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Norman's second Open came in 1993, not 2003

Ben Curtis won at Royal St Georges in 2003.

I nicked this from opengolf.com, I think it`s worth reading this story again:

Its been almost 40 years since Mr Lu Liang-huans brush with Open Championship glory. Japans Ryo Ishikawa and Indian Gaganjeet Bhullar, Open debutants at Turnberry this week, were not even born when the ex-Hong Kong Golf Club teaching professional carved himself a place in Open Championship folklore.


It was at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in 1971 that the humble pro from Formosa, as Taiwan was then known, came agonisingly close to being crowned Asias first Major championship winner.


Yet when Lu pitched up at Royal Birkdale 38 years ago, there was precious little fanfare. Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Tony Jacklin and Lee Trevino, the heavyweight foursome of the day, would not have suspected that this smiling and courteous 34-year-old from the Far East might have the temerity to challenge them.


Even though Lu had represented his country in the World Cup since the late 1950s and had numerous Asian Tour titles to his name, only a sprinkling of hardcore fans were aware of his strength of mind and short-game wizardry.


Lu himself was just delighted to be there and excited about testing his wits against the best in the world. He set out his stall with an opening round of 70, which left him one shot off the pace set by Americans Trevino and Howie Johnson, Englands Jacklin and Argentinean Vicente Fernandez.


Few expected Lu to hang around. But he did not disappear from the leaderboard after the second round nor the third round nor on the final day.


And with each passing day he further endeared himself to the Lancastrian galleries, who had labelled him Mr Lu, a respectful reference to the players gentlemanly habit of tipping his pork-pie hat to the fans.


After the second round, The R&As official account of the tournament recorded: Lu turned in a round of 70, his aggregate of 140 meaning he was just one shot off first position and was quickly becoming the crowd favourite.


Paired together in the final flight on the last day, it soon became clear that the winner would come from the group featuring Trevino and Lu.


With nine holes remaining, it was the wisecracking Trevino who was in control, leading by four. But Lu stood his ground and when Trevino ran up a double-bogey seven at the 17th, the Asian trailed by just one shot.


The drama continued at 18 where Lus wayward tee shot struck a female spectator. Despite his obvious concern at her well-being, Lu regrouped to match Trevinos four at the last. His total of 279, however, was one more than the American.


For his efforts, Lu (who went on to win the following weeks French Open) earned a cheque for £4,000. Nevertheless, it is a measure of the man that Lu was more concerned about the health of the lady he had inadvertently struck on the last hole than about the size of the cheque hed take home with him.


I still remember that last round as if it were yesterday, recalled Lu during an interview with Asian Golf Monthly a decade ago. Not winning made me very sad yes, so sad.


That is one of my big regrets. I feel that if I had won The Open that year, more Asian golfers would have been tempted to play in major events in Europe and America. Perhaps if I had won, it would have been different.


So the message to 17-year-old Ishikawa and 21-year-old Bhullar and all other Asian players in Thursdays starting line-up is clear. You have a chance to create history for yourselves, your country and your continent. Give it your best shot, in the spirit of Mr Lu.

Surely S is for Saltman; Lloyd & Elliot, two of the most exciting young golfers in Scotland both got through qualifying to become the first brothers since Seve & Manuel Bellesteros in 1983 to compete in the Open. Instead we name drop next years Open venue, Rob I expected so much better.

D - is for Daly and his open win at St.Andrews. The "Wild Thing" tamed the greens and won a playoff after an incredible Constantino Rocca putt from off the green on 18 when it looked like Daly had it in the bag there and then.

John Daly said that when he first set eyes on St.Andrews he knew it was the course for him. He was right! Go JD!

H should have been for HD - what better way to view the premier golf tournement in the world than in glorious HD. Having seen the premier tennis tournement in HD, all golf fans will be getting excited at the prospect of the Open in HD.

And then the realisation kicks in and you learn that the ´óÏó´«Ã½ can't be bothered to show the event in HD! Are well, at least my 2 year old can enjoy "In The Night Garden" in all it's HD splendour - he really appreciates it!

So maybe N should read - Not in HD!

J is for Jack Nicklaus , the greatest golfer of all time with 18 major titles

in your opinion the greatest golfer of all time - easily the greatest of the modern era!

no room on your list for Bobby Jones - who also has 3 open titles - he only played 4 times! which is a 75% strike rate!

although he fell short of Jack's major haul he still won 13 majors and all that in only 21 majors played including the still to be equaled 'grand slam'. Giving him a win rate of 62% in all the majors he played - and all this while an amateur and gaining 2 degrees during his time as a golfer and working as a lawyer once qualified.

