Hughes Norton was by Tiger Woods’ side throughout the early years of his professional career and into his dominant era, before being sacked by the PGA Tour star in 1998
Tiger Woods has been accused of ‘betrayal’ by his former agent Hughes Norton, who worked alongside the 15-time major champion during the early days of his professional career.
Norton first met Woods when he was just 13-years-old, before his rise to stardom in professional golf. The agent nurtured the American into the sport, helping land multi-million pound deals for the golfing great with the likes of Titleist and most iconically, Nike.
Norton was alongside Woods for his first ever major championship victory at the 1997 Masters Tournament, when the then 21-year-old won his first of five green jackets by a remarkable 12 shots at Augusta National.
One year later though, with the 82-time PGA Tour winner now well established at the top of the game, he let Norton go, and according to the agent it was a brutal ending . Speaking ahead of the release of his new book, ‘Rainmaker’ Norton the Daily Mail : “It was betrayal with a capital B.
“On a professional level, because I thought I’d done my job in spades. And on a personal level, because it was such a rejection of a relationship that we had built together for 10 years.” Delving deeper into the personality of the Woods, Norton admitted he did not take the sacking too personally due to his former client’s ‘zombie’-like attitude.
“The solace I can take, which doesn’t provide much, is this: He was an equal opportunity zombie with relationships, his swing coaches, his lawyer, the guy negotiated the IMG representation deal, with caddies,” he added. “When it’s over, it’s over. It is the way he terminates relationships with everyone. Whether it’s girlfriends, whether it’s his former golf coaches. It’s ironic, really.
Tiger Woods won the Masters in 1997
“In a way, he’s so good at confrontation on the golf course. If he’s playing you, he will beat your brains out every single time. But when it comes to confronting things like me and other people that are in his life, he has no social skills whatsoever. It’s maddening, actually.”
Woods was not the only big name to both work alongside, and part ways with Norton, after the agent had also teamed up with former world No. 1, and the current CEO of LIV Golf Greg Norman. After 11 years together Norton was also sacked by Norman, but find that much easier to take than the Woods decision.
After 11 years together, [Norman] wanted to go on his own and I understood that a little bit more than Tiger, because superstars historically have sort of gone on their own after a period of time,” he commented. “‘He’s certainly entitled to that. Was I disappointed and shattered when he left? Yes, because we were such good friends and I didn’t expect it. But the Tiger situation was far and away more difficult and more disturbing.”
