Norman sets his sights on yet another record

GREG NORMAN is about to set a milestone in earnings for the American circuit, after capturing the Doral Ryder Open for a third time last weekend. Top cheque of $324,000 at Doral has left the 41 year old Australian only $63,172 short of the $10 million mark in career earnings on the USPGA Tour.

The perennial pace setter in such matters, Tom Kite, would appear to have no chance, of matching strides with the irrepressible Shark. At the end of the 1994 season, Kite was a comfortable $1.2 million clear of Norman in the career table. When the sums were done at the end of last year, however, the Australian had overhauled him. And the gap has since been extended to a formidable $561,149.

In fact, Norman has become synonymous with record achievements on the tournament scene. He set the target for earnings in a season with $1,654,959 last year; is the only player to have won more than $1 million in four different seasons (1990, 1993, 1994, 1995) in the US where he set a record scoring average of 68.81 in 1994.

And when winning at Doral for a second time in 1993, it will be recalled that he shot a record aggregate of 265 - 23 under par. Then there was his stunning 24 under par total of 264 at Sawgrass in 1994 when he had a four stroke win over Fuzzy Zoeller in the Players' Championship. By the end of 1994 he had won 65 tournaments worldwide, a total he has now increased, to 72, including the 1995 Australian Open and the Australian Ford Open last month.

So, few will be surprised at the fact that after playing in only two of the eight tournaments - the Pebble Beach Pro am was abandoned - on the US Tour this season, he is already second to Phil Mickelson in the money list. His only cheque prior to Doral was a relatively modest 520,000 for 18th place in the Mercedes Championship, the opening event of the year.

Meanwhile, though the seventh European Tour event of the season is set to start on Thursday a full tournament has yet to be played on European terrain. That rather curious situation has to do with rather eccentric scheduling from a geographical standpoint, and the fact that the Catalan Open last weekend was reduced to 36 holes.

Paul McGinley's share of 15th place for a reward of £3,851, lifted him into fifth position in the Order of Merit. But his manager, Andrew Chandler, still expressed bemusement yesterday at the tour's decision to distribute the full prize fund.

"They lack consistency," he complained. "For instance, when last year's Cannes Open was limited to 36 holes, the prize fund Was reduced by 25 per cent to £225,000 of which the winner, Andre Bossert, received £37,50p. That was a sensible decision, in my view. Last Sunday, however, there seemed to be no determined attempt at completing a 54 hole event and the full prize fund was retained, with Paul Lawrie receiving £50,000. I don't begrudge the lad the money but the whole thing doesn't make much sense."

Another of Chandler's charges, Darren Clarke, will be setting off in style this morning for the Moroccan Open in Rabat. He and Scotland's Andrew Coltart will be guests of Mere Golf Club chairman, Stephen Boler, on a private jet out of Manchester.

Clarke also plans to play in the Desert Classic in Dubai next week and depending on his form, may go on to the Portuguese Open in Lisbon on March 21st.

There will be 11 Irishmen in action in Rabat - Clarke, Philip Walton, Eamonn Darcy, Des Smyth, Christy O'Connor Jnr, Raymond Burns, Francis Howley, Padraig Harrington, John McHenry, David Higgins and Jimmy Heggarty. Even they would concede, however, that the main focus of attention will be on Seve Ballesteros, making his first competitive appearance since the Ryder Cup at Oak Hill last September.

It was thought that the other half of the so called Spanish Armada - Jose Maria Olazabal - would also be making a comeback in Morocco, given that the pair competed in - and lost - a friendly fourball in Las Palmas yesterday against Scotland's Colin Montgomerie and Sam Torrance. But the indications are that Olazabal is sticking with his original plan to return in Dubai.

The Spaniards, who have not played since last September, lost by two holes to the Scots The match was all square with two to play but Montgomerie, who has not played so far this season either, birdied the 17th and Torrance birdied the last.

New Ryder Cup captain Ballesteros, whose last competitive action was the victory over the Americans, said: "I decided to take a long rest before going to Oak Hill. I was not enjoying the game, I had lost my spark, so I thought the best thing to do was to take a rest."

With Fred Couples returning defend the title he won last by three strokes from Montgomerie, there will be 11 current Ryder Cup players in action.

The Qualifying School for the inaugural Gosen Tour is to be held at John O'Gaunt GC, Bedfordshire, on April 16th to 19th. From there, 120 places will be available for a six event tour with a total prize money of £150,000.

The newly formed tour, organised by the British PGA is intended to provide playing opportunities for leading club professionals and those young players seeking to progress to the European Tour. There are five Irish players - Jimmy Heggarty, David Jones, Brendan McGovern, Damien McGranc and Damian Mooney - among the 33 players exempted through last year's order of merit tables in the various PGA regions.

The tournaments are: April 29th - Gosen Classic at Milford GC; May 7th to 9th - Gosen Classic at Mill Ride GC (£25,000); July 12th to 14th - Gosen Challenge at The Warwickshire (£35,000); August 1st to 4th - UK Challenge, venue to be announced (£65,000); August 12th - Masters Qualifying Round; August 21st to 23rd - Gosen Masters at Moatlands (£25,000).