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Greg Norman's week in review at Royal Birkdale: Winner or loser?
Steve Elling	Ross Devonport
No question, some of his harshest critics will insist that his week at Birkdale marks the perfect closing act for Norman's career at the majors. That is, yet another case of the Shark getting close and not delivering the goods. But for a part-time player making a cameo appearance, not a comeback, it was great stuff while it lasted. Sure, it will be added to his long, distinguished list of blown 54-hole leads at the game's biggest events, but if you remove his past performance from the equation, consider this remarkable fact: A 53-year-old man was tied for the lead with seven holes remaining at the oldest championship in golf. That's pretty darned strong for an old man by the sea. Or a young man, even.	I'm torn on Mr. Norman. I never liked him when I was growing up as a golf fan, and I've only really heard negative things from people who have run into him down here in South Florida. Also, it's clear he wasn't too nice to his wife (who might not be nice herself, who knows?) and took off with another person who I'm not a big fan of -- Chris Evert-Lloyd-Mills-Norman. However, his performance at Birkdale made for a great story the first three days and I was beginning to think what a win it would be if he could pull it off. But in the end, his history of choking and age just caught up to him at the end there. He didn't win, so I'm just going to continue to call him a loser.

Michelle Wie was disqualified for leaving the scoring area before she signed her card. Sure, she broke the rule, but did the punishment fit the crime?
Steve Elling	Ross Devonport
Wie had already begun playing her third round when the violation, which occurred after the second round, was mentioned by volunteers manning the scoring area. She was one shot off the lead after 54 holes when she was kicked to the curb. I have said this before and it bears repeating -- retroactive penalties are a joke. Golf needs to adopt a statute of limitations. Once the round is in the books, it's over. Once the next round starts, there is no looking backward. Wie didn't cheat or willingly bend rules to suit her advantage. It was a boneheaded mistake that quite possibly might have cost her an LPGA card for 2009, and that's too steep a price for an inconsequential gaffe. Heck, they knew what she shot. That was never even in doubt. No wonder people think golf has some idiotic rules. Hard to argue the point.	Golf has some very stupid rules, and this is one of them, but Wie is even more stupid for 'forgetting' to sign her scorecard. I mean, at every tournament I've ever been to, players walk from the final green straight to the scorer's tent, where they sit down and double check their cards before signing them. What part of this process did Miss Wie forget and how, exactly? I know she doesn't particularly exude Ivy League when she opens her mouth, but surely she has played in enough tournaments to know the specifics of this rule. As for this possibly costing her a chance at a card, she is apparently playing in the PGA Tour's Reno-Tahoe Open next week, so she obviously isn't too concerned about her LPGA status, otherwise she would be over in England trying to qualify for the Women's British Open instead.

Padraig Harrington became the first European player since Scotland's James Braid in 1905-06 to repeat as British Open champion. Could he become the next Tom Watson, who won five majors on the storied U.K. links?
Steve Elling	Ross Devonport
Quite possibly. His first Open win was a revelation and the second was more personally satisfying, possibly opening the door for many to follow. Sunday night, Harrington seemed as though a switch had been flipped -- he now knows he can win majors because his first has been validated as anything but a fluke (Sergio Garcia missed beating him on the final hole last year by an eyelash). This time, he methodically wore down the competition with stellar golf on the closing nine and was never close to being headed. It's hard to envision an Open in the near future where Harrington won't be considered a frontrunner. Unlike many of the game's other top players at the moment, or at least the healthy ones, he's a bit more consistent from week to week. Here's another possibility, too: With that second Open win, look for him to be named a Ryder Cup captain at some point down the line. He's to Irish golf what Colin Montgomerie is to the Scottish.	Whoa, Elling ... I'm betting you get plenty of hate mail this week for that last statement. Comparing miserable, major-less Monty to the affable, two-time major champ Harrington? Good thing the Ryder Cup was in Ireland two years ago instead of this year, because you might have been refused entry in Dublin come September. Harrington could well dominate this championship over the next few years, but of course you have to mention a certain Mr. Woods coming back healthy at some point next year. Paddy will get no prizes if he comes a close second to the best golfer to ever grace the planet, but if he can take another Claret Jug or two from under Tiger's nose, then he will undoubtedly take his place in R&A lore alongside Watson.