Greg Norman will be in the spotlight once again this week when he leads a star-studdied cast for the Seniors Open at Troon.
Australian hoping for Open consolation
Greg Norman will be in the spotlight once again this week when he leads a star-studdied cast for the Seniors Open at Troon.
The 53-year-old surpassed all expectations when finishing third in the Open on Sunday and although he was disappointed at missing out on a third title, the Australian should be a major contender again.
Norman has played in just three seniors events since turning 50, but proved that the competitive edge was still there when he finished sixth in the PGA Championship at Oak Hill earlier this year.
But despite having to build himself back up mentally and physically since the weekend, he expects to be in the mix once again.
"My expectations are good, I like the golf course," he said of the Ayrshire links, a par-71 covering 7,064 yards. "So now I've got to step up and, hopefully, I can do that over the next four or five days.
"Deep down inside, it hurts, no question," Norman said of losing a two shot lead going into the final round on Sunday.
Strong competition
"When you're a sportsman in the arena, no matter how old or how young you are, and you give yourself an opportunity and it doesn't eventuate, you do feel it."
Norman starts amongst the favourites but he faces strong competition from some of the newer members of the tour, including Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam and Sandy Lyle.
Langer, still a force amongst the younger brigade, has made a flying start to his new career with two wins on the US Champions Tour, while Woosnam has also won twice on the less competitive European circuit.
As for Lyle, the Scotsman has to put the disappointment and media intrusion of Royal Birkdale behind him if he is to perform at his best.
Lyle admitted he 'chucked it' after only 10 holes in the first round at the Lancashire venue last week, and embarrassing departure for a previous winner of the Claret Jug.
However, he insists a hand injury played a major part in his decision to walk off the course in appalling conditions.
Skanky shots
"It's not something I would like to do on a regular basis, but I've had sore hands and knuckles for a couple of years now," he said.
"I have been playing most of this year pain-free but in the cold weather, which you don't really expect in July around Birkdale, a couple of skanky shots didn't help at all.
"I was playing with almost numb knuckles on my left hand and I couldn't really continue. I was suffering too much from the weather so I decided to make an executive decision to make short haste towards the clubhouse.
"I know if my old man was alive, he wouldn't be too happy about it. There will be people who will be unhappy, and I have new sponsors as well, and you would like to show for them.
"But I was the one out there who was suffering and I made a decision about what was best for me."
Five-time Open champion Tom Watson acquitted himself well, only just missing the cut, and will have high hopes of adding a fourth Seniors title and a third Open double having already won both events at Turnberry and Muirfield.
Mark O'Meara, another former Open champion, joins a strong American contingent and he, too, was not far off making the cut last week so should be high on the leaderboard.
Eduardo Romero has four top-10 finishes in the event since joining the seniors' circuit, including a playoff defeat to Loren Roberts two years ago, although the Argentine has not been in the best of form this season.
