If you play golf alongside a regular gaggle of friends you’ll probably know how ‘bits’ work. If not, let me explain. A bit is a form of monetary reward for good golf - if you get one it’s worth one pound from every other player in the field. You get a bit for the following – a birdie (two for an eagle etc), a ferret (holing from of the green for par or better), sandy par (you don’t need me to explain this) and nearest the pin on par threes.

Now, what has this got to do with the Open Championship I hear you ask? Well, yesterday assistant editor Alex Narey and myself followed Sergio Garcia. I took it upon myself to count the number of bits accumulated by the Spaniard (the other journalists following Garcia probably thought I was crafting an in-depth piece for the local newspaper, alas not).

Unfortunately, we missed his first five and last five holes but here’s a rundown (albeit with a few educated guesses in there) of Sergio’s round in terms of bits. Garcia got his bit campaign off to a flyer on the fourth hole by canning a 70 footer from off the green. To use Peter Alliss’s terminology, a double bit (for a ferret birdie) can be worth ’much gold’. He then proceeded to make a spate of sandy pars. Those of you who are bit veterans will know that missing greens isn’t necessarily a bad thing. By the time we left him on the 15th tee (the smell of fish and chips wafting over from the nearby hospitality tent was too good to ignore) I counted a commendable five bits. Garcia went on to make a birdie at 17 to complete six bit round of 73. Good work son.

Now, before you receive your bit money the treasurer (in our case that’s usually GM editor Mike Harris) will tally up the total number of bits scored during the day. At the average GM order of Merit event it’s about 20. Each player has therefore to put in £20 before getting his share of the kitty back.

Again for argument’s sake, lets say that the average number of bits yesterday at the Open was five per player (they are significantly more prolific bit accumulators than we are). Multiply five by the number of players in the field and this means that each player would be forced, initially at least, to part with £750. In turn this means the kitty would hold an extremely healthy £112,500. (A trustworthy member of the R&A would need to be in charge of said kitty). Garcia’s six bits would have earned him a decent £894 – I make that a net profit of £144. (Like us, he’d get his money in pound coins so would be advised to find a couple of those see-through money bags used by the bank).

If you’ve managed to read to the end of this blog entry, I commend you – my head, like yours I suspect, is spinning. All that’s left for me to say is, I’ve never felt happier not making the Open field.

As I write this, the gales are buffeting against the media tent with such force that some hacks appear to be running for extra cover. It's a bit of an uneasy situation, and with the forecast suggesting there will be no let-up as the day progresses, it's anyone's guess as to what will be a decent score at the end of play.

The wind is absolutely fierce, to the point where there are rumours circulating about postponements of play. I can't see why that would happen. This is links golf at its toughest and nobody said winning at Royal Birkdale would be a walk in the park. Whoever lifts that Claret Jug on Sunday evening (or whenever play finishes) will have come through one of golf's greatest tests. The elements have far more bearing on matters than the absence of a certain Tiger Woods.

Out on the course, scores are dropping at quite a rate; hitting the fairway is an absolute must because players are hacking from rough to rough with little control. We had a discussion at dinner last night that good putting would really play a crucial part throughout the weekend, noted in a recent blog from Paul O’Hagan. It's an obvious point, but many in the field will not have experienced links conditions like this before and with greens being missed from the fairway, it will come down to whoever holes out with greater consistency.

For that the two men at the top of the leaderboard can take heart. KJ Choi’s putting has been hugely impressive while solid par putts have been a key ingredient to Greg Norman's success over the last two days.

To keep you informed, we have just been passed a weather update that reads scattered and blustery showers throughout the day with north-westerly wind speeds peaking between 4 and 6pm (40mph with a 45-48 mph gust).

Norman and KJ tee off at 2.40pm, so they could have the worst of it. Another Norman - our man Luke - has just dipped out to brave the breeze, so look out for an update shortly. Let's hope he doesn't blow off out to sea!

From a very windy Royal Birkdale...

