All times are Eastern.
Greg Norman, Padraig Harrington
Tee time: 9:20 a.m.
Tee: No. 1
Total TOUR wins: 23
Why you should watch: Could we ask for more in the final round? In this corner, a 53-year-old two-time Open champion coming out of nowhere to establish a two-shot lead at the Open Championship when he should be preparing for the Senior British Open. Greg Norman is just incredible. Then, add to that the fact that he's paired with the defending champion, Padraig Harrington, and the final 18 holes at Royal Birkdale
are bound to be one for the ages.
| 2008 stat comparison |
|---|
| Player | Events Played | Cuts Made | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Top 10 | Top 25 | Scoring Avg. |
|---|
| Norman | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 75.00 |
| Harrington | 9 | 8 | -- | -- | 1 | 4 | 6 | 70.93 |
K.J. Choi, Simon Wakefield
Tee time: 9:10 a.m.
Tee: No. 1
Total TOUR wins: 7
Why you should watch: K.J. Choi will start the final round trailing Norman by two shots, while Simon Wakefield is three shots behind. This should actually be a pretty comfortable pairing. Neither player has ever won a major. Choi certainly is the more qualified candidate to win, but he'll be a wonderful companion for Wakefield. Choi is easygoing and focused on his game, but someone you expect to contend in the majors. Wakefield is a shocker to be near the top, but has positioned himself to pull off the unlikely.
| 2008 stat comparison |
|---|
| Player | Events Played | Cuts Made | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Top 10 | Top 25 | Scoring Avg. |
|---|
| Choi | 14 | 10 | 1 | -- | -- | 3 | 6 | 71.45 |
| Wakefield | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Ross Fisher, Ben Curtis
Tee time: 8:50 a.m.
Tee: No. 1
Total TOUR wins: 3
Why you should watch: Ross Fisher is playing terrific golf lately on the European Tour, so even from five shots back he could be a factor, but might be a little too green to withstand the pressure should he be in the mix on the back nine. Meanwhile, Ben Curtis has proven since his Open win in 2003 that he's not a one-hit wonder. He's won two other times on TOUR. Also, this is a little like St. George's in '03, where Curtis went out a few groups before the leaders, posted a number and waited to see if he could be matched. Don't be shocked if he wins the Open for the second time on Sunday.
| 2008 stat comparison |
|---|
| Player | Events Played | Cuts Made | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Top 10 | Top 25 | Scoring Avg. |
|---|
| Fisher | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Curtis | 15 | 11 | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | 3 | 71.52 |