Open Anniversaries: Greg Norman's first major victory
By Camilla Tait
Last Updated: 10/07/16 12:21pm
In our fourth anniversary in the countdown to The 145th Open, we reflect on Greg Norman's first major victory - 30 years ago.
It was the year of the 'Saturday Slam': Greg Norman had led both the Masters and US Open tournaments after the third rounds, but had yet to convert any of his opportunities into a major title. The 115th Open would present him with another such chance.
Turnberry was playing host to The Open for the second time, and many reflected on Tom Watson's record-breaking 12-under-par victory at the same venue in 1977. In Watson's win, the wind was calm and the sun was out, but the weather had very different ideas in 1986.
With extremely high winds and lots of rain, the best opening score of the day was an even-par round of 70 from Ian Woosnam, and it looked as if level par may be enough to win the tournament by the end of Sunday. Norman was four shots off the top of the leaderboard, having only managed a four-over-par 74 on the opening day's play.
The second day is undoubtedly where Norman won the tournament, racing to an astonishing seven-under-par 63 with well-played shots in the wind. He matched the best-ever score in the Open Championship, which included hole-outs from both the tough rough and green-side bunker, to lead the tournament by three shots at three-under-par.
Seve Ballesteros was critical of the course after the third round, claiming the narrow fairways and thick rough made it too punishing, and he was not the only one to suffer. Most struggled on Saturday, and although Norman matched his first-round 74 to give back several shots to the rest of the field, he still held on to a one-shot lead going into the final day of the tournament.
Leading his third major championship of the year after round three, it was this time that Norman would finally show enough strength of character to hold on for victory. His final round was a steely display which included some world-class shots in the wind, no more so than his approach to 17, which he hit to five feet.
The rest of the field fell further backwards despite improving conditions, and by the 18th hole Norman was back to level-par for the tournament, and five shots adrift of his nearest rival, Gordon Brand Jr.
As Norman walked up 18, he was met with deafening applause and a standing ovation, as the ever popular 'Shark' claimed the Claret Jug and became the first Australian winner of The Open since Peter Thompson 21 years earlier.
"Some of those shots even impressed me," he said of his win.
