Unlikely lads: Veteran Norman is joined by unknown Wakefield as the weather causes havoc at the Open

13 April 2012

Focused: Simon Wakefield

Simon Wakefield, an unknown 34-yearold Englishman who has never won an event on golf's European Tour, goes into the final day of the 137th Open at Royal Birkdale with the chance of becoming one of the championship's most unlikely winners.

As winds gusting up to 50 miles an hour whipped off the Irish Sea yesterday and played havoc with conditions, the man from the Potteries, whose previous claim to fame was for being the nephew of former England wicketkeeper Bob Taylor, defied the elements to join some of the giants of the game near the top of the leaderboard.

While 53-year-old Greg Norman, who started the championship with odds of 1,000-1 against him winning at online bookmakers Betfair, kept up his dream of winning a third Open title after a gap of 15 years, defending champion Padraig Harrington moved into contention to become the first European for 102 years to retain his crown.

At the same time Korea's KJ Choi clung on to the chance of becoming the first Asian major champion in the history of golf. And Wakefield, known on tour as 'Wakey', joined the party after his third-round of level-par 70.

It was a remarkable effort in the most testing of conditions. The wind was so strong that shots were blown off-line into horrendously thick rough, balls oscillated on the green and players were frequently blown off balance.

Rough time: Justin Rose

At one stage there was a severe likelihood of play being suspended. For 25 minutes the pairing of Anthony Kim and Ross Fisher had to wait to continue after Kim's ball was blown off the 10th green three times.

But somehow play continued as the players, like sailors in a storm, battled their way around the links.

When the final pairing of Norman and Choi reached the end the Australian had moved into a two-shot lead on two over par, with Harrington and Choi two shots back and Wakefield, in fourth place, three shots off the lead.

Wakefield's effort in the circumstances was commendable. 'This is unfamiliar territory for me but I tried to stay patient,' he said.

'It became so hard that the scores are irrelevant. All that counts is where you are in field.  At one stage, I was almost blown off my feet as I was about to putt.

'Now it will be difficult for me to sleep. The thought of being Open In the absence of Tiger Woods the stage is set for wonderful final day today and an Open Championship to place among the greatest.

One of the surprise moves of the day came from Ben Curtis, the 2003 champion. Since he stunned the golfing community by taking the title at Royal St. George's as the 396th ranked player in the world, the man from Ohio has done little to suggest that his triumph, at 26, was the launchpad of a great career.

Yet he does have a liking for links golf as he proved again last year when he finished eighth at Carnoustie. After holing his second shot at the 451-yard par four third hole yesterday the American reached the turn in a remarkable 31 shots and, despite three bogeys on the back nine, kept going to the end for a level par round. A second Open win would be his dream .

'If I had a choice of winning a second major this would be it,' said Curtis. 'Back then (when I won before) I didn't put any pressure or goals on myself. I just wanted to have fun and enjoy the tournament.

'I had one of the best weeks I've ever played and I've always tried to tell myself to do that again. It's very hard because of the pressure you put on yourself. 'Obviously I'm a better player than I was then. I know if I get hot I have a chance to win any week.'

Pink and perky: Ian Poulter

Henrik Stenson of Sweden was one shot behind after he, too, went round Champion is just bizarre.

But there's a long way to go and I really don't want to think about it. It's a worldclass field and there's so much that can happen. I just want to get myself in the right frame of mind and do the best I can.'

While Wakefield can dream he will remain the outsider among a group of challengers in which Norman, Harrington and Choi continued to play well yesterday. Anyone who thought Norman would fade away after defying his age for two days could not have been more wrong as 'The Great White Shark' gave himself the opportunity to complete one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history - as the first fiftysomething to win a major.

In the absence of Tiger Woods the stage is set for wonderful final day today and an Open Championship to place among the greatest.

One of the surprise moves of the day came from Ben Curtis, the 2003 champion. Since he stunned the golfing community by taking the title at Royal St. George's as the 396th ranked player in the world, the man from Ohio has done little to suggest that his triumph, at 26, was the launchpad of a great career.

Yet he does have a liking for links golf as he proved again last year when he finished eighth at Carnoustie. After holing his second shot at the 451-yard par four third hole yesterday the American reached the turn in a remarkable 31 shots and, despite three bogeys on the back nine, kept going to the end for a level par round. A second Open win would be his dream .

'If I had a choice of winning a second major this would be it,' said Curtis. 'Back then (when I won before) I didn't put any pressure or goals on myself. I just wanted to have fun and enjoy the tournament.

'I had one of the best weeks I've ever played and I've always tried to tell myself to do that again. It's very hard because of the pressure you put on yourself. 'Obviously I'm a better player than I was then. I know if I get hot I have a chance to win any week.'

Henrik Stenson of Sweden was one shot behind after he, too, went round in 70. The big-hitting Ryder Cup star, whose caddie, Fannie Sunesson, helped Nick Faldo to four of his six majors, described the day as 'like fighting golf all over' but was optimistic about putting himself in with a chance of challenging for his first major.

He said: 'I'll need to do something really spectacular. But if I can get within three or four shots with nine holes to go on Sunday, then I'll have a chance to try and be aggressive.'

Elsewhere there was a fair amount of carnage, dictated by the conditions. Lee Westwood had a 78, Martin Kaymer, the 23-year-old German expected to make the Ryder Cup team, was round in 79, Nick Dougherty had an 79 and Justin Rose an 82.

But not everyone was whingeing about the weather or the state of their game. Davis Love III has played in every Open since 1987, loves the event and would not miss it, whatever the conditions.

Anyone who does not like it should not complain, he believes, but stay away like US Ryder Cup player Kenny Perry opted to do despite winning three of his last five events.

'I've got myself in trouble over the years chastising players', said Love, who is 44. 'If you don't want to come - don't come. Kenny Perry is a great friend of mine, a great guy and a great Christian and he's doing what he wants to do and he's not complaining. That's the way to do it.

'If you don't like the US Open don't come, if you don't like Masters don't play. This is the oldest tournament in the world, it's the biggest in the world and I want to be here and I'm happy to be here.

'It's frustrating and that's why you need the determination of Jack Nicklaus or Tiger Woods to win.

'You always learn something from this. I'll go back to the US and I'll be energised and excited by how I played here.'

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