Royal St George's, the scene for the 122nd Open Championship, and arguably the most demanding of all the Open courses, was tamed by Greg Norman in a way which thrilled all who watched him and which conclusively re-established him as one of the game's great champions. The following excerpts tell the story of Norman's extraordinary four days. Norman, who last one a major in 1986, did not start as one of the favorites. Despite the course's fearsome reputation, Norman proceeded to outplay the entire field, shooting the best first round, final round and the lowest aggregate score of any Open champion. Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Corey Pavin and Peter Senior tried to stay in contention, but throughout the tense final day Norman held firm, clinching victory to become an enormously popular champion and reclaiming the trophy he last won at Tumberry seven years earlier.

Foreword
By Greg Norman

Greg Norman set the Open record with a 267 aggregate and equaled records for the best first and final rounds by a champion.

To think that I started at Royal St George's with a six, a double bogey on the first hole, it goes to show that you should never get too discouraged when some thing doesn't go as you planned.

I have always been a believer in being positive, in life and on the golf course, and I have always believed in my ability to do anything I wanted to do.

My thanks go to my wife, Laura, who has shared the bad times and the good; to my coach, and to many friends and supporters who have always been behind me.

That final round was one you just dream about. I cannot say in my whole career that I have played a round and not missed one shot, but that day I never mis-hit a shot. I hit every drive perfectly, every iron perfectly, and only made a mess of one putt, that very short putt on the 17th.

I was enjoying the championship so much, I wished it wouldn't finish.

I knew I had to play well because of the caliber of golfers around me -- Bernhard Langer, Nick Faldo, Corey Pavin, Nick Price, Peter Senior, Fred Couples and the rest, people whom we all regarded as the best players in the game. I loved that competition.

We knew from the first round that this would be one of the best Open Championships ever, and the best that anyone could ever win. I was never thinking of setting records, only of staying focused and wanting to win, and this was the best I ever played in my life.

To win this championship, the most important golf title in the world, and to win against those players, means everything.

Writers Robert Sommers Raymond Jacobs Michael Mcdonnell Michael Williams Marino Parascenzo Alistar Nicol John Hopkins Photographers Lawrence Levy Michael Cohen Editor Bev Norwood Authorized by the Championship Committee of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews. (© 1993, Partridge Press)