SOUTHPORT, England -- Been there, done that.
Jack Nicklaus was at Royal Birkdale on Friday and could absolutely, positively relate to the incredible story happening on the upper reaches of the leaderboard.
Greg Norman, 53, is attempting to become the oldest winner of a major championship by five years. Nicklaus famously won the Masters in 1986 at age 46, one of the most memorable victories in the game's history. Julius Boros won a PGA Championship at age 48, the record.
Like Norman at the moment, Nicklaus had become a part-time player at that stage of his career and had been written off -- the Atlanta paper, quite literally, said he had no chance -- before teeing it up at Augusta National.
But when the Bear got into contention on the back nine on Sunday, he hadn’t forgotten how to pedal that bicycle.
"Greg has played very little golf," Nicklaus said friday. "The only thing I can relate it to is when I won the Masters back in '86. I hadn't played any golf, I'd been playing a little bit, played a few tournaments. But I remembered how to play when I needed to down the stretch.
"Maybe that's the position he'll find himself in come the weekend. I mean, I'm sure he'll remember how to play and remember how to win a golf tournament, when he gets himself in position to do so – when and if.
"We've got a long way to go. Even if he doesn't, I think that will inspire him to go and play a little bit more."