Greg Norman, aiming to become the oldest major champion, shrugged off a stumbling start to regain the lead midway through Sunday's final round of the British Open. Two ahead overnight, Norman bogeyed four of the first six holes in gusting winds at Royal Birkdale before reaching the turn in four-over 38.
That left the 53-year-old Australian at six over for the tournament, one ahead of playing partner and champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland.
Harrington, whose title defence was in doubt at the start of the week because of an injury to his right wrist, had forged two clear after six holes before making three consecutive bogeys from the seventh. Britain's Ian Poulter, after 14 holes, was a further shot back at eight over in a tie for third with fellow Englishman Simon Wakefield, who had completed 10.
Norman, the British Open champion at Turnberry in 1986 and Royal St George's in 1993, set the tone for a wild start by bogeying the par-four first. After hitting his four-iron approach into a pot bunker guarding the front right of the green, he splashed out to 20 feet and lipped out with his par putt. He was fortunate to end up in a favourable lie after pulling his tee shot at the par-four second into the left rough. From there he struck his second shot to the left of the green, executed a delicate chip four feet past the hole but pulled his putt wide of the cup.
ERRATIC PUTTER:
His putter again failed him at the par-four third where he found the rough off the tee and failed to reach the green in two. Facing a seven-footer to save par, he pushed his attempt to the right as his trousers fluttered in the stiff breezes.
With gusts of 72-kph (45-mph) sweeping across the course, Norman also bogeyed the difficult par-four sixth to trail Harrington by two. After driving into thick rough on the right, he hacked out for his second, struck his third short of the green and chipped up to six feet before rolling in the putt.
Harrington made his first bogey of the day at the par-three seventh where he pulled his tee shot into the gallery left of the green from where he failed to get up and down.