Australian Golfer Greg Norman in Hospital After Chainsaw Accident

Former golf world number one was recovering in hospital after nearly severing his left hand after a horrific accident with chainsaw.

The 59-year-old said he was "lucky" to still have his left hand intact after a mishap with an electric chainsaw.

The Australian, nicknamed The Great White Shark, posted a picture of himself on Instagram. It shows him looking groggy in a US hospital bed, with his left arm heavily bandaged.

"Working with a chainsaw ALWAYS be respectful of the unexpected," he wrote.

"I was one lucky man today. Damaged, but not down & out. Still have left hand."

Last week, the golfer posted a picture of himself using a chainsaw to trim a plant.

He wrote alongside it: "Never ask someone to do something that you can do yourself. Love to work!"

Nicknamed The Great White Shark because of his distinctive blond hair and aggressive style of play, he led the world rankings for a total of 331 weeks in the 1980s and 1990s.

As well as his major wins at Turnberry and Royal St George's, he finished runner-up in two US Opens, a pair of US PGAs and three Masters.

Watch the video of Greg Norman's greatest moments in his golfing career

Norman is also a successful business entrepreneur who has a net worth of $300m (£184.5m, €230m).

The sportsman established the Greg Norman Golf Course Design company in 1987, and expanded into other business avenues. He founded the Greg Norman Collection clothing line in 1992, and made his debut into the wine industry with the launching of Greg Norman Estates in 1996.

All of his business interests are under the umbrella of his company Great White Shark Enterprises.

"I built a brand around myself, I became a 'living brand'," he told the BBC, referring to a major breakthrough on his business journey, the formation of the Greg Norman Collection clothing line in conjunction with Reebok back in the early 1990s.

"That was when my image took hold and then expanded.

"Since then there has been the integration of my other business interests, and my shark logo is recognised around the world, with for example wine, beef, real estate."

What made him turn to business rather than continue as a professional golfer? "At 55 I generally don't like standing around for eight hours a day, often in the cold."