Norman offered invite to PGA Championship

Posted by 4moles Editorial Desk 01 Aug 08'

TROON, Scotland: Legendary golfer Greg Norman who finished third at the recently concluded British Open will decide before Thursday as to whether to accept an invitation to play in the final major of the year - the PGA Championship.

Norman's performance at Royal Birkdale earned him a spot on the draw for the PGA Championship scheduled to be played at Hills outside Detroit from Aug. 7-10.

Norman who will be playing four weeks in a row if he accepts the PGA Championship invite.

"I'm going back tonight to talk about it over dinner. So I have to make a decision. I don't want to hold up the PGA of America. It's a great honor to be thought of in that regard. I must tell them in the next 24 hours."

Norman, had incidentally planned to play in the Senior U.S. Championship in Colorado Springs, Colorado during the week of the PGA Championship.

The 53-year-old Australian, who actually led the field in the back nine of the British Open only to finish six strokes behind the winner Padraig Harrington, has had multiple surgeries over the years which have resulted in his playing only select tournaments these days. In fact when he had back surgery a few years ago Norman had to consider the option of replacing his vertebrae with artificial vertebrae. This was finally vetoed.

"So I can't go out there and just pound golf balls. My practice routine is 90-150 minutes now, not hours upon hours. And I do hit very few drivers now. I'm more middle irons, short irons, chipping and putting."