Norman on tour, but not senior yet

Greg Norman’s birth certificate says he is 50, although he still doesn’t consider himself a senior golfer.

Even though some British publications dubbed him “The Great Gray Shark” last week, Norman still wants to win on the grand stage of the PGA Tour. None of this over-50 tour stuff for him.

“If I play more golf and feel competitive, it’s going to be on the regular tour,” Norman said Wednesday after a practice round for today’s opening round of the U.S. Senior Open at NCR Country Club in Kettering, Ohio. “I don’t see myself adjusting my schedule for senior tournament golf.”

Norman hasn’t won a PGA Tour event since 1998. He had surgery March 22 to relieve the back pain which had limited his quality of life – and certainly the quality of his golf – over the past few years.

In his first tournament back after rehabbing, he played well at the British Open two weeks ago before shooting a 76 in the final round that left him tied for 60th. Last week in his seniors debut at the Senior British Open, he shot a 76 and then was the hottest golfer in the field with rounds of 67, 70 and 68 to miss a playoff by a shot.

Despite that third-place finish, Norman still wants to be measured against Tiger Woods and Ernie Els, not Dana Quigley and Doug Tewell.

He is not planning on playing in a seniors event – other than the major championships – this year or next.

“If my competitive level in my game is solid like its starting to show signs of, I’d much rather go out there and play the regular tour because I still hit the ball long enough,” said Norman, who has won 20 PGA Tour events, including two British Opens. “I feel like I’m above average than most players, even on the regular tour, so why not get out there and compete against those guys?”

Hale Irwin, who has won two Senior Opens to go with two U.S. Opens, is among the favorites this week. Defending champion Peter Jacobsen, Tom Watson (coming off a playoff win over Des Smyth at last week’s British Senior Open), Ray Floyd (who won the 1969 PGA Championship at NCR), Tom Kite, Jay Haas and Craig Stadler are also in the field.

In addition to Norman, Curtis Strange and Loren Roberts also are making their first appearance in a U.S. Senior Open.

Norman has played well in USGA events, although he’s never won one. He lost in a playoff to Fuzzy Zoeller at the 1984 U.S. Open at Winged Foot and finished second to Corey Pavin at Shinnecock in 1995.

With a USGA championship missing from his resume, he’d be more than happy to win the first one he plays in his sixth decade.

School beckons; Wie wants win

If Michelle Wie had been collecting paychecks, she’d have more than half a million dollars in the bank by now. Yet, she’s still only a 15-year-old amateur getting ready for 11th grade.

“If you think about how old I am right now it’s a little too much money for me,” Wie said. “I’m having too much fun as an amateur, just going to tournaments, not having that much pressure money-wise and stuff like that. It’s really fun.”

Contrast that with Annika Sorenstam. Chasing her career 10th major at the Women’s British Open starting today at Southport, England, the Swede is currently where Wie wants to be: at the top of the game.

Sorenstam aims to collect her third major of the year and eighth in five seasons when she goes out on the 6,463-yard, par 72 course which is a regular stop for the men’s British Open. While Wie doesn’t have a cent of prize money in the bank, Sorenstam has career earnings of almost $17.4 million.

The adventure continues today when Wie makes her Women’s British Open debut at Royal Birkdale in a top-class field also featuring fellow teenage star Paula Creamer, who won last week’s Evian Masters by eight strokes.

“When I play, my mind-set is that I can beat everyone,” Wie said. “(But) I don’t really think I’m the best yet.”

Going into her last tournament before she returns to Hawaii for high school, Wie has three second-place finishes in six tournaments this season. She would have won $530,000 and been ranked No. 13 on the money list.

“It’s just that I’ve been so close all year long,” Wie said. “I’m so close to being a success. I’m content in some ways and not content in some ways. (I’d feel) very happy if I won this tournament, very happy. It’s a hard four days ahead and it’s going to be tough.”