Norman's title bid no surprise for Watson

Enlarge Photo Greg Norman of Australia plays a shot from the rough on the 17th hole during...

Fri, Jul 18 11:51 PM

By Tony Jimenez

SOUTHPORT, England (Reuters) - Greg Norman's rousing title challenge in the British Open at the age of 53 came as no shock to five-times champion Tom Watson.

"Greg is a great wind player so I'm not surprised," the 58-year-old American told reporters after Friday's second round.

"He played two of the finest rounds I've ever seen in this championship, at Turnberry (in 1986) and Sandwich (in 1993).

"He can dominate a golf course in the worst possible conditions. He's a great bad weather player.

"Tomorrow the wind is supposed to blow like crazy so he'll still be in this tournament."

Watson, who missed the cut at Royal Birkdale after rounds of 74 and 76 gave him a 10-over-par total, said Australian Norman had to believe he could remain in the title hunt.

"To believe in himself is probably the most important thing," said the British Open champion of 1975, 1977, 1980, 1982 and 1983.

"He hasn't been there at all for the last five or 10 years so that's the pressure he's going to have to deal with.

"He is in a great frame of mind though. He has just got remarried (to tennis great Chris Evert) and it creates a golden aura when you get remarried. I should know, I've been remarried."

Watson blamed his own performance at Birkdale on a cold putter.

"My two days would have been a lot better if the putter had worked," he said. "I hit the ball well enough to have made the last two rounds.

"I didn't know what to do, it was frustrating. I should be in the tournament and I'm not. It's the putter's fault."

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