Greg Norman

Australian Greg Norman was forced to withdraw from the U.S. Open golf championship today when he injured his left wrist hitting his ball off a rock. Norman, who opened the tournament with a 3-over-par 74 and was six shots behind at the start of the day, hurt himself on the ninth hole, where he took a drop after a poor tee shot. Asked how he felt about pulling out, the obviously disappointed 1986 British Open champion said: "It's probably the lowest point in my career."

Well, that settles one thing. God wants Greg Norman to win the PGA golf tournament here this week. If I were the rest of the field, I'd pack it in. They should make a grotto out of the 13th hole here at Inverness. Invite the sick. The last time anything this miraculous happened, there was a bolt of lightning and a clap of thunder first. For an encore, Norman should walk on water, multiply fishes. Get close to him in a lifeboat. Or a thunderstorm.

If you're a golfer, you'd want to look and play just like Greg Norman. The inverted pyramid build, wide shoulders on top of no waist, the powerful stride, the move into the ball. You're to golf what Dempsey was to boxing. An attacker. A knockout puncher. A slugger. He doesn't romance a golf course. Bring it flowers. He grabs it by the hair and tries to drag it to the cave. Not for him defensive golf. Gimme-the-wood golf. Fore-on-the-right golf! Charge! Only the exciting ones get nicknames.

Before there was a Tiger Woods, and after there was an Arnold Palmer and a Jack Nicklaus, there was a Greg Norman. Golf's Job was a sight to behold on a fairway. The shock of cotton hair, the flashing blue eyes, out-thrust jaw, he was a combination Fearless Fosdick and Frank Merriwell. Wasp-waisted, broad-shouldered, he had the eyesight of a circling hawk and the boldness of a bank robber. They didn't make the hole he couldn't eagle, the course he couldn't drag home to the cave with him.

Australian Greg Norman won the final four holes, shooting a birdie on the last one, to capture the $135,000 Showdown in Singapore skins tournament against countryman Rodger Davis. With the Australians tied at $62,500 after 17 holes, Norman birdied the par-5 18th hole to claim the victory and $72,500. Davis came away with the $62,500. "I'm happy I managed to outskin Davis at the 18th hole," Norman said. "I was a bit concerned when Davis chalked up $62,500 at the 14th."

Jane Geddes, this year's U.S. Women's Open champion, will be among eight women pro golfers challenging Greg Norman and other men in the $250,000 Spalding Invitational tournament on New Year's weekend. The non-tour event will be played Dec. 31-Jan 3 on three courses. The women get distance advantages off the tees.

Australian golfer Greg Norman was followed around the Huntingdale course in Melbourne by a uniformed officer during the first round of the $200,000 Australian Masters Championship Thursday. The policeman stayed close to Norman at the request of tournament organizers in the wake of threatened demonstrations by anti-apartheid groups protesting Norman's links with South Africa. There were no protesters in sight, however, as Norman shot a 5-under-par 68 for a share of the first-round lead.