Norman takes one-shot lead into final day of Senior Open

Published on Saturday 25 July 2009 23:30

GREG Norman finds himself in familiar territory at Sunningdale ahead of the final round of the Senior Open Championship on top of the leaderboard.

The Australian carded a terrific round of 64 to move one shot clear of overnight leader Fred Funk and 2006 champion Loren Roberts on a 10-under tally of 200.

The two-time Open winner, who has been on the wrong end of many a famous comeback over the years, has led eight times after 54 holes in major championships – most recently last year's Open at Royal Birkdale – but only once converted that into a victory, the 1986 Open at Turnberry.

"I didn't expect Fred to come backwards, to be honest," said Norman. "I was driving the ball well, I could see the shots I wanted on the tee so I just went and played them. Any time you shoot a low round on a Saturday you usually do get into contention."

Bob Charles, Gary Player and Tom Watson are the only players to have won both the Open and the Senior Open, but Norman made a classic Saturday move for which he has become renowned as he carded a six-under total for the day to put himself well placed to become the fourth member of that club.

Norman went out in 33, but birdied four holes out of five from the 11th and did not drop a shot all day. The 53-year-old American Funk looked to be coasting at one stage when he reached 12 under to lead by four shots. But at the 12th he found the famous heather for which Sunningdale's old course is so well known and the result was a double-bogey 6. He dropped another at 15 to be joined by Roberts, the 2006 winner of this event at Turnberry, on nine under.

Zimbabwe's Denis Watson is another shot back in fourth, with Larry Mize and Scotland's Sam Torrance on seven under.

Bernhard Langer is on six under, two clear of Sandy Lyle.

Australian Marcus Fraser intends to celebrate his 31st birthday by winning his second European Tour title today after taking over the lead in the Scandinavian Masters.

Fraser came from five strokes behind overnight leader Ricardo Gonzalez of Argentina to head the field after Saturday's third round by a shot with a three-under-par 70 taking him to eight-under-par 211. The Australian, who has remarkably made the cut in his last 21 events, has come close to winning several times since his 2003 maiden victory in the Russian Open.

None more so than last November, when he lost a play-off for the Australian Masters co-sanctioned title to compatriot Rodney Pampling as his wife Carlie was preparing to give birth to their son Archie.

His family is now in good health after complications with the birth and Fraser said he was ready to win again. "It's time to get the job done," said the Melbourne professional, who is accompanied by his family and his mother Sandra this week. told reporters. "Every week I feel I should have a chance. I'm 31 tomorrow. It would be the perfect time."