Jim Souhan: Norman revisits the scene of the crimes

The creases on Greg Norman's face are deeper, and the imperial nose looks craggier, if that's possible. He married a star athlete who followed him around the course like a sports psychologist on Thursday, while his son carried his bag.

Otherwise, it was the Masters as usual for Norman on Thursday. His high fade creased the fairways, his putts drifted off line, and Larry Mize appeared like a nightmare following a bad meal.

On a gorgeous opening day of the 2009 Masters, Norman, 54, returned for the first time since 2002 to the tournament that has haunted him, and swung like a man half his age. Still broad-shouldered and fit, with forearms that look thicker than his thighs, Norman hit shots befitting a two-time major champion, and putted like a man who should have won many more.

"I putted well," he said. "I'm not complaining at all. It was a good, solid round of golf."

Norman has learned to be philosophical about the Masters, and putting. Thursday, on a day made for low scores on this beautiful, brawny course, Norman shot a 70, perhaps the biggest number his ball-striking would allow.

He missed makeable birdie putts on holes 1, 2, 3, 8, 16 and 18, the hole that summarized his day.

His drive split the fairway, as usual. His approach curled within 4 feet of the hole. The fans stood and cheered as he approached. And he missed the putt.

"Hey, everybody loves me," Norman said later, laughing. "Nothing wrong with that, is there? Are you jealous?

"I think no matter where I play in the world, I've always been connected to the gallery. I play the game of golf with my heart on my sleeve, and I've done very well out of the game. And when I come here, people probably feel for me, some of the things that have happened around here, and really enjoy seeing me back here.

"I played my way back into this golf tournament, which very few people can say at the age of 54, and it's a feather in my cap to say the least."

Fellow Australian Geoff Ogilvy still remembers Norman taking a lead into Sunday in 1996, only to shoot a 78 and lose to Nick Faldo by five strokes. "It was hard to watch," Ogilvy said.

Ogilvy reminded us, too, that in terms of golf celebrity, Norman was once something like Tiger Woods. Except that Woods has made just about every big putt in his career, and Norman so often found a way to just miss, explaining how he lost three Masters he should have won, including one on Mize's improbable chip shot in 1987.

Norman has been beloved at Augusta since that '96 collapse because of his candor and humility in accepting failure.

Thursday, he came to the 18th needing that 4-footer to break 70, and received a standing ovation.

He missed the putt, did one of his deep knee-bends expressing his frustration, and his wife, Chris Evert, started cutting through the crowd toward the clubhouse like she had a flight to catch.

Later, someone pointed out that Mize was en route to shooting a 67. "Good for Larry," Norman said, without sarcasm.

It was another Masters round for Norman that could have been so much more. "I've got great support from Chrissie," he said. "She knows how much I enjoy playing. She actually comes and watches me practice. She will sit there and watch me hit balls hour after hour, and even chip and putt."

Jim Souhan can be heard Sundays from 10 a.m.-noon on AM-1500 KSTP. • jsouhan@startribune.com