Just Like Cream They are Rising to the Top

My goodness, if you can't get inspired about golf after the past couple of months you must be dead. Tiger plays in one tournament since the Masters (the U.S Open) and wins it with a fractured knee. And then, who is it that played him for 90 holes and took him to the last stroke on the last hole to seal the victory - a 45 year old journeyman named Rocco Mediate. Then we have a 47 year old Kenny Perry that has lit up the leader boards for the past two months with 3 victories and a 2nd place finish. And if you weren't paying attention, Greg Norman, yes that same Greg Norman from 20 years ago, is leading the British Open by 2 strokes after 54 holes. What in the hell is going on here?

(Oh, by the way, that 45 year old journeyman is in the mix this week also.)

Watching Greg Norman today was truly like stepping back in time - His trademark hat and flowing blond hair blowing in the wind. But boy is he fit, and he is confident, and I can assure you he does not look 53. And I saw nothing in his game today that would indicate that he is going anywhere south tomorrow. If that magic wand is still working come Sunday you can bet that Greg Norman will be there till the end. "Keep it up Greg! We are rooting for you!"

Golf is truly a funny game. There is so much more to it than just hitting a round ball. This week has shown what great golfers can do under the worst of conditions. The golf course is hard enough without 30 to 40 mile an hour winds. Anyone that has played in those sorts of conditions knows exactly what I mean. It is so easy to just give up because that ball is moving all over the place not to mention your body. And all of that usually leads to nothing but wayward shots. And forget putting - that is virtually impossible. But here we were watching an old master calmly dissect the course. There was no visible fear in Norman today.

Hopefully Norman will get a chance to see the match on TV this evening and listen to Mr. British Open himself, Tom Watson. He made several observations of how both K.J. Choy and Greg Norman played several holes and it would serve them well to pay attention. In conditions like what they have been in and it appears will face tomorrow, it is not distance that matters so much as placement. So leave that driver in the bag. Keeping that ball in the fairway where they can get a good lie is vitally important to success in the wind. And it also matters from what position they are approaching the green depending upon the pin placements.

I don't know what is going to happen tomorrow but I do know this: Greg Norman gave all of us something very special today, just like Kenny Perry has been doing for the past couple of months and what Rocco Mediate did in the U.S Open and I for one say "thank you". Just like cream they are rising to the top. I think there is new hope in these old bones and possibly even one more great round. FOOOOORE!