I came to this Open Championship with no great expectations but, having seen what Greg Norman has done, I now believe that I can, after all, win a major. Okay, I’m getting on and can’t afford to leave it very much longer before making my breakthrough but, as Greg has clearly demonstrated, there’s no substitute for solid experience and I’ve had plenty of that. Twice runner up in the Dale Hill Summer Cup, a three-time medal winner and a string of solid performances in midweek Stablefords must surely count for something when the Big One comes along.

Although I don’t have his wavy hair or shiny teeth, there are a number of spooky similarities between Greg and me that give me reason to hope. For a start, we’re both right-handers. Furthermore, we’re both in our 50s. It’s true that he’s considerably wealthier than I am but I’ve been picking up quite a bit of freelance editorial work of late which should help me to close the gap, at least a little.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Norman kept the kids at bay and struck a blow for the balding generation by carrying home the Claret Jug on Sunday night? At his post-round press conference today he was understandably reluctant to say whether or not he thought he could win. I feel less constrained about speculating on my prospects and am happy to go on record as saying that I believe that, provided my partner Jimmy ‘Three Putts’ Henderson can get over his recent attack of the dreaded shanks, the Dale Hill Winter Fourball Trophy is a definite possibility.

If Greg and I can both pull it off, what a double blow that would strike for senior golfers everywhere.

Camilo Villegas has experienced two very different rounds at his first Open Championship. The 26-year-old Colombian’s 76 on Thursday included 34 putts compared to yesterday's fantastic 66 which included only 23.

A number of factors suggest it could be putting that decides this year’s Open Championship. With the course playing so difficult, and some of the windiest conditions many of these players will have ever played in, it is inevitable that they are going to miss greens. This puts extra pressure on those six to ten foot putts that everyone is going to face. Adam Scott and Sergio Garcia have both missed a number of putts from close range and despite some impressive ball striking find themselves four and five shots off the lead respectively. Lee Westwood is another that missed a number of short putts early on and has failed to recover.

The greens at Royal Birkdale are not renowned to be the most undulating on the Open rota but there are very few putts being holed. With the wind even stronger this morning it will be a day of patience and anyone who holds his nerve on the greens should be in contention on Sunday.

As the weekend looms at Royal Birkdale, attention in the media tent is turning towards the hopeful charges that currently lead the pack. Can Harrington make his eagle/birdie finish count to make it back-to-back Open wins? What about Jim Furyk? A major winner in 2003 at the US Open and looking his usual self with a gritty 71 today. Or can current leader Greg Norman really pull what will be the biggest fairytale in golf out of the bag to claim a hat-trick of Open crowns?


In the absence of Woods, this championship was always going to feature plenty of sideshows as the main event failed to make an appearance. One of those comes with the performance of a man who back in 1999 knocked the then 23-year-old Tiger off his perch as world number one, challenging him on all fronts on the PGA Tour before winning his one-and-only Major in 2001 - the Open Championship at Royal Lytham.


For many golfing romantics, seeing David Duval's name on the leaderboard is even more satisfying than seeing Norman's. Duval has endured a horrendous run since his glory days during the turn of the Millennium, plummeting to new depths in the world rankings as the players he once picked off with ease kept everything in check. As I write this he has just holed another birdie putt to take him to one-under-par - just a shot off the lead. It is a mark of class that he sits where he does. I hate the phrase "Form is temporary, class is permanent" but in Duval's case I'm willing to give it a try.


I didn't always feel this way about him though. I cringed at his celebrations after he beat Jesper Parnevik 5&4 in the 1999 Ryder Cup Singles; his fist punching heroics just a taste of what would soon follow. I also found some of his early-day press conferences a little surly.


But the turning point came during his acceptance speech after the Open in 2001. He thanked the British public from the bottom of his heart, speaking with genuine affection towards the galleries that had followed him for four days. Finally a major winner, the pressure was off and the public took to him. There are other stories about his decent nature, most notably partying with the victorious 2002 European Ryder Cup team.


The slump in form that followed hurt him badly, as you would expect. And although it is hard to see Duval carrying his current form all the way through to the homestretch, he will certainly take heart from the fact that golf has not forgotten about him.

