Columnist Peter Benton: Norman gets a major championship in yachtsmanship

Peter Benton

Wednesday, June 30, 2004 | 9:25 a.m.

Peter Benton's golf column appears Wednesday.

As most avid fans of golf are aware, nothing, and I mean nothing, is too extravagant for Greg Norman, particularly when it comes to his toys. So check this little gem of a story out:

The Shark recently took delivery of Aussie Rules, his new craft that varying reports put between 220 feet and 285 feet. If, in fact, it is at the bigger end of the size scale, it would supposedly be the world's largest aluminum motor yacht. It is also stated that it cost Norman approximately $70 million.

The yacht has seven auxiliary boats, two hyperbaric diving chambers, a $1-million home theater, a gym, a large assortment of jet skis, an outdoor spa and a tackle room with 200-odd fishing rods.

The boat was built by Oceanfast in Western Australia, was three years in the making and it took 300 workers to complete the task.

Some toy, eh? I cannot help but wonder how this fellow, with all his business interests, finds the time to enjoy such a lavish yacht.

Playing with Sabri Obun, Steve Werner and Cory Muramoto, Ringhofer hit a perfectly struck 8-iron which unerringly found the cup on the 158-yard, par-3, 12th hole.

Emes, Hudgins, Laura Anderson, Masako Brown, Larren Buckley, Sue Defrancesco, Irene Frank, Tammy Gephardt, Terry Hall, Cari Higa, Sherry Jackson, Dianne Jett, Lauri Johnson, Brenda Knott, Barb Manney, Helen Mathis, Kay Medrano, Mary McFarland, Cam Smith and Nina Steiner.

The Silver Cup, a Ryder Cup-style competition, matches women golfers from Northern Nevada against a team from Southern Nevada, with this year's matches scheduled for October at Red Rock.

The GCSAA's most prestigious honor is presented to an individual who, "through a continuing lifetime commitment to the game of golf has helped to mold the welfare of the game in a manner and style exemplified by Old Tom Morris."

Morris, who died in 1908, was greenkeeper and golf professional at the St. Andrews Links Trust Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland.

Nicklaus will be presented this award in February in Orlando, Fla.