Greg Norman has slammed three-time Masters winner Sir Nick Faldo as a "loner" who spouts "interestingly stupid" stuff. The Australian has unleashed on the 68-year-old in a remarkable tirade just days before the first major of the year. It follows Norman revealing he had been snubbed by Augusta National this year and that he won't be watching the Masters in a separate interview.

Faldo defeated Norman to claim the 1996 Masters 30 years ago, despite the Shark beginning the day with a six-shot advantage. The Englishman embraced Norman following his spectacular collapse, with many regarding it as an iconic moment of sportsmanship.

But not for Norman. He believes that represents just one facet of Faldo. And now, some three decades later, the 71-year-old is determined to cast aspersions on Faldo's character.

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"What I got in those moments was a very narrow window into the other side of Nick Faldo," Norman told The Telegraph. "There is something about Nick. It's in him. There's the public side of Nick.

"You know, he was the one who came up to me, he's the one who hugged me. He's the one who said, 'don't let those b******s get to you'.

"But it didn't really mean much to me, because I knew he'd soon go back to being the way he was before. We never had any sort of relationship. We were chalk and cheese. He was a loner, I couldn't be like him."

The former LIV Golf CEO remains particularly upset by certain remarks Faldo made about him while he was leading the Saudi-backed tour.

"Nick said some things about me during my time at LIV, some really nasty things," he added. "I don't have any respect for someone who gives their opinion on something in that sort of manner when they don't know both sides.

"Come on, we have a history, he could have called me and asked for the other side of the story and I'd have gladly given it. And if he still hadn't agreed then fine - his opinion and as he knows the facts, he would have been entitled to say anything he likes.

"Happy days. But just to sound off? Like I said, no respect for him. He still comes out with stuff that's interestingly stupid, to be honest with you."

The 1996 collapse wasn't Norman's only agonising recollection. A decade previously he bogeyed the 18th to gift Jack Nicklaus victory.

Norman was succeeded by Scott O'Neill in January, with LIV Golf subsequently reaching an agreement with the OWGR regarding ranking points. As for Norman, he now sits on the 2032 Olympics committee in Brisbane.

This article first appeared on Mirror US.