Norman Regroups At Mci

Greg Norman pulled his psyche and his golf game together to land in contention in the MCI Heritage Classic at Hilton Head, S.C.

Norman, who gave away a six-stroke lead and the green jacket to Nick Faldo at Augusta National last Sunday, finished with a 69 Thursday. He was just three back of the four leaders - Ken Green, Guy Boros, Jim Furyk and Loren Roberts.

There were 25 golfers ahead of Norman - and 14 tied with him - on a nearly windless day that kept shots in front of the pin instead of soaring right or left.

It looked like it might take another round or two, though, to clear his mind of his final-round 78 at Augusta, despite the six-deep Harbour Town gallery that surrounded the 10th hole when Norman started his round.

“I don’t expect it to disappear. That’s not going to change for many, many years,” Norman said.

Faldo was among the leaders early, but slipped back to a 70.

Hale Irwin twice hit shots while standing in water, saving par each time, and worked his way around the windswept Champion Course at 6-under-par 66 for the first round lead in his first PGA Seniors’ Championship at Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Jack Nicklaus, winner of The Tradition two weeks ago, triple-bogeyed No. 17 and shot a 77, matching Arnold Palmer.

Fred Hawkins, who is 72 and was runner-up to Palmer in the 1958 Masters, shot a 94 with a 53 on the back nine.