Date: July 26, 2009
Author: PA Sport

Norman in familiar territory

Greg Norman finds himself in familiar territory at Sunningdale ahead of the final round of the Senior Open Championship on top of the leaderboard. The Australian carded a terrific round of 64 to move one shot clear of overnight leader Fred Funk and 2006 champion Loren Roberts. The two-time Open winner, who has been on the wrong end of many a famous comeback over the years, has led eight times after 54 holes in major championships – most recently last year&aposs Open at Royal Birkdale – but only once converted that into a victory, the 1986 Open at Turnberry. “I didn&apost expect Fred to come backwards, to be honest,” said Norman. “I was driving the ball well, I could see the shots I wanted on the tee so I just went and played them.” “Any time you shoot a low round on a Saturday you usually do get into contention.” Bob Charles, Gary Player and Tom Watson are currently the only players to have won both the Open and the Senior Open, but Norman made a classic Saturday move for which he has become renowned as he carded a six-under total for the day to put himself well placed to become the fourth member of that club. Norman went out in 33 but birdied four holes out of five from the 11th and did not drop a shot all day. The 53-year-old American Funk looked to be coasting at one stage when he reached 12 under to lead by four shots. But at the 12th he found the famous heather for which Sunningdale&aposs old course is so well known and the result was a double-bogey six. He dropped another at 15 to be joined by Roberts, the 2006 winner of this event at Turnberry, on nine-under. Zimbabwe&aposs Denis Watson is another shot back in fourth, with Larry Mize and Sam Torrance on seven under.