Shark: Seve Got Ball Rolling On Golf's Olympic Return
/Bill Dwyre attended an Omega gathering and talked to Greg Norman who gave Seve and his ownself a bit of credit for starting the ball rolling on golf's return to the Olympic Games.
"I remember when it started," Norman said. "It was a practice round, in 1984, here at Wentworth [England]. We were getting ready for a World Match Play . . . Seve mentioned the Olympics, and I was kind of taken aback. I hadn't thought about it, didn't know much about the concept."
But Ballesteros wanted Norman on board, and Norman studied the concept thoroughly. After Ballesteros died of cancer last year at 54, Norman helped keep the campaign alive, while never forgetting Ballesteros' role.
"I give Seve as much credit as anybody," Norman said. "And here we are today, talking about golf in the Olympics."
And while we're making it up as we go...
But Norman said that although losing upset him, it remains too important to golf to take advantage of this opportunity for the international boost the Olympics can bring.
"If we don't do this well," he said, "and don't get golf back in the 2020 Games, then shame on us."
Ah, psst, Gregster, golf's in 2020 no matter how dull the 72-hole stroke play is in '16. Just an FYI for you, our Olympic golf leader.
Interestingly, Helen Ross reviews the Olympic golf movement, what players are saying and updates the progress of the Rio course and somehow never mentions Norman's role. And it's not an oversight on her part.
