GRANDSTAND View
RAVIPAN PAVASUTHIPAND
Greg Norman |
A year after breaking through with his first major victory at 2007 Open Championship, Padraig Harrington earned himself a place in the history books by becoming the first European in more than a century to win golf's oldest championship two years in a row.
For me, Harrington's victory this time even outranks last year's emotional play-off triumph over Sergio Garcia, considering that all the odds were against the Irishman both before and during the tournament.
An injured wrist had him questioning whether he would be able to play at all or complete the four rounds. There was the relentless wind at Royal Birkdale that made playing conditions tough for everyone. Then came the talk of a fairytale finish for Greg Norman, who was bidding to become the oldest major winner.
In the end, Harrington's dodgy right wrist proved to be strong enough to carry him through the gruelling four days of golf. He was also the one who could hold his nerve when it mattered most.
Paired with Norman in the final round, Harrington shot a brilliant closing 69 in difficult, windy conditions to win by four strokes from Ian Poulter of England.
Norman's hopes of an unlikely third British Open title ended with a disappointing 77.
Midway through the second round, Harrington was losing ground on the leaders and I thought he would perhaps fade away. But a gutsy finish to the round kept him in contention. Over the last two rounds, he outplayed all the competitors in a controlled and determined way.
Norman, meanwhile, revived memories of his past glories with steady play on the first three days and gave himself a shot at history to become the oldest major champion at the age of 53.
Starting the final round two shots ahead of Harrington and KJ Choi, what was supposed to be a fairytale ending for Norman was replaced by an all-too-familiar tale of a bogey spree as his dream disappeared.
Norman threw away his advantage in just three holes but still managed to hold a one-shot cushion at the turn. A disastrous back nine, which included eight bogeys, saw Norman close with a seven-over-par 77 to tie for third place with Henrik Stenson.
It was the eighth time Norman had entered the final round of a major championship with the lead. His only victory came at the 1986 British Open at Turnberry. Comparing his stats to Tiger Woods, the American world number one is 14-0 when leading a major into the final round.
I have always been a fan of Greg Norman. He's one of those athletes whose dramatic ups-and-downs get you hooked. But I have to say it was painful to watch him self-destruct again. He fell back into the old Greg, whose career has been defined as much as by the famously unfulfilled achievements on the biggest stage as the two British Open titles he won.
But for all the disappointment he must have felt on Sunday, you get the feeling Norman wouldn't feel as shattered as he had been by some of those defeats in the 1980s and 90s."I can walk away from here disappointed but I can walk away from here with my head held high because I hung in there," he said.
You just have to agree with him on this one. I think he had exceeded his expectations. He put himself in the position to win a major at his advanced age and even without playing golf regularly.
Even his new wife of three weeks, tennis legend Chris Evert, agreed: "Never in a million years did I think he would be in this position," she said.
For three days though, it was a wonderful trip back 20-odd years to the time of the "Great White Shark". Fans gathered atop every sand dune of the Royal Birkdale to see if Norman could pull off a victory that would have ranked among the most stunning in golf alongside Jack Nicklaus winning The Masters at the age of 46.
It so nearly happened. It's just a shame there was no happy ending for a semi-retired 53-year-old golfer who was once again beaten by himself.
Ravipan Pavasuthipand is Assistant Sports Editor, Bangkok Post. She can be reached by email at: ravipanp@bangkokpost.co.th
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