Padraig Harrington normally wouldn’t fall into that category, but the defending champion injured his right wrist and wasn’t sure he could even tee it up Thursday. The Irishman said there was only a 50 percent chance he would finish his first round.

And the odds he would play his final four holes in 4 under and shoot 68 and be three shots out of the lead?

“As long as I could play, I was happy,” Harrington said. “The wrist injury took some of the pressure off me, but it definitely was a nice distraction to have, assuming that I was going to go and play.”

Now he’s in decent shape as he tries to become the first European to win consecutive British Opens since James Braid in 1905-06.

Others at 142 included former U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk, Robert Allenby, Graeme McDowell and Alexander Noren, a Swede who attended wind-blown Oklahoma State.

Twenty players were within five shots of the lead, a group that includes Jean Van de Velde, the Frenchman made famous by his follies on the final hole at Carnoustie that led to triple bogey and cost him a claret jug. He was at 4-over 144.

“This whole tournament is likely to be sorted out in the last nine holes, and you just want to be in that hunt,” Harrington said.

Sergio Garcia, the pre-tournament favorite, has some work to do. He was moving into contention until hitting sideways on the 11th hole on his way to a double bogey, and he had to settle for a 73 that put him six shots behind.

Ernie Els was lucky to still be playing. He missed a 5-foot par putt on the final hole for a 69 and figured he had missed the cut. He wound up making it on the number, but he might need a new putter on Saturday considering how hard he threw his into the ground as he stormed off the 18th green.

Lee Trevino is the only 36-hole leader at Royal Birkdale to win the British Open, perhaps opening up more possibilities.

Considering what Norman and Duval have done over 36 holes, anything can happen.

Norman’s most dramatic shots weren’t even for birdie. With his feet planted on the edge of a pot bunker on the 16th, he leaned down and scooped out a shot to 6 feet to save his par. Then came a 12-foot putt on the 17th to make bogey, and he finished it off with a 20-foot par putt from the fringe on the 18th.

At a packed press conference, Norman was asked if he anticipated being in this position when he arrived at Royal Birkdale.

“Nope,” he said, flashing those pearly whites. “I’m not going to say anymore.”

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