So marriage and happiness really is the key to improving your golf. Forget about all those motivational books and dvds. Two-time former champion Greg Norman has found the answer in new wife and former tennis star Chrissy Evert.

He attributes the love of his life and part-time tennis coach as the reason why he has performed so well at the 137th Open Championship.

The Great White Shark is lying second in the Open Championship on level par – one shot behind leader KJ Choi.

Three sensational birdies and one double bogey yesterday in a round of 70 leave him in a position not even the most ardent Greg Norman fan could have envisaged.

Certainly Norman, who lifted the Claret Jug at Turnberry in 1986 and Royal St George's in 1993, never believed he could again be riding high in the Open Championship.

"My expectations coming into this tournament were almost nil. I hadn't played a lot of golf but I was trying to work on my game as much as I could," said veteran Norman.

"Obviously Chrissy and I had a lot of preparation for the wedding.

"We had a great time over there, so the least of my worries was getting out there, practising, hitting balls and getting ready for the British Open.

"My mind during the last month has not been on golf, and justifiably so. It's been on Chrissy."

At 53, if Norman managed to keep up his incredible form and win the tournament for a third time, he would become the oldest player to win the Championship - Old Tom Morris' record of 46 years and 99 days would be smashed to pieces.

Norman though after two tough days of golf doesn't look at all fatigued; in fact he is fresh faced and once again insists it's down to his new wife now that she has him playing tennis regularly.

"When you reach your late 40s or 50s you body doesn't react to the way your mind wants it to," admits Norman.

"Your mind is still sharp, you still want to do it and the club feels comfortable in your hands but sometimes your lower back and body won't let you do it.

"I said to Chris after my first round, the tennis I've been playing has been the best thing for me because it keeps me loose. It's good on the cardiovascular; it's good on my lower back because it keeps it strong."

Norman has certainly needed plenty of strength and conditioning as he has been forced to play in awful conditions here at Royal Birkdale.

But his experience of playing a links course in high winds and how you deal with that has benefited him immensely. He has controlled the ball remarkably well and his touch around the greens has been a class apart.

What some of the star players who have struggled so far in this tournament would give for Norman's knowledge of playing in stormy conditions on a tricky links course.

Norman, though, is not even contemplating winning the tournament – his thought process is making sure he plays consistent good golf and then just and see what happens with the rest of the field.

"My expectations are still realistically low because, even though I'm playing well and doing it, I've just got to keep the same mind-set going at the first tee in