Greg Norman "is out as lead golf analyst for Fox Sports," as he and the network "parted company" on Friday, according to sources cited by Martin Kaufmann of GOLFWEEK.com. The news was first reported yesterday in a tweet from Links Magazine. Fox hired Norman to be the "front man for its live golf broadcasts after it won the rights to air" USGA championships. Norman was a "natural choice given his high profile and his close ties to senior Fox executives dating back several decades." However, he "struggled in his new role," and was "uncommonly reticent in the 18th tower." During the final round of last month's Franklin Templeton Shootout, Fox put Brad Faxon "in the 18th tower with Norman and anchor Joe Buck." Sources said that the hope was that Faxon’s presence "would force Norman to become more engaged in the broadcast." Fox apparently "didn’t see a way forward with Norman" (GOLFWEEK.com, 1/17). GOLF.com's Gary Van Sickle noted TV execs "felt Norman dropped the ball during the drama on the 72nd hole in the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay." After Dustin Johnson "three-putted for a bogey to lose the Open to Jordan Spieth, Norman said very little to set up the situation or explain it." A source said that his performance "was a big eye-opener for everyone." The U.S. Women’s Open "was another awkward wrinkle" for Fox, as Faxon, "stationed at the 17th hole, wound up providing an unusual share of the analysis and commentary because Norman wasn’t chiming in" (GOLF.com, 1/17). GOLF WORLD's Geoff Shackelford noted the Australian native "seemed energized when discussing his countrymen contending in the USGA's biggest events, even leaving the booth to get insights into Jason Day's U.S. Open vertigo." But Norman's passion "was lacking the rest of the time" (GOLFWORLDDIGITAL.com, 1/18).
NORMAN CONQUESTED: Norman's departure was part of GOLF.com's weekly roundtable, with SI senior writer Michael Bamberger writing Norman "would have improved over time but that's not how TV works." SI senior writer Alan Shipnuck adds, "I didn't love Norman but it's a pretty small sample size to give him the axe already." But Golf Magazine's Josh Sens writes, "I would guess that his dismissal -- if that's what it was -- had less to do with that poor first showing than with uncertainty about whether Norman was going to be willing to put in the time and effort it would take to get better as a broadcaster. That job takes work, and the Shark has a lot of other things going on." Golf Magazine's Cameron Morfit: "No on-air analyst, of anything, should utter the phrase 'I'm at a loss for words.' Ever. Norman did, and unfortunately it's what I'll remember him for in the booth." Guest contributor Chris Solomon: "I thought Norman was fine at Chambers Bay ... Fox's first year was pretty much a disaster, and it wasn't Norman that was the problem" (GOLF.com, 1/18).
