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Chick Ludwig covers the Cincinnati Bengals. He also writes about his other passions: college football, basketball and golf.Home > Blogs > Chick Ludwig At Large > Archives > 2008 > July > 19 > Entry
Can ‘The Shark’ h(old) on?
OR WILL HE OPEN CAN
OF ARTI-CHOKE SOUP?
Can Greg Norman hang on to his two-stroke lead and capture the 2008 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England, on Sunday?
Or will he … you, know … pull a …. well, what’s called “a Norman?”
Norman, 53, is a two-time winner of the Claret Jug — his only Major championships. He has 87 professional victories, including 20 on the PGA Tour, 14 on the European Tour and 33 triumphs in Australia. He’s enshrined in the World Golf Hall of Fame in St Augustine, Fla.
But he’s most famous for his choke-job in the 1996 Masters at Augusta, Ga., where he blew a six-shot lead with a final-round 78 and lost to Nick Faldo.
Now “The Shark” is hunting history with an opportunity to become the older player to win a Major championship.
With rounds of 70-70-72 (212), Chrissy Evert’s husband stands alone atop the leaderboard at plus-2, having survived Birkdale’s brutal, gusting winds.
Padraig Harrington and K.J. Choi are tied for second at plus-4 with Simon Wakefield alone in fourth place at plus-5.
The last time Gregory John Norman led a Major was that fateful spring day in ‘96 when the tall Georgia pines, his wicked swing, his massive ego and his bazillionaire bank account — plus Faldo — trampled him.
Gotta feeling Chrissy Evert-Lloyd-Mill-Norman won’t be smiling on Sunday evening in the shadow of The Queen’s crib.
I look for Columbus-born Ben Curtis — who grew up in Ostrander, Ohio — to come roaring back from fifth place and add the 2008 Claret Jug to the one he captured in 2003.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: Golf
Comments
By Santastic
July 19, 2008 6:19 PM | Link to this
Lay off Greg Norman. You’re probably upset that Chris Evert criticized Dayton when her first husband, JLloyd, was here for a pro tennis tournament way back when.By Wise Head
July 19, 2008 7:29 PM | Link to this
Greggie’s a changed man. He’ll be fine!By Papa Ubu
July 20, 2008 9:31 AM | Link to this
He’ll be fine as long as he doesn’t try to go to one of the never-open art galleries in the BoringAgain District.