Greg Norman & Laura Andrassy: $103 Million and the Florida Golf Fortune
The Great White Shark's divorce was settled faster than most club memberships are approved
Key Facts
What Happened
Greg Norman, the Australian golf legend known as the 'Great White Shark,' divorced his first wife Laura Andrassy in 2007 after 25 years of marriage. The settlement of approximately $103 million was one of the largest in sports history and was notable for the speed with which it was resolved -- the entire process took only a few months from filing to finalization.
Norman had built a business empire far beyond golf. His Greg Norman Collection clothing line, course design company, wine brand, and real estate holdings generated hundreds of millions. The couple lived on a sprawling estate in Hobe Sound, Florida, and owned properties in Australia and the Caribbean. Laura had been with Greg since before his rise to the top of professional golf.
The divorce was reportedly triggered by Norman's relationship with former tennis star Chris Evert, whom he married just weeks after the divorce was finalized. Laura appeared to prioritize a quick, clean settlement over a protracted court battle. The $103 million represented a substantial portion of Norman's estimated $300 million fortune, but avoided the years of litigation that often accompany high-net-worth divorces.
Norman and Evert married in June 2008 but divorced just 15 months later in 2009. Norman's rapid sequence of divorce-remarriage-divorce mirrored the pattern of several other celebrities on this list and underscored a common lesson: the emotional decisions made during and immediately after a divorce often lead to costly mistakes.
Legal Breakdown: Quick Settlements in High-Net-Worth Divorces
Quick Settlements in High-Value Cases
The Norman-Andrassy divorce was resolved in months rather than years. When both parties want to move on -- especially if a new relationship is waiting -- speed has a price. Norman likely paid a premium for a fast resolution. Quick settlements save legal fees but may result in a less favorable outcome for the wealthier spouse.
Business Empire Valuation
Norman's fortune included clothing, wine, course design, and real estate -- diverse businesses that are difficult and expensive to value individually. In quick settlements, parties often agree on a lump sum rather than spending millions on business valuations. This saves time but may mean one party gets more or less than a detailed valuation would yield.
Florida Equitable Distribution
Florida divides assets 'equitably' rather than equally. For a 25-year marriage where both spouses contributed, equitable typically means close to 50/50. Laura's $103M from an estimated $300M fortune represents roughly one-third -- suggesting either a prenup or a trade-off for speed and certainty.
What This Means for Your Divorce
- →Speed in divorce has a cost. If you want to settle quickly, you may pay more than a prolonged negotiation would yield.
- →Business empires with diverse holdings are expensive to value. Lump-sum settlements avoid this cost but carry uncertainty.
- →The emotional desire to move on to a new relationship can lead to overpaying for a quick divorce. Separate emotional decisions from financial ones.
- →Norman's subsequent 15-month marriage to Chris Evert shows that post-divorce relationships deserve the same careful planning as the divorce itself.
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This article is based on publicly available court records, news reports, and legal analysis. It is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by reading this content.
Divorce laws vary by jurisdiction. Always consult a licensed attorney in your area before making legal decisions.