SOUTHPORT, England -- Windy? Candlestick Park was never close to this. We're lucky not to have been blown back to the 19th century. In the immortal words of Greg Norman, "It was just brutal today.''
But not brutal enough to keep Norman from the lead after three rounds.
The text message was there in the morning. If Tiger Woods could not be at Royal Birkdale, at least his words were, directed at longtime pal and 1998 Open champion Mark O'Meara.
"He told me to go out and kick some butt," O'Meara said, then laughed in reflection. "I didn't kick any butt. I was just getting my butt kicked."
SOUTHPORT, England -- Paul Goydos couldn't close an umbrella. Rocco Mediate did close out his round. The rain fell. The wind blew, and, heaven help us, in what promises to be the most enticing British Open in recent years Greg Norman was a shot out of the lead.
SOUTHPORT, England -- The summer of Spain. The country's soccer team capturing a championship, the European Cup, it hadn't won in 44 years. A tennis player winning Wimbledon, something a Spaniard hadn't done in virtually the same length of time. And now... ?
And now out strides "El Nino," Sergio Garcia, brimming with faith, believing in omens, relying on experience.
SOUTHPORT, England -- He is riding a surge of confidence, exactly what a golfer needs, especially playing in a British Open for the first time.
Anthony Kim arrives at Royal Birkdale for his initial experience at links golf, and so we reach back in time for a meaningful parallel.
SOUTHPORT, England -- THE TOWN, Victorian architecture and weathered pensioners, somehow made it out of the 19th century. Southport, 25 miles up the coast from Liverpool, has dance halls, pubs and entertainment featuring comedians who apparently are funny if you understand English, as opposed to American.
WIMBLEDON, England -- She's still here. The others have faded away, Justine Henin, Kim Clijsters, Martina Hingis. Venus Williams still is here.
And once again grasping a trophy.
WIMBLEDON, England -- The poets and poseurs tried to make it more than it was. It's always that way when an English athlete does somewhat well, always that way in a land where sporting success disappeared with the Empire.