AIR Norman touched down at Perth Airport at 10.30am yesterday after the 24-hour flight from Florida, with a refuelling stop in Tahiti - and just two hours later, a fit and fresh looking Greg Norman was on the practice range at The Vines.
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Though what lay ahead in the afternoon was just a celebrity nine-hole exhibition match, with proceeds going to the Victorian bushfire appeal, the Shark went through his full practice routine as if it were the real thing.
That starts tomorrow. Norman, who celebrated his 54th birthday last week, is the headline act at the $2.7 million Johnnie Walker Classic, along with the likes of Camilo Villegas, Anthony Kim, Colin Montgomerie, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood.
It was just like old times. Of course, Norman is being paid a large appearance fee, but no one could quibble with that. His feats in last year's British Open at Royal Birkdale, in which he finished tied third, were nothing short of remarkable. And, even now, he can smell the magnolias of Augusta, where in April he will make his first appearance in the US Masters since 2002.
Norman has made an art of avoiding direct conversation with the media through the years if his mind is on the job, and that's the way it was yesterday. He will talk in an organised press conference this afternoon.
But, his right-hand man with Great White Shark Enterprises, Bart Collins, reports Norman has spent hours on the practice range in recent weeks for what is an unexpected, but serious, tilt at that elusive Masters title. This week in Perth is very much part of the build-up.
Queenslander Adam Crawford was one of the many admirers of the Shark's still-powerful swing. He first played in company with Norman 12 years ago in The Players Championship at Royal Queensland and reckons nothing much has changed.
Westwood also played with Norman 12 years ago. Indeed, he beat the Shark in four holes of sudden-death for the Australian Open championship at Melbourne's Metropolitan layout.
"I can still remember the play-off vividly and, whilst there were a lot of people cheering for Greg at the same time, there was a lot of people supporting me," Westwood said.
"Winning the Australian Open was very special to me because it was the first national Open title win in my career."
Norman and Westwood, with Villegas, are grouped together for the first two rounds. Westwood is delighted.
"I get on well with Greg and it's great to be playing alongside him," he said. "He was one of my heroes growing up. He and Seve [Ballesteros]."
Of Norman's effort at Royal Birkdale, he said: "Any time the conditions get as severe as they were at Royal Birkdale and shot-making becomes so critical, Greg Norman is going to play well. It must be hard when you get to his age … but then I would imagine The Open is one of those events that does it for him."
Norman's partners yesterday were jockey Damien Oliver and former Test cricketers Justin Langer and Brad Hogg. As Norman stepped onto the tee, the theme music of the movie, Jaws , was played.
Norman is now ranked 216 in the world and the attentions of Australian golf are on him once again. He has precious little opposition from the younger Australian players this week with Victorian left-hander Richard Green the highest ranked of them at No.65.
Green had cause to lament that ranking after losing four spots since last week. Yesterday was the cut-off date for the $US8 million WGC World Match Play championship at Duck Mountain in Arizona, starting tomorrow week. The field of 64 is taken from the world rankings and it appears Green's only chance of playing is if Tiger Woods does not enter. For Green, missing out wouldn't be the end of the world. What amazes him is that he is the top-ranked Australian here this week. "It's a shame the guys aren't here," he said. "I guess they're preparing for the match play."
The eight Australians in the match play are Geoff Ogilvy (No.8), Adam Scott (18), Robert Allenby (30), Aaron Baddeley (42), Stuart Appleby (46), Mathew Goggin (55), Rod Pampling (56) and Brendan Jones (64).