One of the perks of tagging along with the Australian Cricket Team is coming into contact with all the interesting people who like cricket, one of whom is the Shark. He's good mates with Border and Warne and hosted a heap of us at his house after a win in the West Indies.
I know he comes across as a bit of an odd unit and I don't much care for his politics, but he is a great blokes to have a chat to and share a beer with. Just a genuine Aussie bloke, the sort you meet on any golf course around the country. He's not a huge AFL buff but is a Tigers man. Had a surreal moment sharing a beer with him and hearing his theories about what the Tigers needed to do to become a strong club again.
Good to hear. I have dreams of having 18 with him one day. He is still my all-time favourite sporting hero. He seemed so much better than any other Aust golfer when I was a kid. He made me want to play the game. And he is possibly the best loser ever in sport, he was subject to so many crazy miracle shot defeats. But he always fronted up, always praised the winner.
There is a great doco on him where he does wonde3r if he should have had a "coach" at some point, someone to give a bit of advice and help him with course management.
That 1989 Royal Troon BO when he birdied the first 6 (?) holes of the final round was scintilating. Remember staying up to watch it. Devastating that he lost that playoff. Calcaveccia should never have been in the playoff, he slammed dunk from an impossible position in his last round.
And good to hear he is a tigers man.