<div class="header-sections-wrapper"><h2 class="header-sections" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">(World Today Thursday 17 November 2016)</span></h2></div><div class="block block-views even" id="block-views-article-title-block"><div class="view view-article-title view-id-article_title view-display-id-block view-dom-id-dc6e60aa20397f12d471265f99c008b0"><div class="view-content"><div class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first views-row-last"><div><span><h1 class="title" id="page-title" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Trump's golf buddy Norman pitches Australia to lead diplomatic line</span></h1></span> </div></div></div></div></div><div class="block block-views odd" id="block-views-abbbed293fc232acd042f79d5c8059a0"><div class="view view-article-main-highlight-view view-id-article_main_highlight_view view-display-id-block view-dom-id-959865584783e2a91f2b15e4b1bb71f1"><div class="view-content"><div class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first views-row-last" style="text-align: center;"><article class="node-2555531 article node node-article node-promoted view-mode-highlight_article clearfix" about="/world/trumps-golf-buddy-norman-pitches-australia-lead-diplomatic-line" typeof="sioc:Item foaf:Document"><header><a title="World Golf Hall of Famer, Australian Greg Norman, poses with the newly-announced Greg Norman Medal in Sydney. Photo: Reuters" href="http://www.todayonline.com/sites/default/files/styles/photo_gallery_image_lightbox/public/photos/43_images/2016-11-17T053309Z_1_LYNXMPECAG06Z_RTROPTP_3_GOLF-AUSTRALIA-NORMAN.JPG?itok=hDu8TzdO" rel="lightbox"><img width="560" height="420" style="clear: none; float: none;" alt="Trump's golf buddy Norman pitches Australia to lead diplomatic line" src="https://img1.daumcdn.net/relay/cafe/original/?fname=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.todayonline.com%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fstyles%2Fphoto_gallery_image%2Fpublic%2Fphotos%2F43_images%2F2016-11-17T053309Z_1_LYNXMPECAG06Z_RTROPTP_3_GOLF-AUSTRALIA-NORMAN.JPG%3Fitok%3Dpj5_Py9Q" typeof="foaf:Image" kioskedhash_production="10978_77cc89f1_17162d12"></a> </header><div id="photo-highlight"><div class="description"><strong> World Golf Hall of Famer, Australian Greg Norman,</strong></div><div class="description"><strong>poses with the newly-announced Greg Norman Medal in Sydney. Photo: Reuters</strong> </div></div></article><!-- /.node --> </div></div></div></div><div class="block block-views last even" id="block-views-photo-gallery-view-block"><div class="view view-photo-gallery-view view-id-photo_gallery_view view-display-id-block view-dom-id-354acf50c4fbd3333cb8aa080a79b4fa"><div class="view-content"><div class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first views-row-last"></div></div></div></div><div id="content-main"><div class="inner"><article class="node-2555531 node node-article node-promoted view-mode-full inline clearfix" about="/world/trumps-golf-buddy-norman-pitches-australia-lead-diplomatic-line" typeof="sioc:Item foaf:Document" data-nid="2555531"><div class="field-name-field-article-abstract"></div><div class="social-links"><p class="whatsapp-share last"><br></p><p class="whatsapp-share last"><a class="wa_btn wa_btn_s" style="margin: 1px; display: none;" href="whatsapp://send/" data-href="http://www.todayonline.com/world/trumps-golf-buddy-norman-pitches-australia-lead-diplomatic-line" data-text="Your sharing text will come here."><u><font color="#0066cc">Share</font></u></a><a class="wa_btn wa_btn_s" style="margin: 1px; display: none;" href="whatsapp://send/" data-href="http://www.todayonline.com/world/trumps-golf-buddy-norman-pitches-australia-lead-diplomatic-line" data-text="Your sharing text will come here."><u><font color="#0066cc">Share</font></u></a><br></p></div><div class="authoring full-date"><span class="date-label">Published: </span><span class="date-value">2:00 PM, November 17, 2016</span></div><div class="authoring full-date"></div><div class="authoring"></div><div class="content"><p><br></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 11pt;">SYDNEY</span></strong><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> - Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull became one of the first world leaders to speak to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump this week, but only after one of Trump's old golfing buddies was asked to chip in. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Turnbull confirmed that Australian golfing great and former world number one Greg Norman had been tapped to help facilitate the introduction to Trump, who includes building golf courses among his many business interests. </span></p><!-- inline --><div class="left "></div><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The connection enabled Turnbull to jump the line of world leaders waiting to get the new U.S. leader on the phone, well ahead of larger allies like Britain and Japan, after Trump's surprise win in last week's presidential election. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"In diplomacy and policies, you use lots of networks. All I can say is we have great networks, great connections and Greg Norman is a great Australian," Turnbull said on Thursday. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"(Norman) is a great advocate for strengthening the Australian-American alliance. One of our greatest assets is the more than million Australians who live overseas," he told reporters in Sydney. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Australia's unconventional diplomatic approach reflects the apparent confusion that surrounds the incoming Trump administration as it works on the transition before he is sworn in as president on Jan. 20. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Norman, a U.S. resident, described Republican Trump as a friend and said he was happy to help. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"Donald, for all his bluster, rhetoric and aggressive style of messaging, caught the attention of those that needed a rudder for their forgotten ship and beliefs," Norman said in a statement. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"Like it or not, he made a poignant and powerful impact on a base that sat sadly alienated," he said. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Damon Hunt, a spokesman for Turnbull, said Australia had already been using its network of expatriates in the United States to canvass both candidates well before Trump unexpectedly defeated Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Trump's contact information was handed on to Australia's ambassador in the United States, Joe Hockey, who then relayed it to Turnbull, Hunt said. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"The only thing that was unusual about it was that we built relationships with both sides. A lot of countries and certain politicians just picked the Democrats, we were never going to back just one horse," Hunt said. </span><strong><span style="font-size: 11pt;">REUTERS</span></strong><br></p></div></article></div></div><p><br></p>
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