Norman Crashes British Open Party!

I've got a golf joke for you. Have you heard the one about the Australian, Korean and Irishman? You see there was this 53-year-old Australian playing golf with a Korean who hasn't been at form all year and an Irishman who hurt his wrist last week............

Am I dreaming? Is Greg Norman leading the British Open after 3 rounds? Is this the 53-year-old Greg Norman who plays more tennis these days than golf. Is this the same Greg Norman who has spent the last decade running his business empire, having given up competitive golf except for the occasional charity appearance. Is there anyone out there who can honestly say that they knew Greg Norman was even playing in this British Open before he teed it up on Thursday.

I can't imagine a more improbable Majors story than Norman winning at Royal Birkdale in 2008. I don't care if you tell me a one legged blind man won it in 1888 using only 2 clubs. Norman winning at 53 would top that in my book. Maybe it's even a better story than Francis Ouimet winning the US Open in 1913. I still can't believe I'm not dreaming.

If there is justice in the world, if the best most decent people all make millions and live until they are 90, then Greg will win. No one has been treated more rudely by the golfing gods than he. No one has had more victories snatched away in the cruelest fashion. If he is able to pull off the most miraculous of victories today, then he's been paid back in my book. All the songs and ballads about his Master's losses will be forgotten and choirs of golfing angels will forever sing about his stunning victory at Royal Birkdale.

If you are Greg Norman, how do you approach today? I think there's only one way to play it. The story is so improbable, as has been much of Greg's life, that you just say to yourself 'it's out of my hands'. Greg is only a vehicle for something the god's have already written. I think he just goes out and plays his part, being as much of a spectator to the outcome as we are.

A footnote: Unless Sergio can make his own miraculous comeback from +9, I think he's finished as a real contender in majors. He started the tournament as the favorite. His major competitors in the likes of Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson played themselves out of it after the first day. Harrington has a bad wrist and nobody else who is playing is riding a hot streak except for maybe Anthony Kim. Sergio might surprise us in his 30's by getting lucky once, but with so many good young talents coming into the game, I think his best chances and his confidence will be behind him. Of course, if he should somehow win, then the whole story changes.

And speaking of Anthony Kim, don't count him out just yet. He's proven he has a great game and he can close. If the weather favors the earlier tee times, he just might get into this one. The whole tournament has been so full of surprises that I think it fair to say that just about anything might happen today. Who's better than those of us who can sit back with a cool drink today and watch the drama unfold?