137th Open Championship - Norman's to Win or Lose.

Break out the straw hats with shark bands. Dust off the rainbow sweaters that look like a TV test pattern. Greg Norman is in position to decide who wins the Open Championship. His 2 over 72 today left him 2 shots clear of K.J. Choi. Choi was tied with defending champ Padraig Harrington, who matched Norman's third round 72. Simon Wakefield, the best Brit hope, carded a stellar even par 70 that left him at +5. Four were locked at +7, five off of Norman's pace. They were Ben Curtis, Ross Fisher, Anthony Kim, and Alexander Noren.

40+ mile per hour winds at Royal Birkdale claimed casualties. Robert Allenby and Rocco Mediate came in with 76s. Jim Furyk, 77, and Camilo Villegas penciled a 79. Players waited as balls moved on the greens and threatened to add more strokes to inflated scores. Pure survival and Norman, to this point, has survived the best.

I'll leave it to scribes with more accomplished word play than mine to describe the enormity and meaning of a Norman win. Average Golfer just says it would be huge. I can't wait for round 4 to start.

Weather Forecast for Southport, England, Sunday, July 20.

Mostly cloudy. High, 16 deg. C, 20% chance of precipitation, Winds to 37 km/hour.


Til' next,