Holy Smokes! Greg Norman leads the Open Championship. His two-over-par 72 has him in first by two strokes.

If he somehow manages to win this, it would be an even bigger event that Nicklaus’ 1986 Masters win. It’ll make everybody forget about what’s his name with the leg injury. It’ll also go a long way toward getting people to forget the 1996 Masters debacle.

Of course, Norman has a long history of final day major meltdowns, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him tumble back to earth. There was the 1996 Masters collapse; the 1986 final round 76 in the PGA Championship that gave the tournament to Bob Tway; the 1987 Masters he lost on the second playoff hole, and the 1989 Open Championship in which he lost a four hole playoff after carding an X on the final hole.

Norman is 1-for-7 when he has the lead, or a share of the lead on the final day of a Major.

Still, on Sunday, Norman could continue his fine play and replace Julius Boros as the oldest winner of a Major. Boros won the PGA Championship at age 48. Incidentally, Boros also had the 54 hole lead in the US Open in 1973, when he was the same age as Norman. Johnny Miller won that tournament at Oakmont.

Mrs. GolfBlogger couldn’t be more thrilled. She thinks Norman is the best looking guy on the course. So does Mrs. GolfBlogger’s mother.

I don’t see any reason why he won’t win.

It’s funny that Norman was actually playing in the Open Championship as a sort of practice round for the Senior Open next week.

More about Norman’s 72. Tom Watson said that given Saturday’s conditions, 75 was a reasonable par. So Norman’s 72 was a terrific score.

But Ben Curtis’ 70 in those 40-mph winds was absolutely astounding. That moved him from 38th to a tie for fifth with Anthony Kim and Alexander Noren. I have to admit that in 1983 when Curtis won the Open on his first try at a Major, I thought it was one of those Jack Fleck moments, and that we’d never hear from him again. But he’s turned out to be a good player.

Curtis’ playing partner, Phil Mickelson, shot a 76, and fell to 13 over.

If Sergio Garcia thinks he has bad luck, he should have watched Jim Furyk today.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed on Norman, but there’s also an outside chance of an even bigger story: 20-year-old amateur Chris Wood has an outside chance to win. He’s six back, but given the weather, he may have a chance.

Justin Rose comments on Greg Norman’s surprising spot near the top of the 2008 Open Championship Leaderboard:

He’s got a 23 year old body and a 53 year old mind.

Weather again was a huge factor in the 2008 Open Championship. In the rain and wind and cold, a surprising leaderboard has emerged: Leading the Open Championship is 37-year-old KJ Choi, at -1. He’s followed by 53-year-old Greg Norman at even par. Camillo Villegas is in third.

Then there’s a huge logjam at four over: Rocco Mediate, Graeme McDowell, Jim Furyk, Robert Allenby, Noren Alexander, Padraig Harrington and—of all people—David Duval.

This is shaping up to be one of the most interesting Saturdays of all time. Imagine a Sunday that features David Duval and Greg Norman in one of the final two pairs. It’ll make everybody forget what’s his name with the bum leg.

Sergio missed an 18 inch putt, and then promptly made another of his now-famous excuses. This time, he apparently was concentrating on not stepping on another player’s line. He’ll tell you he’s the unluckiest player in the world. If so, it’s karma for some of the dumb things he’s done, like spitting in a cup.

Defending Champion Padraig Harrington—whose wrist injury made it doubtful he would even compete—managed to finish birdie-par-eagle-birdie and end up in that pile for fourth place. Maybe he’ll win playing with one arm; that would make a nice set of matched bookends with the US Open winner.

John Daly carded a 38-over-par. Stick a fork in him. He’s done as a golfer. I just hope he’s not completely finished as a human being.

Other notables who missed the cut: Vijay Singh, Angel Cabrera, Stewart Cink, Aaron Baddeley, Geoff Ogilvy, and Tom Watson. Mark O’Meara is out in spite of getting an inspiring text message from the guy with the bum leg; he won’t repeat his 1998 triumph.

I thought that the ESPN coverage was terribly confused. They jumped around so much, I found it hard to keep track of who was doing what. I liked it best when they picked a player, and then showed quick highlights of what they had done over the last few holes.

I love watching Greg Norman’s swing. Mike Weir has gone to that stack-and-tilt thing; it looked very strange in the side view shots they used.

Phil Mickelson really gutted it out today, showing real mental toughness. It would have been very easy for him to just mail it in. I wouldn’t say that he’s got a chance to win, but he could get in the top ten.

Here’s hoping for more bad weather on Saturday.

Here’s a list of past Open (British) Championship winners, their scores,  and the courses where they logged their victories. First held at Prestwick Golf Club, the British Open is the oldest championship in golf. The first tournament had a field of eight, and was played over three rounds of 12 holes each. Eight professionals participated. The next year, eight amateurs were among the eighteen participating.

The original trophy was a red leather belt with a silver buckle. Today, the winner is awarded the Claret Jug.

Big Daddy Weed Eater Driver

Ridiculous Golf Item Of The Week

In many ways, the Open Championship is my favorite golf tournament, and today was the perfect example of why. Almost without fail, mother nature is as much a part of any Open Championship story as the players and the course. In the wind and rain, players no longer can rely on the bomb and gouge that’s become the sole strategy on the PGA Tour. It generally results in a style of play that’s quite different from what we see nearly every other week.

The Open Championship also affords the opportunity to witness something we don’t often see on the PGA Tour: lost balls. Phil Mickelson lost one on the sixth, costing him stroke and distance. Spectators found two white orbs, neither of which were his. That triple bogey seven helped him to a nine over 79, and a tie for 123rd place.

Of the top ten players after the first day, only three—Adam Scott, Jim Furyk and Retief Goosen—are names you’d expect to see. I’m not counting Mike Weir; he’s been off his game for a long time.

The other six are unexpected, including four “old guys”: Rocco Mediate (age 45 ), Greg Norman (53), Bart Bryant (45), Robert Allenby (37). I don’t’ really think that any of them are going to be in contention on Sunday, but it was fun to watch.

David Duval is at +3 and tied for 27th—with John van de Velde. There’s got to be a joke in there somewhere.

Sergio Garcia—whom much of the golf media has anointed as the “favorite”—is tied for 15th, three off the pace.

Finally, I’m absolutely sick of the writers and television pundits talking about the absence of Tiger. Several have gone so far as to suggest that there should be an asterisk beside this year’s results. If that’s so, then there also should be an asterisk beside a hundred and ten other Open Championships. After all, Old Tom Morris never had to face Eldrick.

With the horrific weather at the Open Championship today, Justin Rose may have had the best quote:

It was the kind of day where you could lose the Open Championship. You can’t win it today.