| Greg Norman may not have won the jub but he | | | | more remarkable if that is true. |
| made a difference and it was fun to watch... | | | | Norman reminds me of Michelson: You are always |
| It is hard to ignore what Greg Norman did this | | | | on the edge of your seat because with both of |
| week in the British Open. Has he quieted any of | | | | them, anything can happen because they play so |
| the naysayers? Absolutely not! He still succumbed | | | | aggressively that it doesn't seem like they really |
| to the demons but at 53 I think we can forgive | | | | have complete control. They just rely on pure |
| him for that. Yes, it would have been nice to see | | | | talent and unfortunately, that does not always get |
| him shoot the lights out and win the Open but | | | | it. They don't have that controlled demeanor or |
| most of us knew it was a long shot. My | | | | killer instinct of a Tiger Woods. If they are on |
| goodness, he still placed tied for third at 53 and | | | | they can beat anyone but if they aren't on they |
| that alone is quite an accomplishment. | | | | are just another professional golfer. And yet that |
| But there are a couple of things that one could | | | | is not Tiger Woods. If he is on he is unbeatable |
| not help but observe. Norman like many golfers | | | | and if he is off he is sometimes unbeatable also. |
| could not put the driver in the bag and once it | | | | And to me that is his confidence inside and his |
| again it was his Achilles heal. Rather than playing | | | | drive to win every time he tees up the ball. |
| the smart shot and making sure that he had a | | | | Throughout the Open coverage they talked about |
| good lie on short grass, he seemed to want to go | | | | strategy over and over again. Padraig Harrington |
| for the big bomb par in those conditions was | | | | had a plan and he stuck to it and although he had |
| going to be good enough. Then after being so | | | | a hiccup or two along the way, he kept putting |
| aggressive off the tee, he got conservative on | | | | himself in position for something to happen and |
| the approach shot virtually coming up short on | | | | "happen" it did. You heard comments like "unlock |
| every hole. He his plan was to be aggressive then | | | | the golf course"; "play smart to win"; "just putting |
| why not continue that way through the rest of | | | | the ball in play"; "take your eyes off the trophy |
| the shots. Or better yet, if the plan was to be | | | | and just play the shot"; "course strategy is more |
| more conservative then why the driver? I was | | | | important that performance..."; "playing a course is |
| actually quite confused. It seemed to me that | | | | like solving a riddle..."; and finally, "pressure makes |
| there wasn't much a game plan because he | | | | it hard to execute". Not only do you need a game |
| probably didn't feel that he would be in that | | | | plan but you need it written down because under |
| position. | | | | pressure it is going to be easy to get off track |
| But then that makes his third place finish even | | | | and staying on track is so vitally important. |