For the second straight year Padraig Harrington will be the proud possessor of the Claret Jug and heralded as "Champion Golfer of the Year" after winning the 2008 Open Championship.  

After carding his third straight round in the low 70s at windswept Royal Birkdale, 53-year-old Greg Norman is leading the British Open as the third major of the year heads to its conclusion Sunday. In blustery conditions at the historic links in Southport, England, Norman shot a 2-over 72 to forge a two-stroke lead over defending champion Padraig Harrington (72) and second-round leader K.J. Choi (75).  

The great Bob Charles of New Zealand, with a career in professional golf that stretches back to 1960, met with reporters yesterday during a teleconference session to discuss his status as an inductee in the 2008 World Golf Hall of Fame. In testament to his conditioning and continued excellence in competitive golf, in 2007 the seemingly ageless left-hander became the oldest golfer to make a cut on the European Tour at the Michael Hill New Zealand Open. Charles shot a 68 in the second round, beating his age by three strokes. He went on to finish in a tie for 23rd place.  

While enjoying perhaps her best-ever tournament as a professional, Michelle Wie, committed a gaffe that cost her dearly. The 18-year-old was near the top of the leaderboard after the second round of the State Farm Classic in Springfield, Ill. But after visiting the scoring tent, she exited the area by the ninth green and, fatally, had forgotten to sign her scorecard.  

Ji Young Oh won her first LPGA tournament after sinking a 6-inch putt for par on the first playoff hole in the State Farm Classic in Springfield, Ill.  

While The Open Championship was underway across the Atlantic at Royal Birkdale, the U.S. Bank Championship was being played in Milwaukee. Richard S. Johnson birdied three of his final four holes for a 6-under 64 at the 6,759-yard Brown Deer Park Golf Course to win the PGA Tour event and its top prize of $720,000.  

Greg Norman certainly had his chances to win the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. But a spate of bogeys and eventual winner Padraig Harrington halted the remarkable quest by the 53-year-old Australian, who led after three rounds.  

Padraig Harrington was very cool and collected down the stretch of The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Playing in shirt sleeves as a stiff wind came off the nearby Irish Sea, Harrington carved out an exquisite 1-under 69 to win the third major for the second straight year.  

Michelle Wie has accepted an invitation to play in next week's Reno-Tahoe Open in Nevada. This will mark the eighth time the teenager will compete on the PGA Tour and the first since the 2007 Sony Open.  

Mike Souchak of Belleair, Fla., one of golf's renowned "power hitters" and who won his first professional tournament by setting a 72-hole record that stood for 46 years, passed away July 10, at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater. He was 81.  

Tom Robinson, a Class A member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), has qualified for the U.S. Senior Open, July 31-August 3 at The Broadmoor Resort's East Course in Colorado Springs, Colo.  

Following his outstanding performance at the Open Championship, Greg Norman stayed in the UK for this week's British Senior Open at Royal Troon in Scotland. The 53-year-old did not have the magic he exhibited at Royal Birkdale, shooting an opening 4-over 75 in the over-50 event.  

Sandy Lyle got a lot of flak last week, particularly in his native UK, after walking out on the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale after only playing 10 holes. The Scot, a former British Open and Masters champion, left the course at 11-over par in driving wind and rain.