LIV boss Greg Norman spotted at the Masters after being snubbed last year

The Great White Shark has been spotted at Augusta. Controversial Australian golfing great Greg Norman turned heads at the Masters as he strolled the fairways after being snubbed last year.

Greg Norman has gate-crashed the Masters, declaring the LIV “boss is here”.

The controversial Australian golf great turned heads at Augusta on Wednesday, strolling the fairways in his trademark Akubra hat and a LIV logoed-shirt.

“I’m here because we (LIV) have 13 players that won 10 Masters between them,” Norman said.

“So I’m here just to support them, do the best I can to show them, ‘Hey, you know, the boss is here rooting for you.’”

The LIV chief executive, who helped drive a wedge through the game, shook hands with Aussie young gun Min Woo Lee before wandering off into the galleries.

Greg Norman is at the Masters today walking the fairways among the patrons and has been seen having a friendly chat with Min Woo Lee. Cooking 🧑‍🍳🇦🇺

📸 Getty Images @Cannonball63pic.twitter.com/MURFiOsiLN

— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) April 10, 2024

Norman was not invited to last year’s Masters or to the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews because of friction caused by the formation of the rebel LIV tour.

Norman has previously said that he did not believe he would ever be welcomed back to Augusta because of his association with the Saudi-backed breakaway league.

It’s believed he was a ticketed-patron, not formally invited.

Norman came agonisingly close to saluting at Augusta in 1987 and 1996 and has struck up a close relationship with Queenslander and LIV defector Cameron Smith.

“Walking around here today, there’s not one person who said to me, ‘Why did you do LIV?’” Norman said.

“There’s been hundreds of people, even security guys, stopping me, saying, ‘Hey, what you’re doing is fantastic.’ To me, that tells you that what we have and the platform fits within the ecosystem, and it’s good for the game of golf.”

LIV players make up 13 of the tournament’s 89 competitors, including defending champion Jon Rahm.

Wild weather is set to wreak havoc at Augusta with thunderstorms forecast across the opening round (starting early Friday AEST).

Smith and Min Woo Lee enter the tournament under a cloud of ill-health, but Masters broadcaster Ian Baker-Finch expects Smith to fire.

“He’s obviously proven he can play well around here, finishing second and shooting four rounds in the 60s (in 2020),” Baker-Finch said.

“Without the cliche of ‘beware the sick golfer’, he just wanted to make sure he was ready for this week. Last week (LIV Miamai) didn’t mean as much to him, so he made sure he was ready for this week.

“He’s definitely got the game and he’s always going to be one of those guys who you think will do well around here.

“I haven’t asked him personally, ‘How sick are you?’ but he doesn’t look too sick to me. He played okay yesterday and I think he’ll be fine.

“I think you are quite drained after every day here. It’s a tough walk and a lot of effort goes in.”

Baker-Finch said it was “inevitable” an Australian would win again at Augusta.

“Why did it take 73 years for Scotty (Adam Scott) to win in 2013 and all of the close calls? I forget how many it is, but it’s well over 20 opportunities,” he said.

“Greg (Norman) had seven or eight of them. Pazza (Craig Parry) had a couple of chances, never putted well (on) the back nine.

“It means so much to us - the mystique - the history of it all. Why Australians haven’t won more is nebulous, there’s no direct answer to it. Maybe this year Min Woo Lee fires up and does something creative, Smithy, maybe, comes back and does it. Cam Davis has got the game if he can finish it off.

“They are all really a chance. You’ve got to be a good ball striker …

“You’d think (we were overdue) right? It’s about time an Australian won another green jacket. We certainly have the talent and we keep producing great talent … I think it’s inevitable.”

American Rickie Fowler will have to make history if he’s to win.

Fowler won the traditional par-3 competition on Wednesday — but no winner has ever gone on to claim the Masters after saluting on Augusta’s secondary track.

Originally published as LIV boss Greg Norman spotted at the Masters after being snubbed last year