Norman shows dramatic return to form

Once Greg Norman got started, the rest was easy.

The 47-year-old Australian, coming off a five-week layoff in which he didn't even practice, shot a bogey-free 6-under-par 65 Friday to take a two-stroke lead at the midpoint of the Kemper Insurance Open.

``The hardest part about getting motivated is getting yourself there,'' said Norman, who is winless on the PGA Tour since 1997 and played so few events last year that he lost his membership.

``Sometimes as of late the hardest part is getting to the starting gate. Once you get to the starting gate, everything else is natural, and that's the way I've felt the last couple of days.''

Norman, whose enthusiasm for his golf career now shares equal billing with his many business interests, is trying to become the oldest player to win a PGA Tour event since Tom Watson took the Colonial three years ago at age 48.

Norman certainly had a spring in his step Friday, nearly sprinting at one point while sharing a smile with the scorekeeper after a great tee shot at No. 17. He birdied the hole, his second in a row, to keep the momentum from his first-round 67 to move to 10-under 132.

``I don't feel 47, to tell you the truth,'' said Norman, who cycles regularly and works out daily. ``I probably feel better than I did when I was 35. I may have a few more aches and pains, yes, but I think when I was 35 I had those aches and pains, and you just didn't pay attention to them.

``But health-wise, my work ethic has been second to none. I will guarantee you that -- in my sport, anyway.''

On a day of withering, 90-degree heat and fluctuating scores, Norman had the steady hands. He was the only player in the entire field not to have a bogey.

Bob Estes was 11 under after an eagle at No. 13, but lost three strokes on Nos. 16 and 17 -- the same holes Norman later birdied. Craig Barlow and Willie Wood both reached 9 under before falling back one shot to tie Estes and Bob Burns at 8 under.

Norman's strong play comes during a week in which he has discussed at length the challenges of playing on the tour in his 40s, a time when some golfers no longer contend regularly and simply bide their time until they can join the senior tour.

``We've just been passed through the organization. ... Guys start feeling the pinch, and you feel like you're a forgotten entity,'' said Norman, who supports Fred Couples' proposal for a Majors Tour for older winners of the four major tournaments.

But Norman's round Friday was good enough to lead on any tour. He took the lead by putting an 8-iron within 9 feet at No. 16, then followed with the 6-iron to 2 feet at the par-3 17th to get to 10 under.

Norman also is in position to end the Kemper's three-year run of producing first-time tour winners. Norman is one of 12 golfers to win for the first time on the tour at the Kemper, taking the 1984 tournament at nearby Congressional Country Club.

Early on, it seemed double-digit scores would be all over the leaderboard, especially after first-round leader Franklin Langham's record-tying 63 on Thursday. Estes had the hot hand for a while, with his 40-foot putt for eagle giving him a three-stroke lead at 11 under.

But Estes' approach at No. 16 hit the front edge of the green and rolled down a long slope back into the fairway. He bogeyed the hole, and had a double bogey on No. 17 when his tee shot landed in the water.

``That's the way this course is,'' Estes said. ``If you're just a little bit off, you're going to make double bogey.''

Langham got to 9 under with a birdie at No. 5 before a cautious approach and bad chip led to a bogey at the next hole. He finished the day with a 72 to join six players at 7 under.

Defending champion Frank Lickliter missed the cut by one stroke with rounds of 70 and 73.

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