Big victory from jaws of death

HAVING defied death a decade ago and been close to giving the game away a few times since, Jason Norris broke through for the biggest win of his 21-year golf career at the Fiji International yesterday.

The 44-year-old Adelaide battler claimed not only the $250,000 winner’s cheque, but also European and Asian tour cards for the next one and two years respectively.

Norris carded a five-underpar final-round 67 to finish 14under overall and triumph by four shots.

Victorians David McKenzie (67) and James Marchesani (70) tied for second at 10under, along with Thai youngster Jazz Janewattananond, who fired a course record 64.

Geelong’s Deyen Lawson shot a four-under 68 in the final round to finish in a tie for 24th place.

In December, 2007, Norris suffered horrific facial injuries in a bicycle crash at Coolum in Queensland, which would have killed him had his nose been driven 1cm further into his skull.

He broke his jaw in 14 places and has five false teeth, a reminder of how lucky he is to be alive.

It’s been a long road for Norris, who also contracted viral meningitis in 2013.

But he never stopped believing in a breakthrough.

“I said it a couple of years ago when I was about to quit the game, ‘I don’t want to give the game away until I win a big tournament because I know I can’,” Norris said.