News: Tennis legend Chris Evert talked to a roomful of journalists about her plans for a new tennis academy - but everyone just stared at the enormous piece of silverware on her finger.

"Anything to report?" asked one razor-sharp hack.

There followed a short "shall we, shan't we" moment as she weighed up what to say. Meanwhile, dressed all in white, Greg Norman sat looking back at her in the front row.

"You're not saying anything," said Evert to her next husband in a show of mock indignation. "You are such a chicken!"

Not romantic maybe, but good to see she intends keeping the Great White Shark in his place.

"We were engaged coming over here five days ago," said Evert. "We don't know when and where, but we'll be married in the New Year."

Norman had proposed en route to Cape Town on board his Gulfstream jet.

The Greg and Chrissie show is in Cape Town this week, where he is playing in the South Africa Open tournament.

The excitement seems good for his game.

He hasn't played a competitive round since the Dubai Desert Classic in March, but on a windy day here at the Pearl Valley course he shot 70 to stay within a few shots of the leaders going in to the weekend.

This is no ordinary engagement, however, this is a meeting of two sporting super brands.

It was in keeping that the impromptu romantic announcement came as part of a PR campaign to promote a new Chris Evert academy here at Pearl Valley. It is being funded by the same Dubai-based company that pays Norman to design golf courses.

Earlier, in an interview with The Irish Times, Norman said, "Nobody else can understand what it's like to be number one.

"Nobody can understand what it's like to be beaten by Navratilova or me by Faldo, unless you've been there. She walks the course with me now, she knows exactly what to say and when to say it.

"Our thoughts and feelings on life are so in synch, it's a very special relationship."

Norman will be Evert's third husband. She was married to Olympic skier Andy Mill and English tennis player John Lloyd.

Norman has recently divorced his first wife, Laura, with whom he has two children from a 25-year marriage. The couple's seafront house in Florida was put on sale last week for $65 million.

Both ex-couples were close friends and the break-up has been bitter.

"Eighteen months ago I'd have taken a bullet for that guy," said Evert's ex-husband Mill about Norman.

"I didn't realise he would be holding the gun."