Two-time major winner Greg Norman is expected to make a "full, speedy recovery" after injuring his left arm in a chainsaw accident over the weekend.
The 59-year-old Australian underwent surgery in a Florida hospital to repair “some minor nerve damage”, and specialists predict there will be no permanent ill-effects.
A statement on Norman’s website, www.shark.com, read: “Norman elected to undergo surgery while in the hospital to repair some minor nerve damage. According to the specialists who tended to Norman, he will not sustain any long-term, permanent damage to his left arm.
“Following the surgery, Norman returned home to rest and recover. Both Norman and the doctors expect him to have a full, speedy recovery and to be able to return back to playing golf and attacking life shortly.”
Norman said: “Thank you to everyone for their concern and well wishes. I look forward to getting back out there to attack that tree like I planned on doing (on Saturday). No tree is going to keep me down.”
The statement also outlined how the incident had happened. “Norman was spending the afternoon cleaning up some trees in his backyard on Jupiter Island, Florida when a large branch unexpectedly started to come down on him,” it read.
“Attempting to catch the branch, Norman dropped the chainsaw. The weight of the branch brought Norman’s arm down upon the saw that was thankfully slowing.”
Norman, whose nickname is 'Great White Shark', posted a picture of himself on Twitter and Instagram on Saturday night as he recovered in a hospital bed, saying he was "damaged" but "lucky" to still have a left hand.
”Working with a chainsaw ALWAYS be respectful of the unexpected,” he wrote. I was one lucky man today. Damaged, but not down & out. Still have left hand.”
Norman later posted another picture of himself beside the trees in question, with his left arm protected by an ungainly block of purple foam.
”Thank u all for your concern & good wishes,” he wrote on Twitter. ”All well the morning after the accident. Here I am at the scene of the crime w/my new fashion statement!”
He posted a picture earlier this month of himself trimming a small tree, along with the message: ”Time to trim the sea grapes today. Never ask someone to do something that you can do yourself. Love to work!”
Norman, Open champion in 1986 and 1993, also finished runner-up in two US Opens, two US PGAs and three Masters, and was world number one for a total of 331 weeks.
