Greg Norman has removed his name from a golf school in South Carolina whose managing partner was arrested on embezzlement charges.
The famed golfer has terminated the license to use his name given to the Greg Norman Champions Golf Academy in Myrtle Beach, reports The Sun News via MyrtleBeachOnline.com.
Jose Manuel Fernandez Del Puerto, who ran the the academy, has been accused of withdrawing $2 million in construction funds from a resort project adjacent to the school’s driving range. Fernandez allegedly moved the money set aside for construction from a business account to his personal checking account, police said.
He was arrested on March 13, subsequently posted a $100,000 bond and maintains his innocence.
“We have been made aware of the unfortunate incident surrounding Mr. Jose Fernandez Del Puerto, and have terminated his license to use the Greg Norman name or continue any further association between his businesses and Greg Norman,” read a statement from Norman’s company given to The Sun News. “We do not have any other comment at this time.”
The school, which remains in operation, is no longer listed on Norman’s company website.
“We’re still moving forward,” said Fernandez in a Facebook statement. “So far nothing has changed. The academy has been the same, obviously with a bit more tension of what the [heck] happened, but that doesn’t change anything. We still have our summer camps, we still have class 2019-2020 open.”
