By Mitchell Platts, europeantour.com
Bev Norwood, who has died, aged 66, following a courageous battle with cancer, worked for more than 30 years for the International Management Group where his duties as Director of Publicity extended to acting on behalf of players such as Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman and Tiger Woods in addition to editing Mark McCormack’s World of Professional Golf Annual.
Norwood’s passion for writing and publishing, the foundation of which came from his early career as a sports reporter, extended to editing and producing a myriad of official publications including specialist books for The Ryder Cup and The Open Championship which, similar to the World of Professional Golf Annual, received the support of Rolex in recent years.
George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said: “Bev Norwood was a great friend of The European Tour, a much respected and individual golf writer and editor and, of course, a familiar and friendly face in media centres around the world for more than four decades. We much appreciated his dedication and meticulous editorship of The Ryder Cup publications presented by Rolex and his work on all publications was widely praised. He will be missed by all his many friends in the media but most of all by his wife, Bernie, and his family to whom we send our heartfelt condolences.”
Norwood graduated from Wake Forest University – attended in the past by golfers such as Darren Clarke, Curtis Strange and Palmer – in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he went to work as a sports reporter on the local paper before joining IMG to edit “Golf International” which the company was publishing in London.
Two years later he returned to the United States where he specialised in producing programmes for IMG tournaments, the most notable of which was for the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill where he was also responsible for overseeing and managing the Media Centre. Palmer said: “I am very saddened by his passing which came so suddenly. We will certainly miss his dry wit and the hard work he put into everything he has done for us over the years. He was a great guy and a good friend.”
Norwood had a love affair with golf but a very special relationship with The Open Championship which started in the 1970s when he paid his own way from America to cover the Championship. He was, understandably, extremely proud to be the editor of The Open Championship Annual published for The R & A from 1984 and also that of the US Open for the USGA.
Alastair Johnston, Vice Chairman, IMG, said: “Bev was a great story teller but he never wanted to be part of the story. He confronted his battle with cancer with a strength and fortitude that belied his small frame. His wit and whimsical sense of humour, that were always so appealing to his friends and colleagues, never left him. We will all miss him and send our condolences to Bernie and the rest of the family who have supported him throughout his career and especially in the last few sorrowful months.”
There will be a visitation for Bev on Tuesday, September 10, from 7-9 at Brown-Forward Funeral Home in Shaker Heights, Ohio. The funeral service will be Wednesday, September 11, at 10 am at Communion of Saints Parish located at 2175 Coventry Road in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
Donation checks should be made payable to "Arnold Palmer Medical Foundation." A note should be included that specifies funds should go towards the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies. Please include names/addresses with the donations so an acknowledgement can be sent.
Cheques can be mailed to:
Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation
3160 Southgate Commerce Boulevard
Suite 50
Orlando, FL 32806
