Former Associate Criticizes Tiger Woods for Poor Treatment During Early Career

Hughes Norton, a notable figure in golf management who helped develop Tiger Woods into a worldwide superstar and secured him lucrative endorsement deals with Nike and Titleist before he turned pro, recently shared his experiences of being treated poorly by Woods.

Norton, who also represented golf legend Greg Norman, revealed that despite his contributions to Woods’ rise, he was eventually dismissed unceremoniously. He described being fired over the phone after 24 months of dedicated work and noted that Woods has a tendency to treat people dismissively.

“He didn’t even acknowledge the work I did for him at the beginning of his career,” Norton stated on the SubPar show. “Firing me over the phone is still incomprehensible, and I’ve never heard from him since then. Sadly, he does this with many people in his life.”

In contrast, Norton praised Norman for his loyalty, mentioning, “At least Norman was loyal throughout the period we worked together and appreciated our efforts.”

Norton’s comments are part of a broader pattern of criticism from those who have worked closely with Woods. Former swing coach Hank Haney also described his experience with Woods as consistently “dysfunctional.”