Monty, Monty, Monty, nine holes with you is like a lifetime with anyone else. Three of us have just spent two and a half hours with Colin Montgomerie and it’s been exhausting, brilliant but exhausting.

In fact so eventful was it that playing partner and mild mid-west eccentric Boo Weekley turned to him laughing at one point and said; “C’mon Monty, calm down!” A triple-bogey, two doubles, two birdies and four pars is a roller-coaster whichever way you look at it but with the Monty it doesn’t even tell half the story.

It was a very merry Monty who stepped onto the 1st tee to huge acclaim with one barmy fan dressed head to foot in Saltires. And the grin remained firmly planted on the fleshy features as we trundled uneventfully down the 1st with the regular “C’mon on Monty” shouts only serving to widen that smile. It was a calm before the most almighty of storms.

A blue-jacketed OAP marshal was the first to suffer after the big man pulled his second shot into the clag left of the 2nd green. Said marshal got an earful for having the temerity to stand behind Monty holding up his “please quiet” sign. We sniggered quietly in the background but should really have heeded the warning.

The TV buggies following the trio were the next to receive Monty’s baleful ire, followed very quickly by the man who very kindly agreed to rake Monty’s bunkers – a bit unfair we thought of the Scot to get cross with him, perhaps he wanted to rake his own bunkers.

An air shot, which you probably saw, didn’t help the mood at 5 and by the time we were on the 6th fairway the GM trio were desperately trying to melt into the bushes every time Monty glanced our way – not easy when you are wearing orange Galvin Greens.

So bad did it get for Monty on 6 that he dropped his club in exasperation as he arrowed his vision at another marshal who had started to let spectators cross just as he was ready to fire another shot into the bund. Oh dear.

As we stood by the 7th, BBC Radio Five Live’s Andrew Murray told us he was going to bet Monty a pint that he wouldn’t make the cut… let it be known that Mr Murray is the bravest man in England. But Monty being Monty clearly decided that seven dropped shots in five holes was enough and promptly nearly aced the 7th. Murray got his question in, Monty laughed and decided to roll in a 25-footer at 8 for back-to-back birdies.

By now we were in a spin and I even got the faint whiff of the smug smile back on the Scot’s face. It twitched a little bigger as he fired a 7-iron to 8ft at 9 and surely a third birdie in three. He might even ask Andrew Murray for dinner tonight I mused. But no, had we not learnt what this man is like? He missed the putt, stared at Murray and stormed off for a second nine.

Wow, what a man.

Never mind if there is life on Mars, is this the retro Open Championship or what? By the middle of Day Two I expected to be doing many things but interviewing my old mate Greg Norman wasn't one of them.

While the majority of players have prepared for this Open by consulting coaches, chatting seriously to psychobabble experts, fine-tuning already over-tuned golf swings and generally tearing themselves into a frenzy of anticipation and hope, Greg sensibly concentrated on his marriage to Chris Evert.

He is only here at Birkdale so his new bride can watch him strut a stage he used to dominate and only strutting this stage because he arrived in his private jet determined to win the British Senior Open in Scotland next week. Instead, at 53 and without any serious competition for a few years The Shark leads. Talk about over-achieving.

His last major was at St Andrews three years ago and again he was only there because he was preparing for the Senior one and, to be fair, because his boyhood idol Jack Nicklaus was saying bye-bye. His performance here this week so far has been a triumph and it doesn't much matter what happens from here on in.

I am delighted for him. I've known Greg for nearly 30 years and respected him for all of them. He remains, to those of us who really know him, the same decent bloke he always was. Larger than life, sure, but a loyal and generous man. His early nickname on the European Tour was Hollywood because even when he didn't really have two quid to rub together he travelled in a borrowed black Rolls Royce and always looked a million dollars.

Nowadays, of course, he is worth many hundreds of millions with more business projects than many small countries can boast. But despite this success he has never really found anything to compare with the thrill of competing at the sharp end of one of the world's great contests. He grew visibly when he marched up the final fairway yesterday, raising his cap to acknowledge the warm applause that cascaded over him from packed stands.

