Norman's suffering painful and compelling viewing

GORY stuff this golf! The man from the Carlsberg ad won't be the only one looking for a shrink after the 1996 US Masters - brought to us courtesy of the BBC and Network 2 - showed us a golfer not only choking in the heat of battle, but nightmarishly baring his very soul.

The Great White Shark was like a tadpole lost in an ocean, suffocating under the pressure of it all. And Greg Norman's horror story was vividly brought into our living rooms, to such an extent that sympathy and bemusement at his fate overtook comprehension at times.

But the Beeb - who trumped RTE by starting their broadcast of the final round almost an hour earlier, giving a rare view of the front nine at Augusta National - acted as soothsayers, with the words of Peter Alliss from 1986 opening their programme. "He's been put to the test and found wanting, I'm afraid," said the voice of golf, a statement made exactly 10 years ago of Norman when he lost to Jack Nicklaus.

It could very well have been used at the tail end of last night's programme, as well.

Alliss, indeed, was back to his best last night. For the previous three rounds, he had been repetitive and lacklustre. The incisive, smart comments of old were missing. But they returned during the final round; and he was well assisted, it must be said, by timely contributions from Dave Marr and Alex Hay.

Presenter Steve Rider, from the Butler Cabin, of course, had followed up Alliss's 1986 blast from the past at the top of the programme with the reminder that "miracles do happen at Augusta National." Nick Faldo, for one, will certainly believe him after the remarkable events that transpired over the 18 holes.

The CBS commentary team - used by RTE - is handpicked to such an extent that Gary McCord, unquestionably their best, is currently banned from the Masters by Augusta National; and he was missed. Maybe the lack of a "native" challenge and the GUBU like collapse of Norman meant the US commentators lacked the jingoism of the Brits as Faldo marched on and on.

As the Norman collapse gathered momentum heading into Amen Corner, CBS's Peter Costas, on Network 2, explained the Aussie's misery: "It's the pressure of the Masters; the pressure of pursuing a lifelong dream for that matter." While over on BBC, Alliss was concurring: "All the previous demons are back; I don't think he is feeling too comfortable at this moment."

Boy, had they got it right. Norman was choking, as Alliss commented when the Australian found Rae's Creek with his tee shot at the 12th: "He's doing his damndest to lose it."

For a couple of hours last night, television got as close as it could possibly get to moving its audience to the real thing as the Norman collapse took place over the most famous stretch of golfing terrain in the world.

And it was bloody good television.