Norman Has Winning On His Mind So Often The Master Of Disappointment, He’s Playing Like His Time Has Come

Now the mind games begin.

Australian Greg Norman continued to play magnificently at the Masters Tournament, shooting a 3-under-par 69 on Friday for a 4-shot lead over England’s Nick Faldo. So what’s next?

Norman’s sleep habits, of course.

“It’s going to be very tough for him, sleeping on the lead,” said American Lee Janzen, seven shots behind Norman with a 68-71-139 score. “I know he wants to win this very badly.”

At the 1987 Masters, in just one of many heartbreaking moments for Norman in major championships, Augusta’s Larry Mize knocked in an incredible chip shot on the second hole of a playoff to beat the Shark for the green jacket.

Norman has come close here so many times, there were those who believed he was ready for a straitjacket. He finished in a tie for second at the 1986 Masters, a tie for third at the 1989 Masters and a tie for third in last year’s Masters.

But in this one, at age 41, his time may have come.

Disaster could have occurred in the middle of Amen Corner on that scary little 12th hole, a 155-yard par-3. Norman’s tee shot hit the bank in front of the green and the ball started rolling toward Rae’s Creek. But it stopped 14 inches short.

“That was just in the lap of the gods there,” Norman said.

The golfing gods might need to pitch in today and Sunday if someone in the field is going to catch Norman. Faldo followed his opening-round 69 with a 67, but still has plenty of work to do just to catch the Shark, let alone overtake him.

South Africa’s David Frost shot a 4-under 68 for one of the day’s best rounds, but he and faltering American Phil Mickelson are six shots behind the leader. Mickelson, who was all over the golf course on the front nine, shot 73.

And get this. Gutty American Corey Pavin had Friday’s best round, a 6-under 66, but Pavin found himself nine shots behind Norman going into the third round.

Augusta National was so hard on the players that the defending champion, Ben Crenshaw, known far and wide as one of the best putters in the game, missed the cut after shooting 77-74-151.

Faldo, who is one of only two men to win back-to-back Masters - Jack Nicklaus is the other - will be paired with Norman today. So the drama is sure to be high and the mind games intense.

How is Norman holding up?

Fantastically.

At 18, the man hit as fine a wedge shot as you’ll ever see, in perfect position 4 feet underneath the hole, and then made the putt for his third birdie on the back nine.

“I’m looking forward to the next two days, I really am,” the Shark said. “I really feel very confident within myself.”

And loose.

In the press room after his round, Norman had ‘em practically rolling in the aisles as he talked about the speed of a birdie putt he missed at No. 11, which is named White Dogwood. White Terror would be more like it.

Of all the stories told about the greens this week, Norman’s full recounting of that putt will give you the best idea of what players are facing at Augusta National Speedway:

“I’ve never had a putt like that in my life. I’ve got a great Australian expression for it, but I won’t use it here because I might offend a few people.

“It was a 3- or 4-footer. I took the putter back maybe half an inch. There was no tension in my grip, no pressure in my fingers. It would have been hard to get a fingerprint if the cops were trying to get one off me.

“I’d like to go back there now and just knock that putt with my fingernail, just move a dimple, and see what happens. That’s why we love playing here, because of situations like that, which we’ve never experienced in our lives.”

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: LEADERBOARD Scores after the second round of the 60th Masters: Greg Norman 63-69-132 Nick Faldo 69-67-136 David Frost 70-68-138 Phil Mickleson 65-73-138 Bob Tway 67-72-139 Lee Janzen 68-71-139