greg norman has reopened one of golf’s fiercest old grudges, saying he has “no respect” for Nick Faldo after fresh comments about their long-running rivalry. The remarks come back into focus because of Norman’s painful 1996 Masters collapse, a defeat that still hangs over his legacy. In the latest exchange, Norman doubled down on his view that Faldo made public judgments without hearing both sides.
The Masters wound that never fully closed
The 1996 Masters remains the defining missed chance in Norman’s career. He went into Sunday with a six-shot lead, then lost control with a closing 78 while Faldo posted a 67 to win his third Masters and his sixth and final major title.
That collapse is still one of the most famous final-round reversals in golf, and it continues to shape how Norman is remembered. greg norman has said he tries not to relive that day, but the rivalry with Faldo keeps pulling the story back into the present.
Norman built one of golf’s strongest résumés, spending more than 300 weeks as world No. 1 and winning two Open Championships. Even so, Masters glory eluded him, including second-place finishes in 1986 and 1987 before the 1996 breakdown.
greg norman on Faldo’s criticism
In the latest interview, Norman said Faldo made “really nasty” comments about him during his time with LIV Golf. He said he had “no respect” for anyone who speaks that way without understanding both sides of a dispute.
Norman said Faldo could have called him first and asked for his side of the story. He added that if Faldo still disagreed after hearing him out, that would have been his opinion to hold. Instead, Norman said, “just to sound off” was not enough, and he again called Faldo “interestingly stupid. ”
Norman also described Faldo as a “loner” and said they were “chalk and cheese, ” arguing that there had never been a real relationship between them. The comments show that greg norman is still willing to revisit the emotional fault line between the two men when the subject turns to LIV Golf or Augusta.
What Norman says about the old history
Norman has previously said he does not lie awake thinking about the 1996 Masters, and that the subject mainly comes up when other people raise it. But the latest remarks show that the memory remains loaded, especially when Faldo’s name is involved.
The feud also underlines how the Masters collapse continues to follow greg norman beyond his playing days and into his LIV Golf role. His exit from the league leadership is already part of that broader story, with his tenure formally ending after a reduced role that followed his step down as CEO.
What happens next
For now, the dispute appears to remain verbal rather than procedural, but the tone is sharp and the history is deep. As greg norman’s name keeps surfacing in connection with Augusta and LIV Golf, any new comments from either side are likely to draw fresh attention and keep the 1996 Masters in the conversation.
