Tour begins amid Norman conflict

Norman has been voted Australia's golfer of the century

Peter Lonard aims for a third straight Australian Open title this week amid a furious row over Greg Norman and the future of the Australasian Tour.

Australian Norman has been criticised for not doing enough to promote golf Down Under while the tour has struggled to attract star players and sponsors.

Norman's compatriot Mark Hensby said: "I can't see why Greg is not doing anything. We need him.

"He should be doing more to make sure the Tour doesn't go downhill."

The Australasian Tour is down to six tournaments and three of those are co-sanctioned by other tours.

Concerned officials held a meeting this week with top players to discuss potential solutions.

Hensby, 33, who tied for fifth at the Masters and shared third place at the US Open, described former world number one Norman as a "very powerful man".

"Greg has never gone out of his way to help Australian golfers - we all looked up to him," Hensby said.

Greg is Australian golf - he doesn't owe the Tour anything Stuart Appleby

"He isn't the easiest person to talk to."

Hensby's criticism of Norman was not shared by countryman Robert Allenby, who described his comments as "pretty sad".

"Greg is Australian golf," Allenby said. "He doesn't owe the Tour anything."

Stuart Appleby also supported Norman, saying: "Greg has done a huge amount for Australian golf. I don't think he can make a huge difference now."

However, Wayne Grady, chairman of the Australasian Tour and the 1990 USPGA winner, agreed he would like Norman to have more input.

"I've had discussions with him about it - not fruitful - but I'm always willing to talk to him about anything he'd be willing to do to be helpful to the Australian tour," said Grady.

"But it needs Greg to put his hand up to want to do it and at the moment that hasn't been the case.

"I know he's come back here and played for the last 25 years and done his bit as far as that goes.

The Australasian circuit is hardly a tour Adam Scott

"But he's got to believe that he owes Australian golf an obligation before he does anything. I certainly hope that one day he wakes up and he believes that that is the case."

On Tuesday, Norman was named golfer of the century in Australia following a vote of PGA of Australia members.

Norman, who is based in Florida, won two major championships - the 1986 and 1993 Opens - among more than 80 wins worldwide, including 20 on the US Tour.

World number eight Adam Scott and two-time Australian Open winner Aaron Baddeley have been paired for the opening two rounds of this week's event at Moonah Links.

And Scott also voiced his concerns about the tour's future.

"We have to figure out what we can do, whether it is co-sanctioning or trying to build other events, get back the events we have lost," he said.

"The Australasian circuit is hardly a tour. I really don't know what the answer is."

Lonard has pledged his loyalty to the tour and is keen to win another Australian Open.

"All the Australian tournaments rank highly in my schedule," he said.

"I don't think I've missed any since I started playing golf except when I had a broken rib. The fact that I've played them all suggests that they're high in my calendar."