THE BRITISH OPEN : Norman, Faldo: Major Matchup at St. Andrews

By SHAV GLICK

July 21, 1990 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland —

Two of the best golfers in the world playing on the oldest and most famous golf course in the world for the oldest and most prestigious prize in the golf world.

That is the prospect for the final two days of the British Open as Greg Norman of Australia and Nick Faldo of England go head-to-head over the hallowed fairways of the Old Course of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews.

Norman and Faldo are deadlocked after 36 holes with record 12-under-par 132 totals after Norman shot his second successive 66 Friday and Faldo followed a few moments later with a 65 to go with his opening 67. They will be paired in today’s third round.

Both are former British Open champions, Norman having won in 1986 and Faldo in 1987, and they are 1-2 in the Sony World Rankings.

Faldo has won three of the last 12 major championships, lost another in a playoff and missed a U.S. Open playoff last month by one stroke. Norman has been the runner-up who has seen Bob Tway steal a PGA and Larry Mize grab a Masters from him with last-hole heroics.

Their birdie blitz the past two days has put them four shots ahead of the field. Craig Parry, another Australian, and Payne Stewart, the PGA champion and leading American, are tied for third place with 68-68--136 scores.

At 137 are an international foursome of Ian Woosnam of Wales, 68-69; James Spence of England, 72-65; Nick Price of Zimbabwe, 70-67, and Mike Reid of Provo, Utah, 70-67.

Steve Pate of Simi Valley, Jodie Mudd of Louisville and Peter Jacobsen of Portland, Ore., are at 138 with Jose-Maria Olazabal of Spain, Sam Torrance of Scotland and Anders Sorensen of Denmark.

The Norman-Faldo confrontation calls to mind the marquee matchup of Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus at Turnberry, Scotland, in the 1977 British Open. Watson won with a final-round 65 to Nicklaus’ 66 after each had shot a 65 in the third round.

Watson was not so fortunate this year. His one-over-par 145 left him among those who missed the lowest cut in British Open annals. It took a one-under-par 143 to stay in the tournament. Among those sidelined was Arnold Palmer, who first played here 30 years ago and had hoped to make the final round after shooting a 71 Friday, but his par total barely missed.

Also heading home early are Seve Ballesteros, Curtis Strange and defending champion Mark Calcavecchia.

The most sudden departure was that of Scott Hoch, who was two under par going to the dreaded Road Hole, No. 17, where he took a nine after hitting one ball out of bounds and putting another in the infamous Road bunker. Suddenly, he was three over par.

The previous record low cut was two over par, last year at Royal Troon.

“We are sailing along, Greg and I; we’re playing well, holing putts and seizing opportunities,” Faldo said. “It was exciting out there today. We seemed to be chasing one another. As soon as one birdie went up on the board, another one went up. It was a nice mode to be in.”

Norman had a remarkable string in what is known as the Loop, from the seventh through the 11th holes at the far end of the course, where he shot 3-2-3-3-3, four strokes under par. Only amateur Gene Andrews of Los Angeles has done better here, 3-2-3-3-2 in the 1958 British Amateur.

Norman still trailed Faldo by a stroke before making the day’s most spectacular shot, a 75-yard wedge that hit the green on No. 14, then spun about two feet back into the cup for an eagle-three on the 567-yard hole.

“I knew I hit it good and I saw it hit the green and spin, but I couldn’t see it go in the hole,” Norman said. “I had an idea, though, from the cheer that went up.”

Faldo was not as spectacular, clipping off seven birdies without a bogey in his usual display of consistency. Faldo shot 18 consecutive pars in the final round to win his British Open.

“The best shot I hit was on the 17th when I was in deep grass, 156 yards from the hole, and hit a seven-iron just short of the green,” Faldo said. “It was close enough to putt, about 90 feet, and I was pleased to get down in two putts.”

Norman said he looked forward to what has all the earmarks of a match-play shootout.

“I definitely feel I can win this week,” he said. “That will be my approach the next two days. I feel relaxed and happy with my game and am in a good position to win at St. Andrews, which is every golfer’s dream.

“Faldo and I grew up together in Europe, basically, and have been matching shots since 1977. We know each other very well. It should be interesting, to say the least.”

Off this year’s records, it would appear to be even up.

Norman has won the Doral Ryder and Memorial tournaments on the American PGA Tour, plus the Australia Masters in his home country. Faldo has won the Masters and lost by a stroke in the U.S. Open and the Volvo PGA championship in Europe.

Faldo warned, however: “Greg and I can’t spend all our time watching each other, because the guys in back know what they have to do, and they’ll be loose and can come out shooting at the moon. There is a long way to go, and if the weather changes, anything could happen.

“You know, when it blows around here, the sea gulls walk.”

Stewart, who wore the green-and-yellow colors of the Green Bay Packers, said he felt good about his position with 36 holes remaining.

“I came over here two weeks ago and played in the Scottish Open to get rid of jet lag and get a feeling for the bump-and-run game you need on a links course like St. Andrews,” he said. “I have been patient and have been in only one bunker in two days. That’s the secret around here. I feel good about my chances.”

SCOREBOARD

THE LEADERS

Player & Score

Nick Faldo: 67-65--132

Greg Norman: 66-66--132

Craig Parry: 68-68--136

Payne Stewart: 68-68--136

Mike Reid: 70-67--137

Nick Price: 70-67--137

James Spence: 72-65--137

Ian Woosnam: 68-69--137

*Six are tied at 138