The story of The Shark momentarily keeps the PGA afloat in the absence of Tiger.

No Tiger, no problem. Well, at least for one weekend at Royal Birkdale, this was the case. Greg Norman's highly improbable rise to the top of the leader board entering Sunday's final round at the British Open provided the kind of captivating story that the PGA needs in the absence of the most dominant athlete in the world, Eldrick Tiger Woods. Sure, Norman may have struggled yesterday. In fact, he stumbled badly, seeing Padraig Harrington capture his second consecutive win at the Open Championship in impressive fashion. But Norman's strong play over the weekend proved that The Shark still has some bite. Make no mistake about it, Tiger Woods is sorely missed. A PGA major without Mr. Woods is like Las Vegas without the casinos. However, thanks to Greg Norman, the golf world is still breathing.

Greg Norman was not supposed to contend. Prior to the commencement of first round play on Thursday, the 53-year old Australian was past his prime, forever known as golf's most famous choke artist. Norman was supposed to be playing golf just for pleasure while enjoying his honeymoon with tennis icon Chris Evert. Little did we know that The Shark actually meant business. Greg Norman came to win, and while he fell short of that goal, he still put on a spectacular show, taking over the role of the lovable underdog, a role most recently held by Rocco Mediate. In doing so, Norman allowed the PGA to take a deep breath and relax. This year's Open Championship probably saw a ratings dip with no Tiger in the field. The PGA's wish, though, was granted. Even without Tiger Woods, people are still discussing golf the day after a major tournament. Padraig Harrington's repeat championship is a remarkable feat, but I do not think the 2008 British Open would be such a hot issue if it weren't for Greg Norman.

In order to maintain the nation's interest for the rest of the season, there needs to be more Norman-like moments. If not, golf will reside in obscurity until Tiger's return. Don't fret too much, golf aficionados, because there is reason to be optimistic. Maybe John Daly will take a break from boozing it up and contend at the PGA Championship. Maybe an unknown amateur will step up to the plate, just like Chris Wood at the British Open. Maybe a guy like Davis Love III or Fred Couples will follow in the footsteps of Greg Norman, and perform above and beyond expectations. Don't laugh; these things could really happen. After witnessing Greg Norman's performance, in the words of Kevin Garnett, anything is possible.