Choi to the world
SOUTHPORT, England — With Tiger Woods on the couch back in the States, is there any reason to pay attention to the British Open?
Well, let's see:
n There's 53-year-old Greg Norman, still on his honeymoon and just one shot off the lead as he tries to become the oldest player to win a major championship.
n There's David Duval, his life in order and his golf game coming around, back on the leaderboard seven years after his lone major title at Lytham.
n There's Padraig Harrington, who hurt his wrist a week ago and thought he might just withdraw. Instead, he's got a chance to become the first European to repeat in a century.
n There's Camilo Villegas, the Colombian heartthrob who's finally showing a game worthy of all the hype over his buff looks, stylish clothing and unique way of reading putts that earned him his nickname, "Spider-Man."
n And, oh yeah, there's K.J. Choi, leading a major for the first time, the only player under par at Royal Birkdale heading to the weekend.
Yep, there were plenty of story lines heading to a third round that began Saturday in strong, gusting winds along England's western coast, prompting organizers to move the tees forward at three holes. The gray skies threatened to unleash torrents of rain at any moment.
The early starters, hoping to get back in contention, found it tough to make any progress in the challenging conditions. Paul Casey and Lee Westwood each took a double-bogey 6 at the opening hole. Ernie Els, the 2002 Open champion, took bogeys at the first and fourth holes to slip to 11 over.
But 2003 Open champion Ben Curtis defied the wind, playing the front nine at 3-under 31. He holed out for an eagle 2 at the 451-yard third hole
Davis Love III put up the best of the early rounds, shooting an even-par 70.
Norman barely touched a club in the month leading up to his 26th appearance in golf's oldest championship, most of his attention devoted to his wedding to tennis star Chris Evert three weeks ago.
He wound up renewing his love affair with links golf, delivering great escapes over his final three holes for an even-par 70 that put his name atop the leaderboard for most of Friday until Choi birdied the final two holes.
Choi was at 1-under 139, one shot ahead of Norman.
"My expectations were almost nil coming in, to tell you the truth," Norman said. "My expectations are still realistically low, and I have to be that way. I can't sit here and say, 'OK, it's great. I'm playing well and I'm doing it.' I am playing well. I am doing it. But I still haven't been there for a long time."
Duval knows that feeling.
His last victory was the Dunlop Phoenix in Japan at the end of 2001, the year he won his only major at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. What followed was a mysterious slump that included a half-dozen coaches, precious few rounds under par and an aloof player who found happiness in marriage and children.
For those waiting for another collapse, he never showed a hint of it.
This wonderful story unfolding at Birkdale still has a long way to go.
It starts with Choi, a 37-year-old from South Korea who overcame a bogey on the first hole to play flawlessly Friday.
"Probably my best round I've ever played at the British Open," said Choi, who trailed Sergio Garcia by two shots going into the third round at Carnoustie last year before fading to a tie for eighth.
