SOUTHPORT (England) - GREG Norman, attempting to become the oldest winner of a major, defied his 53 years to finish one stroke behind leader KJ Choi of South Korea after the British Open second round on Friday.

World number 11 Choi rolled in a 25-foot birdie putt at the last to shoot a 67 for a one-under tally of 139, ahead of Australian Norman (70) after a day of intermittent rain and winds much lighter than Thursday's 50-kmh blasts.

Colombian Camilo Villegas, chosen in 2006 as one of People Magazine's 'hottest bachelors', produced his own version of sexy golf as five consecutive birdies to the 18th gave him a thrilling 65 and third place on 141.

The seven-times US PGA Tour winner said he was grateful to have six-times major champion Nick Faldo's former caddie Andy Prodger on his bag at Royal Birkdale.

Former world number one Norman was also grinning after treating the crowd to the kind of golf that won him the coveted Claret Jug in 1986 and 1993.

The Australian got the fans on his side from the start, ramming in a 45-foot birdie putt at the opening hole.

Norman, bidding to surpass the record of American Julius Boros who was 48 when he won the 1968 US PGA Championship, made a double-bogey six at the sixth after an errant drive.

But he rallied with two birdies in succession, from 25 and 15 feet. The veteran, who married tennis great Chris Evert in the Bahamas last month, then strung together eight consecutive pars including a superb sand save at the 16th.

Greenside bunker
With his feet outside a greenside bunker and the ball inside, Norman splashed out perfectly to six feet and holed out for his par four.

Norman played the long 17th poorly, taking five strokes to reach the green before notching his eighth single putt of the round by rolling in a bogey effort from 10 feet.

Pumped up and in his element, he received another rapturous reception from the crowd when he sank a 20-footer for his par four from the fringe of the 18th green.

Villegas came close to a spectacular eagle at the last when his wild slash from out of the rough hit the pin. The ball eventually came to rest 25 feet from the hole and he stroked in a curling putt to gather his eighth birdie.

'I had an awful putting round yesterday and an unbelievable putting round today,' he said. 'I hit a pitching wedge 176 yards at the last.

In joint fourth on 142 were several players including holder Padraig Harrington, former world number one David Duval, former number two Jim Furyk and US Open runner-up Rocco Mediate.

Harrington finished in style, eagling the 17th with a 35-foot putt and holing a five-footer to birdie the last.

The most notable casualties of the cut, made at 149, were Vijay Singh, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Geoff Ogilvy and Angel Cabrera. -- REUTERS