NOTEBOOK | From Royal St. George's
Falling back: Greg Norman wasn't expected to contend in the British Open to begin with. On Friday, reality and a brutal Royal St. George's links caught up to the former champion. Norman's brief flurry with the lead ended on the front nine, on his way to an 8-over 79 that effectively ended his hopes of winning on the same course where he won his last Open 10 years ago. Norman shot 69 in the opening round and was only a stroke off the lead when he teed off Friday. But he made four bogeys and a double bogey for a front-nine 42 that left him complaining about tough pin placements. "They were right on the verge of being a bit ridiculous," Norman said. "They were putting them all on little knobs and down slopes and if you got on the wrong side of the hole there was no way." Norman hadn't played much this year and at the age of 48 is effectively finished as a major championship challenger. For one round he managed to bring back some good memories, but they evaporated on the front nine of his second round. "It is a major championship but they are going to have to be very careful with how they set up the golf course," Norman said. The two-time Open winner wasn't about to give up all hope, though. He managed to make the cut by two shots and will be playing on a weekend where strange things can happen. "Anyone who made the cut right now has a chance to win this golf tournament," Norman said. "All you have to do is shoot a pair of 67s and that puts you at even par and even par is a shoe-in to win this golf tournament given the way conditions are."
Falling back: Greg Norman wasn't expected to contend in the British Open to begin with. On Friday, reality and a brutal Royal St. George's links caught up to the former champion. Norman's brief flurry with the lead ended on the front nine, on his way to an 8-over 79 that effectively ended his hopes of winning on the same course where he won his last Open 10 years ago. Norman shot 69 in the opening round and was only a stroke off the lead when he teed off Friday. But he made four bogeys and a double bogey for a front-nine 42 that left him complaining about tough pin placements. "They were right on the verge of being a bit ridiculous," Norman said. "They were putting them all on little knobs and down slopes and if you got on the wrong side of the hole there was no way." Norman hadn't played much this year and at the age of 48 is effectively finished as a major championship challenger. For one round he managed to bring back some good memories, but they evaporated on the front nine of his second round. "It is a major championship but they are going to have to be very careful with how they set up the golf course," Norman said. The two-time Open winner wasn't about to give up all hope, though. He managed to make the cut by two shots and will be playing on a weekend where strange things can happen. "Anyone who made the cut right now has a chance to win this golf tournament," Norman said. "All you have to do is shoot a pair of 67s and that puts you at even par and even par is a shoe-in to win this golf tournament given the way conditions are."
Streaking: Despite firm and gusty conditions at Royal St. George's, Fredrik Jacobson played the first 29 holes without a bogey. Once the streak ended, he started another. The Swede's bogey on No. 12 was the first of six in a row. He ended with a par to shoot 41 on the back nine, and his 76 left him at 4-over 146. "I managed to make a four at the last or maybe I would go 29 holes without a par," Jacobson said.
Right at home: Some of the locals have been giving Ben Curtis the hometown treatment until he starts to speak and they realize he's from Kent, Ohio -- not Kent, the home county of Royal St. George's. "I've been bumping into so many people who live in Kent and they've been asking me where I come from," Curtis said. "I've been saying, 'I'm from Kent, too.' Everyone I've met has been great."
What's in a name: Ernie Els was asked if he knew anything about S.K. Ho, who was leading the tournament about the time Els finished. "Just that he has a shorter surname than me," Els said. Els, the defending champion, followed his first-round 78 with a 68 that he said was helped by a pep talk from his 4-year-old daughter, Samantha. Els said she gave him a pat on the back and told him to make some birdies. He did just that, making four of them a day after he made none. "I guess it worked. We had a good day," he said.
-- Associated Press