How Greg Norman helped Dustin Johnson do what he couldn’t: win the Masters

Greg Norman knows better than any player the pain of losing a major championship. He also knows how rewarding it is when you do break through on the biggest stage and the emotion that comes with winning.

He recognized that moment last month following Dustin Johnson’s victory at the Masters.

“That is a great indication of how intense the man is. He is who he is and at times, if you’re that intense, you’ve got to let it go somehow,” said Norman at this week’s QBE Shootout. “I think it was wonderful for everybody to see quite honestly and I think it was good for him.”

The Australian may have even had a hand, however slight, in Johnson’s victory at Augusta National.

Norman said Johnson plays golf with his son, Greg Jr., in South Florida, and the world No. 1 reached out to the elder Norman in September for some help with his putting.

“He said do you mind coming out and watching me putt a little bit? I said sure, no problem,” said Norman who spent about an hour and a half working with Johnson. “I just talked to him about a few things that I had seen and the difference from him on a Thursday, Friday to a Saturday into a Sunday was a big difference.”

Norman said there were a few technical items he felt Johnson needed to address, but mostly it was his mental approach that they talked about.

“Definitely helped a little bit,” Johnson said of his work with Norman following his victory at the Masters.