It’s difficult to say given all the sentimental nostalgia from this past week, but Greg Norman had no chance at the British Open, and not because he’s 53 years old and plays less golf than the average club champion. He blew the 54-hole lead, because that’s what he does. Eight times he’s held the lead in a major going into the final round; He’s closed the deal once. His second major, the 1993 British at Royal St. George’s, was a come-from-behind win, an extraordinary final-round 64 in a 30-knot wind that included a missed 14-inch putt. Butch Harmon still calls it the greatest round of golf he’s ever seen, but Norman was not in the final group that day, and, quite frankly, wasn’t supposed to win.

He will always be known for the ones that got away, and not because of being snake-bit. Sure Bob Tway holed a bunker shot to beat him in the PGA Championship, but Norman shot 76 that Sunday. Yes, Larry Mize holed the most improbable chip in history to rob him of the 1987 Masters, but Norman hit three iron approaches dead right in the final round to put him in that position. Fuzzy Zoeller beat him at Winged Foot in the 1984 U.S. Open because Greg couldn’t throttle back his love of the driver. And he gift-wrapped the Claret Jug for Mark Calcavecchia at Royal Troon for the same reason.

So legendary was Norman’s ability to slice his own throat, that the Saturday night of the 1996 Masters, when Norman held a six-shot lead, British sportswriter Peter Dobereiner ran into Norman in the clubhouse, put his arm around him, and said, “Don’t worry Greg ole’ boy, not even you could f--- this one up.”

Norman lost by two to Nick Faldo in what is still considered the greatest collapse in Masters history. 

Tiger has never lost a major where he held the lead going into the final round. If Norman had that same record, he would have won nine majors and the 1986 Grand Slam. The fact that he lost again this past Sunday was no surprise. But the fact that throughout the week people were saying that Norman was “Tiger before there was a Tiger” did nothing but enhance Tiger’s claim on the Greatest Player Who Ever Lived title.

Paddy Harrington might have won on Sunday – and good for him – but the real winner was the guy who didn’t play. Anybody think Tiger Woods at age 33, 43, or 53 would have blown a two shot lead on Sunday? Didn’t think so.