Let's Chat About Greg Norman's Saturday Slam of 1986
by Ryan Ballengee on Jul 15, 2009 11:15 AM EDT
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PrintGreg Norman was the 54 hole leader of the Open Championship last year at Birkdale. Ultimately, he lost the Open at 53 years old to Paddy Harrington. But, Greg Norman did cash in on his 54 hole lead at the Open Championship in 1986. He did it in 280 shots (even par), in blustery weather, but he did it at the site of this year's Open - Turnberry.
In that season, Norman held the 54 hole lead in all four of the major championships. He lost the Masters to a Sunday surge by 46 year old Jack Nicklaus. He lost the US Open to Raymond Floyd, thanks to a Sunday meltdown and Floyd's 66. Norman well should have won the PGA Championship, but lost on the final hole to the bunker shot hole out of Bob Tway.
The Open Championship win stands out not only because it was the lone major win for Norman in an incredible season, but Norman's second round 63 may well have been the greatest major championship round ever played. Tom Watson described it as "the greatest round ever played in a tournament in which I was a competitor."
Norman himself thought he should have shot 59 - or better - that day. He said he was "in awe of himself" after his closing 64 to win the 1993 Open at Royal St. George's, but his 63 was in that company. As Mike Aitken points out, only 15 players broke par on that Friday. For Norman to have shot 63 was an incredible achievement.
(As an aside, Larry Dorman wrote on Saturday that Norman "became the first Open champion to shoot four rounds in the 60s" in 1986. He didn't. Only Ian Woosnam shot par that day. Everyone else was over par.)
But, Norman only was victorious once in that year. In 2005, Tiger Woods did not lead every major championship after 54 holes, but won twice, finished 2nd, and fourth in the majors that year. Of course, there's the Tiger Slam. How about Hogan's 3 major championships in 1953 - he didn't even play in the PGA Championship that year. Or Jones' own Grand Slam in 1930?
Where does Norman's achievement rank and can he resurrect both 1986 and 2008 this week?
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How dumb can golf writers be?
Someone text message the sports editor of the NY Times. I’ll happily go to Scotland and cover the British Open or write about golf period for the newspaper. First you have Bill Rhoden reporting Bivens banned golfers from an LPGA tournament, today we another numb skull who can’t keep the 1986 and 1993 British Opens straight. Norman won both but the later was played at Royal St. George’s. And that’s where Norman shot 4 straight rounds in the 60s
banned
photographers not golfers. Got to tell the wife not to call me in the middle of posting comments.
Yeah, Rhoden’s piece was fraught with errors.
Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.
by Ryan Ballengee on Jul 15, 2009 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions
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