Can Aussies live up to Norman? Some have the chance

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Geoff Ogilvy has developed a reputation as a player who performs well on a big stage.

With The Presidents Cup on the horizon, International captain Greg Norman has taken on a more prominent role. Norman has been sounding off on everything from the makeup of the United States team his side will oppose, to the site and architect for the course where the Olympics will play in 2016.

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But that's OK. Norman has earned the right to be heard. You get special dispensation to make your opinion known when you become the greatest golfer from your particular country. And there's no question that Norman is the greatest player from Australia, which will host the Presidents Cup in Melbourne.

The "Great White Shark" was the Johnny Appleseed of golf in Australia. He won two major championships, lost quite a few more, and helped frame the concept for the World Golf Championships. He popularized the notion of international golf that Gary Player had started and inspired a generation of young Australians to go forth and conquer the world.

"Greg was the man I looked up to growing up," said Aaron Baddeley, a member of Norman's Presidents Cup team. "I always got up early to watch TV, to watch Greg; and to have him captain the team in Australia, to me, that's an absolute dream come true."

Geoff Ogilvy, the 2006 U.S. Open champion, said, "It was a big thrill I know for me and I'm pretty sure everyone else because -- especially the Australians -- because we all grew up with Greg as our hero."

The only person who could come within a whisker of Norman in terms of being the greatest Australian golfer is Peter Thomson, who won the British Open five times, including three straight.

Contrarians argue that Thomson won most of those Claret Jugs with little American competition, but his victory in 1965 came against the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Tony Lema. Thomson recorded 82 professional wins, won the national championship of 10 countries, and was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1988.

If those two men are considered the best, here are five others who are on the cusp of that plateau.

David Graham: He won tournaments on six continents, shut out only on Antarctica. During the late 70s and early 80s, Graham was one of the best players in the world. He won the 1979 PGA Championship at Oakland Hills and the 1981 U.S. Open at Merion, a pair of fine tracks. And he actually outputted Ben Crenshaw to win that PGA on the third playoff hole. Graham came close at the Open, where he tied for third in 1985, and was fifth at the 1980 Masters.

Steve Elkington: His became the first high-profile Australian to play college golf in America, starring at the University of Houston. He won 10 times on the PGA TOUR and enjoyed his career highlight when he won the PGA Championship at Riviera in 1995. Known for his emphatic leg kick when he saw a putt ready to drop into the cup, Elk remains competitive and tied for fifth at the 2010 PGA at Whistling Straits.

Bruce Crampton: If it hadn't been for Jack Nicklaus, Crampton might be known as one of the game's all-time greats. He was runner-up in four major championships, each time to the Golden Bear. He won 14 times on the PGA TOUR and another 20 times on the Champions Tour. He won the Vardon Trophy twice for having the lowest stroke average.

Ian Baker-Finch: Famously known for winning the British Open in 1991 and completely losing his game afterwards. "Finchy" never came close to regaining the form that made him a champion on the course, but found a second career behind the microphone. He's now a popular member of the CBS Sports team that broadcasts PGA TOUR events.

Geoff Ogilvy: His most notable accomplishment, winning the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot, came at the expense of two other golfing legends. Ogilvy holed a 30-foot chip shot on the 71st hole and got up-and-down for par on the 72nd hole, then watched Colin Montgomerie and Phil Mickelson blow it on the final hole. Ogilvy has since earned a reputation for being a money player; he's won three WGC events against world-class fields. His best finish in a major over the last three years was a tie for fourth at the 2011 Masters.

And then there are the young guys, who are aspiring to reach the high standards set by their golfing forefathers. They include this trio:

Adam Scott: After wandering in the wilderness for a couple of years, Scott has resurrected his career with a long putter in his hand. He won the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational and tied for second in the Masters in 2011, his best career finish in a major. The 2004 PLAYERS champion has won eight times on TOUR. He wound up 16th in FedExCup points and tied for sixth at the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola, an event he won in 2006.

Jason Day: Still just a kid -- he recently celebrated his 24th birthday -- Day was second at the Masters and U.S. Open in 2011 and broke into the world's top 10 rankings. Day won the 2010 HP Byron Nelson Championship and this year had a stretch where he finished among top top 10 in five of six events. He finished 12th in the FedExCup points race and tied for sixth at The TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola.

Aaron Baddeley: He was actually born in New Hampshire, but raised in Australia and holds dual citizenship. Considered one of the best putters on TOUR, "Badds" won for his third U.S. event this spring when he beat Vijay Singh at Riviera. The only real mark on his record is the lack of success in major championships; he's never had a top-10 finish in a major and made the cut in only one this year, a tie for 47th at the Masters.

You'll be able to come up with other notable Australians that could be placed on the list. Starting with A's (Stuart "59" Appleby and Robert Allenby) and going through to include the likes of Kel Nagle and Wayne Grady. Then there are other up-and-comers like Michael Sim and Marc Leishman waiting for their turn. There were 22 Aussies on the TOUR in 2011, leaving no shortage of candidates to pursue the path set by Norman three decades ago.