Effortless Style - Australian Wins First PGA TOUR Title
We’ve been waiting and watching. We knew it was going to happen, but we just weren’t sure when. Greg Norman cashed in on his maiden U.S. PGA Tour title at the prestigious Congressional Country Club. As has become customary no matter where Norman tees it up, he was followed every step of the way by a sizeable gallery.
Norman had won major national titles in four Australian States along with 12 European Tour titles, but this is his crowning achievement in the United States. Norman is now a resident of Florida and he officially joined the PGA Tour a year ago.
He made a boisterous arrival in the States by finishing fourth in his first appearance in The Masters Tournament and joint fourth in his first U.S. PGA Championship. Over the last four years, Norman has entered 32 events and has posted eight top-10 finishes. That certainly makes the young Aussie a force to be reckoned with for years to come.
His aggressive, attacking style and ability to drive the ball prodigious lengths make him one of the most exciting players on the PGA Tour. He is far from cautious inside the ropes and is prepared to take the shortest route to the green if the conditions and terrain are favorable.
Norman outclassed his rivals this week by a wide margin with a display of power and finesse that was simply unmatched. His challenge started strong with a pair of 68s in the first two rounds that put him seven shots clear of the competition. It was reminiscent of the 1976 West Lakes Classic, Norman’s first professional triumph. Norman maintained a seven-shot advantage after the third round and he coasted home with a 73 on the last day for an 8-under-par total.
Norman looked at ease throughout the entire tournament and comfortably defeated American Mark O’Meara by five shots in a heart-stopping display of controlled aggression and effortless style. Hal Sutton, Mike Reid, Jim Thorpe, Mike Donald, Scott Hoch and Gil Morgan shared third place. This victory boosted Norman’s official tournament earnings to $114,524 on the year.