years, and he doesn't think Woods will win another major championship.
Norman, who held golf's No. 1 ranking for a total of 331 weeks between 1986 and 1998 and won two British Opens, made the comments in an interview that will be published in the November issue of Golf Magazine. Woods's last major win was the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, and he has not won a tournament since his Orlando car accident in November 2009 and the ensuing sex scandal.
"Tiger, when he dominated, had a single-shot approach," Norman said. "It was only about the golf."
That's just not the case anymore, Norman said.
"Now there are so many distractions, and people are looking for things that are wrong with Tiger now, so he's got to deal with that on a day-to-day basis, like every other mortal has to do, right?" Norman continued. "In our lives, in our business, we all have to be responsible for our actions. It's very hard for him to have that focus. And the more he shuts people off, the worse it gets."
Norman is one of the game's most popular and outspoken players. While many people in golf have been careful not to write off a slumping Woods — current world No. 1 Luke Donald issued a clarification after he was quoted as saying "the Tiger era is over" and Jack Nicklaus recently said Woods could still pass his record of 18 majors — Norman said Woods lacks the "street smarts" to recover his game and his life.
"He thinks everything's OK because his world is so cocooned," Norman said.
Prior to Woods's arrival on the pro scene in 1996, Norman, 56, was the game's biggest star. Woods, of course, eclipsed Norman and held the No. 1 ranking for a record 623 weeks before surrendering it last year. Woods also hired Norman's former caddie Steve Williams, who was with Woods for 13 years before being fired this year. After Woods let him go, Williams said that he "wasted two years of my life" standing by Woods during his scandals and injuries. Norman said that Williams's anger over the split points to "underlying issues" between Williams and Woods.
"I've known Stevie Williams since he was 15 years old," Norman said. "I know the DNA of the guy, how morally and ethically straight down the middle he is with things. I think there's more to it."
Norman advised his former caddie to hold his head high during Woods's scandals, something Woods has been unable to do, he added.
"Well, just look at his body language," Norman said of Woods. "He doesn't keep his head up anymore, he's got his eyes down, he's trying to keep his eyes away from the camera, right?
"It's like I said to Steve: 'Keep your head up, walk around proud of who you are,'"
http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,2094244,00.html?sct=hp_t2_a20&eref=sihp