Press release
RAINMAKER: Superagent Hughes
Norton and the Money Grab Explosion of Golf from Tiger to LIV and Beyond
“The best recognition came from Tiger one day when he said, ‘Hughes, you and I make a
great team—we’re both number one in the world at what we do.’”
–Tiger Woods to Hughes Norton, 1997
When 21-year-old Tiger Woods stunned the world by winning The Masters by a mind-blowing
12 strokes, the first thing he did was embrace the three most important people in his life: his
father, his mother, and superagentHughes Norton. Now, just ahead of the 2024 Masters
Tournament comes Hughes Norton and George Peper’s ![]()
RAINMAKER: Superagent Hughes
Norton and the Money Grab Explosion of Golf from Tiger to LIV and Beyond (Atria
Books; Hardcover; On Sale: March 26, 2024; ISBN 9781668045268)
.This dishy tell-all from
golf’s super-agent details everything from golf’s “poor and pure” origins to his life-changing
work with Tiger Woods and Greg Norman to his thoughts on golf’s current money-grab era. In
1996, the last year before Tiger turned pro, the total purse played for on the Tour was $101
million. In 2023 it was $563 million—shared by roughly 150 players. That works out to an
average of roughly $3.75 million per player.
A rainmaker generates income for a business or organization by brokering deals or attracting
clients or funds. Hughes Norton’s career is the definition of the word. He states, “I absolutely
loved my job. I was on top of the world, repping the hottest athlete on the planet, and reveling in
my role as rainmaker. My job had defined me, had made me who I was. I hadn’t burned out, I was on fire, making millions of dollars for my clients, for IMG, and for myself. The money-grab era of professional golf was roaring at full throttle, and I was front and center, fueling it, loving it, fully energized.”
At the peak of his career, Norton earned a million dollar salary, flew to all corners of the world in first class, and enjoyed a lifestyle nearly as lavish as his A-list clients. That dizzying success, however, came at a price – intense pressure and long hours that ultimately led to family strain
and divorce. Meanwhile, in order to protect his players and his career, he found himself making ethical and moral choices he would later regret. Soon, he realized he had made as many enemies as friends.
Norton’s saga marks the 50 year anniversary of his joining IMG in an illustrious career spanning the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s under the direct tutelage of the legendary Mark McCormack.
Hughes has worked with numerous golfers including Tiger Woods, Greg Norman, Nancy Lopez, Curtis Strange, David Duval, Tom Watson, Laura Baugh, and Arnold Palmer.
As head of the golf division of IMG Norton negotiated unprecedented multimillion–dollar
corporate deals with sponsors like Hertz, Rolex, Nike, McDonald’s, Titleist, American Express, and Electronic Arts all to the fame and fortune of his clients and IMG.
In RAINMAKER, Norton draws back the curtain on his meteoric rise and abrupt fall. With
never-before told stories and exclusive insights, he discusses what it was like being Tiger’s first agent and his years representing mercurial Greg Norman while also shining a bright light on his own sudden – and controversial – ouster as the head of IMG’s Golf Division (a juggernaut that
he helped build).
In an interview, Hughes can discuss inside industry details and stories, such as:
∙The Hall of Famer who stabbed him in the back
∙How he was hoodwinked by Phil Mickelson, stiffed by John Daly, beguiled by Laura
Baugh, and betrayed by Mark O’Meara.
∙Trash-talking with Jerry Pate, hard-selling Nancy Lopez, “bronzing” Byron Nelson,
stealing Curtis Strange, being a “bagman” for Ray Floyd, hiring Earl Woods, living large
with the Shark, winning the AT&T Pro-Am with David Duval, playing frat boy with
Tiger.
∙How Phil Knight went behind his back in an 11th hour attempt to cut IMG out of the
Tiger Nike deal.
∙How Greg Norman enlisted his aid in an adulterous affair.
∙His first meeting with 13-year-old Tiger Woods—all 5 foot 5 and 100 pounds of him.
∙The young college graduate who interviewed to work for him at IMG but instead went on
to a Hall of Fame playing career; the young lawyer he did hire who is now one of the
most powerful men in golf.
∙How he talked Nike, Titleist, Spalding and others into paying his clients millions more
than they’d ever paid an athlete.
∙How he made over $100 million for Tiger and then got fired by him.
∙The day Tiger fired him, emotionless with “zombie eyes” and no explanation.
∙An inside look at his famed boss—the enigmatic genius Mark McCormack—and the
∙The six clients he signed and represented who became #1 in the world.
RAINMAKER is a captivating firsthand written account from a pioneer sports agent who lived
the grit and glam of the business by managing superstar athletes. Hughes chronicles the
development of professional golf—from the early days of Arnold Palmer/television era to Tiger
Woods and now the birth of LIV Golf.
Perfect for readers of Alan Shipnuck, Bob Harig, and Michael Bamberger, this engaging and
unforgettable memoir explores golf as never before and is sure to be a hole-in-one for any reader
looking for juicy, behind-the-scenes stories about their favorite players.
HUGHES NORTON is best known as golf’s superagent for his work representing giants of the sport such as Tiger Woods and Greg Norman. Twice named one of the “Most Powerful 36
People in Golf” by Golf Digest. A graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy, Yale University,
Harvard Business School, he lives in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.
GEORGE PEPER, currently the editor of Links Magazine, was editor-in-chief of Golf
Magazine for twenty-five years and is the bestselling author of nineteen books. He lives in
Charleston, South Carolina.
*CAPTION: IMG agent Clarke Jones, Tiger Woods and Hughes Norton.
Shida A. Carr
Deputy Director of Publicity, Atria Books
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