The emotion was clear and soon became clearer when hew rattled his putt past the hole and off the green. Off course, being Greg, he effortlessly holed the one back to keep his place at the top of the leaderboard. Now, unless things change late on, he will tee off last tomorrow with Camilo Villegas alongside him, the old ,maestro and the young wannabe.

If Greg now looks as though he should be skippering a marlin boat somewhere off Bermuda, Villegas carries the transparent presence of lead singer in a medium successful boy band. Between them they are about to make this Open look more like an annual Father & Son comp. Good on them.

After following the calm three-ball of Greg Norman, Robert Karlsson and Woody Austin yesterday, matters were more restricted for members of the media today. It's slightly more hustle and bustle out there, with an army of stewards keeping the hacks and scribes in check.

Choosing to take in the sights of Sergio Garcia's party with deputy editor Neil Tappin, it seemed we were constantly being man-marked by one media
liaison officer who had probably clocked us for a couple of cowboys. To be fair, the old boy was fairly helpful and understanding. Come to think of it,
the jobsworth count is pretty minimal around the fairways and most of the boys in blue (you can't miss them on the box with their fetching jackets)
let you get on with your job with little or no fuss.

Yesterday, as the buzz around Norman gathered pace with the Shark's relentless surge through the front nine, I shared the paths and rough with a
few guys from ABC as well as a couple of Australian print reporters. We were like a little family, sharing biscuits and everything. Today, the Sun's
hardened hack Steve Howard strutted with us. He made the rather sloppy move of not packing any waterproofs and when a filthy downpour hit us on the 13th green I was keen to catch his eye and flash the Galvin Green Gore-Tex in his direction.

It is interesting to watch how other reporters operate. Some of the young breed (I'd like to include myself in that) play it more by memory; noting
personal touches about the players. Many old school reporters jot down the action as they go along, while others simply lock themselves in the media
tent all day and watch it unfold on the big screen.

As an Open rookie, that's not for me. In fact, with a certain Colin Montgomerie teeing off in half and hour, it's time to get out there and follow the big man. Better leave the mobile indoors...

73, 74 in these conditions I think I would have taken that. I can’t kick myself over that, especially when I got down here early doors on Thursday morning and saw some of the scores that people were posting. I think I would have paid for 73, 74 at that time actually!

I have just had a big smile on all day, it’s been great and make it or not I feel like I have played decent enough golf. I just haven’t quite been tight enough with the short game really, but you have days when it’s like that. I feel like I have hit it really well and perhaps just not quite scored as well as I could.

Although, touch wood, I haven’t made a big mistake yet. I’ve made plenty of little ones but I haven’t made a single double-bogey in 36 holes, which is really pleasing. I am a little frustrated that I haven’t got up and down more often and I haven’t been as much in control of the golf ball around the greens as I would like which is disappointing because I have been working really hard on that the last few weeks. It’s becoming strength for me but has slightly let me down round here so far. The rest of my game is in good shape though and I can hit all the shots I need to hit out there.

Having grown up not far away I do know the course well although it’s not like it’s my home track or anything. It’s quite refreshing like that actually because you see it with an open mind and it makes you really concentrate.

Some of my mates started cracking the tinnies really early this morning – I teed off at 6.52am! I think I had about 30 or so people following me this morning, which is the best! In fact I am off to spend the afternoon with some of them.

I will hit a few chips before tomorrow but nothing too heavy. I really just want to get the jeans on and go chill out. I won’t actually watch the golf this afternoon, I have to admit I am not a big fan of watching golf, I’d rather go wakeboarding or something…although I won’t be doing that this afternoon!

I will get a little nervous about the cut later but obviously it’s out of my control now and I’ve done what I thought was the best I can do. If I don’t make it I’ll be disappointed but I can’t be disappointed with myself, I hit the ball in exactly the places I wanted.

It will be a hell of a feeling to make my first Open cut as a pro… if I do make it then the pressure is off tomorrow and it’s Saturday so moving day and if I get it round in level-par or a couple under then you can really jump up that leaderboard. A weekend at an Open will be very, very special.