SiriusXM announced today that World Golf Hall of Fame member Greg Norman will be the lead analyst for SiriusXM’s exclusive play-by-play audio broadcasts of the Masters Tournament this April. Norman will join play-by-play announcer Brian Katrek in the broadcast booth at Augusta National Golf Club all four days of tournament play, April 8-11.
In January, SiriusXM announced its new agreement as the exclusive audio broadcaster of the Masters Tournament. SiriusXM will present its first live play-by-play broadcasts in April as part of its expansive coverage of the 2021 Tournament.
From 1981 through 2009, Norman competed in 23 Masters Tournaments and played his way into contention for a Green Jacket on many of those April weekends at famed Augusta National.
In his first Masters in 1981, at the age of 26, he finished the opening round tied for the lead with Johnny Miller, Curtis Strange and Lon Hinkle, eventually finishing solo fourth.
It was his first Masters performance that inspired his lasting nickname, “The Great White Shark.”
Dave Anderson, the legendary sportswriter for the New York Times, detailed the then unknown Norman this way:
“To describe Norman as blond is almost an insult. His shaggy hair is more creamy white than yellow. If Nicklaus is golf’s Golden Bear, Norman is golf’s Polar Bear. But if the 26-year-old Australian must have a nickname, call him golf’s Great White Shark. He not only lives on the coast near the world’s largest shark-breeding ground, but he also shoots sharks with a .303 modified Australian army rifle.”
A nickname was born.
Over the next two decades, he had eight top-5 finishes at the Masters, including three runner-ups and three third-places.
“Augusta is one of the most special places on earth, and so much of my life and career has been dominated by memories playing at the Masters. I am so humbled and honored to be returning to the Tournament, but this time in the capacity as lead analyst for SiriusXM’s first Masters broadcast,” said Greg Norman.
“I hope my experience with the course and playing in the Tournament 23 times will lend a unique voice and perspective to the listeners, so that they can feel and live every moment as if they were there.”
Added Scott Greenstein, SiriusXM’s President and Chief Content Officer, “Greg’s experience playing in the Masters and his knowledge of Augusta National are exceptional. We couldn’t be more thrilled to have him as our lead analyst for SiriusXM’s first Masters production.
“Greg’s in-the-moment perspective on the action as it happens on the course elevates our broadcast and ensures our listeners will be tuning in to a superb level of coverage.”
SiriusXM’s exclusive Masters week broadcasts will be available to listeners nationwide on their SiriusXM radios (channel 208 or 92), on the SiriusXM app and at home with Amazon Alexa, the Google Assistant, or however they stream at home.
Norman was one of golf’s most dominant players throughout much of the 1980s and early 1990s, when he held the World No. 1 ranking for an incredible 331 weeks. He won 91 professional events – including 20 PGA Tour titles – during his career, which is highlighted by his two Open Championship victories in 1986 and 1993. In 2001 he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame with a higher percentage of votes than any other inductee in history.
Norman joined SiriusXM in 2018 to launch his own talk show, Attack Life Radio, which he hosts monthly on the SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio channel. His next hosting appearance on SiriusXM will be this Thursday, March 11, following the first round of THE PLAYERS Championship.
On Wednesday, April 7, during Masters week, Greg will host a special edition of Attack Life Radio, live from Augusta National.