Norman's ending inevitable, but still not easy to take

SOUTHPORT, England -- It was painful, but it wasn't unexpected. For three days, Greg Norman had defied logic, defeated nature, beaten back the years. We kept hoping he might go on, while deep down we knew he could not.

Greg Norman congratulates Padraig Harrington on the 18th hole. (Getty Images)

It was a fairy tale, a delight, a lesson in living.

A 53-year-old in the realm of 20- and 30-year-olds, playing his heart out and playing with our hearts. What a tale it might have been, captivating, enthralling.

And even though the ending was all wrong, even though Norman failed on the final lap, unwillingly becoming part of a Cinderella story before reverting back to reality, the memories remain warm and reassuring.

Padraig Harrington won this 137th British Open, took the oldest golf tournament in the world a second consecutive year, and honestly, who can be surprised? The surprise is that Norman actually had a chance to win it. He actually was in the lead going to the back nine.

Maybe, we surmised, there was magic afoot. Maybe the gods of sport were smiling, that is if they hadn't already taken shelter from the wind that whipped Royal Birkdale. But no, Norman went backward and Harrington went on to the title.

Norman began the final round Sunday with a two-shot margin over Harrington, his Round 4 pairing. But Norman went bogey, bogey, bogey. Suddenly he was a shot behind. And even though Harrington wobbled a bit himself, you sensed the dream was done.

So difficult this golf tournament. So challenging. Harrington rallied, shot 32 on the back for a 69, but still came in over par for 72 holes, at 283. And won easily.

Ian Poulter was second at 7-over 287, while Norman, with a 7-over 77 Sunday, and Henrik Stenson tied for third at 289.

Third place for a man whose best days as a golfer are years behind him. If we or he had made such a suggestion before the first ball was struck, who could have been disappointed. In fact, we would have been disbelieving.

But when Norman is in the lead after 54 holes, in the lead after 63 holes, then comes in six shots behind, it has to be a bit distressing.

Norman, the newlywed, having married the tennis great Chris Evert three weeks ago. Norman, the former two-time Open champion, having won in 1986 and 1993. Norman, the guy whose résumé is full of agonizing losses in major championships.

This one is not to be included. This isn't like blowing a six-shot lead to Nick Faldo in the 1996 Masters. This isn't like getting nicked by Bob Tway's birdie out of a bunker the final hole of the 1986 PGA or by Larry Mize's chip-in birdie the second playoff hole of the 1987 Masters.