Greg Norman has made his feelings clear after being snubbed by Augusta National (Image: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Greg Norman holds a significant place in Masters history despite never wearing the Green Jacket. However, he won’t even be watching this year’s tournament after being snubbed by Augusta National. Norman, who led the LIV Golf breakaway in 2022, remains amongst golf’s most divisive figures and Augusta National has refused to offer him an invitation to the 90th edition of the tournament, which begins on Thursday.
Norman was removed from his LIV role following last year, but he remains persona non grata at Augusta. The 71-year-old described the decision as a “crying shame.” Augusta traditionally offers invitations to major champions, but Norman failed to receive one. He was similarly shut out by Augusta National in 2023 amidst the furore surrounding the LIV split. The following year, the two-time major champion purchased a ticket via the resale market and mingled with spectators outside the gallery ropes.
Without an invitation for this year’s event, Norman claims he won’t be watching the tournament at all.
“Well, I won’t be there, that’s for sure. I never received the normal invitation from the Masters,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“I won’t even watch it [because] I will be out of the country, to be honest with you. But I will follow the results day-by-day to see who’s leading, what’s happening.
“It just seems like I’ve moved on from that, too, which is a crying shame because [the] Masters and Augusta and a number of friends I have in Augusta National, the powers to be decided to go in a different direction. So, I have to accept that.”
Following confirmation that Norman was excluded in 2023 to prevent him from becoming a distraction, club chairman Fred Ridley revealed that Norman had attended two Masters in the previous decade after receiving invitations.
Norman, ever the maverick, relished the chance to walk amongst the spectators the next year.
He said: “Getting out to the venue was something that I really, really enjoyed when I bought my own ticket a couple of years ago to go there.
Norman attended the 2024 Masters with a general admission ticket after not receiving an invite (Image: Warren Little/Getty Images)
“To feel it and walk around with the patrons was wonderful. I’ll never forget that couple of days, to be honest with you, because of the support I had, even in the heat of everything with LIV and the PGA Tour. The overall sentiment was just overwhelmingly positive.”
Norman was undeniably amongst the finest players of his generation, claiming 88 professional titles, including two Open Championships.
Yet his standing at Augusta National remains that of a man who came tantalisingly close but never quite achieved the ultimate prize.
He accumulated eight top-five finishes and shares the course record, yet never pulled on the coveted Green Jacket.
Norman’s lowest point arrived in 1996, when he threw away a six-shot advantage on the final day, gifting the title to Nick Faldo.
A decade earlier, “The Shark” bogeyed the last hole and finished just one stroke behind Jack Nicklaus’ winning total.
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