Not ANOTHER choke job?!

Not trying to be mean here or anything, but I got a little sick of Greg Norman and his new wife Chris Evert making out during interviews. We were listening to Norman talk about his lead after the third round as the 53-year old was trying to become the oldest player to capture a major championship, then he mentions his wife and she pops in to lay a big smacker on him. Right in the middle of the interview. I am a newlywed too, but if my wife was being interviewed about her upcoming presentation to her bosses, and I jumped in randomly and started kissing her, that would be a little much. I love the PDA, but maybe NOT when some reporter is taking his job seriously. Just saying.
Maybe if Greg was spending a little less time making out with his wife and paying attention to his golf, he wouldn’t have choked away the 2008 (British) Open Championship. Norman is so freaking talented and he could have given the Golden Bear a run for his money had he been a tad more clutch throughout his career. Everyone remembers the chokes in Norman’s career, in many cases more than his two actual Major wins. He finished second three times at Augusta, twice second at the US Open and twice second at the PGA Championship. He also had four other top nine finishes at the PGA Championship, six other top nines at the British Open, three other top 10s at the US Open and six other top 6 finishes at the Masters. In 1986 he led all four majors entering Sunday’s round yet only walked away with the British Open. He does have two British Opens, but he could have had a third. The guy just plain choked, just like in 1996.
That Sunday was supposed to be the coronation for Norman. FINALLY A GREEN JACKET! The guy tied for second in 1986 after Jack Nicklaus came roaring back on Sunday’s final nine. In 1987, Larry Mize made a miracle chip shot in a playoff to knock Norman out. But 1997 was Norman’s year, especially entering the final day with a huge lead. What happened though? Norman shot a 78 and lost badly to Nick Faldo.
Entering Sunday’s round though, he had a chance to erase all of that. He had a chance to change his legacy. Forget the choke in 1997, I won a major at age 53! But alas, the old choke artist returned with three bogeys on the first three holes. He kept taking the driver out of the bag down the stretch, and he posted a final round 77. I know Norman had been using the driver all week, but with a SERIOUS chance to win, why keep pulling out a club that missed the fairway more than it hit? No one would have remembered Roy McAvoy except for being stupid. People remember champions. Their names are engraved on trophies. Greg, maybe that’s how you wanted to win the Claret Jug, but you didn’t win it. You blew it. Again.
Boy that would have been a great story, but instead we get a rerun. Just like summer!

Note: this also appears as my weekly blog on 790thezone.com