White Shark springs major surprise

10:25pm Friday 18th July 2008

Just when we thought it was safe to go back in the water, golf's 'Great White Shark' has bared his teeth again. Amazingly, Greg Norman could be Open champion again on Sunday night.

At the age of 53 and after a countdown to Royal Birkdale in which he spent more time playing tennis with new wife Chris Evert than working on his game, Norman has turned back the clock these past two days.

A closing 20-foot par putt - adrenalin from the ovation he received coming onto the green may have caused him to charge his long birdie attempt - gave the Australian, champion in 1986 and 1993, a second successive level par 70.

Now, much to his huge surprise, he has an opportunity to become comfortably the oldest winner of any major. American Julius Boros was 48 when he lifted the 1968 US PGA title.

It was not until almost 7pm that anyone bettered Norman's 140 total and it took a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th for South Korean KJ Choi to do it with a 67.

The 37-year-old Choi, with seven wins the most successful Asian player in US Tour history, will now try to become their first major champion - on the same course where in 1971 Taiwan's 'Mr Lu'  finished just a stroke behind Lee Trevino.

Colombian debutant Camilo Villegas, called into the field only when American Kenny Perry declined his exempt spot two weeks ago, is lying third after a stunning best-of-the-week 65 rounded off with five successive birdies.

Padraig Harrington, meanwhile, finished eagle-birdie for a 68 and, with his wrist injury seemingly no longer a big issue, the Dubliner can still become the first European to retain the Claret Jug since James Braid in 1906.

He is part of a large group in fourth place on two over which also includes first round leaders Graeme McDowell, Rocco Mediate and Robert Allenby after they all returned 73s. Former US Open champion Jim Furyk, Swede Alex Noren and, quite remarkably, 2001 winner David Duval are on the same mark.

It was nearly 9pm when Els, Westwood and Casey finally discovered they were through with nothing to spare. The big names to miss out therefore were Vijay Singh, Geoff Ogilvy, Angel Cabrera, European Tour number one Miguel Angel Jimenez and former winners Paul Lawrie, Tom Watson, Mark Calcavecchia, Mark O'Meara and John Daly after an 89 for 29 over.

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