Masters champion Adam Scott has said that Greg Norman was the trailblazer for Australian golf following his victory in the Masters.
The 32-year-old overcame Angel Cabrera in a playoff to become the first of his country to don the green jacket at Augusta.
Scott said that either of the other Australians, Marc Leishman and Jason Day, could have gone on to victory having started the day in contention.
However, he praised Norman for being the inspiration of the nation's golfing talent.
"Australia is a proud sporting nation, and this was one notch in the belt that we hadn't got," Scott said in his victory interview.
"It could have been Marc or Jason, but there's one man who inspired a nation of golfers and that's Greg Norman."
Norman won two Open Championships.