Nine men have won back-to-back Open titles since 1900, the last being Tiger Woods in 2005-2006.


Wouldn't the last player to win back to back Open Championships be Harrington?

Surely L should be for Lawrie. The last Scot to win The Open.

"7. At 8:34pm on 13 Jul 2009, Getpastthat wrote:
H should have been for HD - what better way to view the premier golf tournement in the world than in glorious HD. Having seen the premier tennis tournement in HD, all golf fans will be getting excited at the prospect of the Open in HD.

And then the realisation kicks in and you learn that the ´óÏó´«Ã½ can't be bothered to show the event in HD! Are well, at least my 2 year old can enjoy "In The Night Garden" in all it's HD splendour - he really appreciates it!

So maybe N should read - Not in HD!"


Surely this can't be true. Can anyone confirm this? If it is true it would rank as one of the worst decisions (and there have been many) that the ´óÏó´«Ã½ has made.

And while I'm on the subject, why oh why is the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s HD channel not showing the same programmes as ´óÏó´«Ã½1 or 2 at the same time more often? It seems to be treated as a completely separate channel, the logic of which escapes me.

Wonder why the ´óÏó´«Ã½ has chosen your "I" nominee to be the poster child for your article, Rob?
Perhaps because Mr.Poulter, who has yet to win The Open, embodies the "I" generation of sports people?
Can think of no other reason for his inclusion, or his photo.
Unless, of course, you know that he's going to be snapped during his backswing and the resultant fluffed Iron will cause him to never play The Open again??

I tend to agree with you kwiniaskagolfer. I admire Mr Poulter for his skill and determination but we hear far too much about him for his relative standing in the game

Would be very interested to know the reason why the Open is not in HD but the Masters was?!

Cost? Shouldn't be, unless the ´óÏó´«Ã½ use all it's own cameras and therefore for an event like the open where so many cameras are required the investment is too great.....but i find that hard to believe!

An unbelievable shame and a poor advert to the rest of the world of THE OPEN, because i presume the rest of the world will use the SD ´óÏó´«Ã½ feeds?

I believe the ´óÏó´«Ã½ is now promising that the 2010 Open will be in HD! Maybe the camera's get a nose bleed if they have to go up north - happy to stay in London covering Wimbledon.

Only reason the Beeb shows the Masters in HD is that is not the host broadcaster - really shows us up to the world taking the ´óÏó´«Ã½ feed that the event is not in HD - it's hardly a new technology!

Must go, Doctors is on in HD soon!

I decided to sign up following the Ian Poulter posts on here. I have a real problem with golf (Tournament Golf) at the moment. I did my annual jaunt up to the stunning Loch Lomond course for the practice day last week and came away feeling quite depressed.

So there I am at the 10th watching Els and Cabrera booming tee shots down the fairway - two of the best European (irony or what?) golfers in recent times and the crowd was non-existent. Where were all the fans - the teenage boys who should be watching and learning from these players? They were all chasing Poulter around!!

WHY??

Well the answer somes up the reasons that Britain has only produced one major winner since Faldo in 1996. We celebrate mediocrity!! Poulter for me is a peacock. What has he done in European golf let alone World golf? We accept toothless and substandard performances from Poulter, Casey and dare I say it, Monty.

These crowds that followed Poulter should do so when the guy has achieved golfing fame and not only because he wears loud clothing.

Later I was standing on the 18th tee at Loch Lomond when Olazabal walks on - argubly the best 'european' player since Faldo. The crowds? Nowhere. They were too caught up with Rory McIlroy in the group behind. Don't get me wrong the kid that skelp a ball a mile and he WILL win majors but the apparent lack of respect to a golfing great in Jose Maria was really quite sad.

And don't get me started on the endless 'journeymen' pros with inflated egoes and entourages on the driving range...

For me the only reason to watch The Open this year is Woods. He deserves all the acclaim and attention because he delivers.

I sincerely hope Poulter wins for British golf's sake but for goodness sake people - call him and the countless other Brits to task for what I fear will be yet another mediocre performance with a massive cheque!

PS The Open isn't on HD which is a total disgrace. Wimbledon reruns and Glastonbury are though - whoopee!

Rob,
I'm a big fan of Poulter's golf, but deplore his utterances and many of the things he does.
No surprise the Press laps him up, but they abdicate their responsibility to their readers (and viewers) if they don't also take him to task for his stupidity. And worse.