Choi: birdied last two holes
The Open Championship
Second round leaders
GB&Ire unless stated
-1 KJ Choi (Kor)
Lev G Norman (Aus)
+1 C Villegas (Col)
+2 R Mediate (US)
+2 G McDowell
+2 J Furyk (US)
+2 R Allenby (Aus)
+2 A Noren (Nor)
+2 P Harrington
+2 D Duval (US)
Also see
KJ Choi will take a one-shot lead into the third round of the Open after a late charge saw the Korean overhaul long-time leader Greg Norman.
The 53-year-old Australian shot a second successive 70 to provide the buzz on day two at Royal Birkdale, before Choi knocked him off the top of the leaderboard with a 20-foot birdie putt on 18 at five minutes to seven in the evening.
Successive birdies on the closing holes earned Choi a second-round 67 after an exhibition of straight hitting and controlled iron play.
He seemed to have makeable birdie putts on every hole and it was something of a surprise that he made just four of them
The 38-year-old has won seven times on the PGA Tour but he has had only one top 10 in 13 Open appearances, his eighth place last year.
At Carnoustie, Choi was just two strokes off the lead at this stage, playing in the final group on Saturday with Sergio Garcia, but went backwards on 'moving day'.
The world number 11 would be a worthy Open champion but his playing partner on Saturday is sure to have the support of almost all the tens-of-thousands in the galleries.
Norman rolled back the years with a stunning round, holing a par putt from 20 feet on the last to keep the outright lead. That gutsy putt came after a six on the par five 17th, when he did well to get up and down for a bogey.
Fairytale
If Norman could keep the fairytale alive and win on Sunday, he would be the oldest major champion by a distance. American Julius Boros was 48 when he lifted the 1968 US PGA title, while the oldest Open champion was 46 - Old Tom Morris back in 1867.
Conditions on the Lancashire coast were far kinder than on Thursday and early starter Camilo Villegas showed what was possible by storming into contention with a best-of-the-week 65.
The Colombian birdied his last five holes and will start the third round in third place on his own on one-over-par.
That is a shot ahead of defending champion Padraig Harrington, who also finished strongly to put himself in position to become the first first-time winner to successfully defend the Claret Jug since Lee Trevino in 1972.
The Dubliner had three bogeys around the turn to slip out of contention and appeared to be struggling with his troublesome right wrist. But he roared back over the closing four holes, picking up four shots, the highlight a 25-foot putt on 17 for the only eagle of the day.
Harrington is in a group of seven on two-over that includes first round leaders Robert Allenby, Rocco Mediate and Graeme McDowell, who all shot 73s, and former US Open champion Jim Furyk, who had a second successive 71.
Also on two-over is former champion David Duval, whose form has almost totally disappeared since he won at Lytham in 2001.
The American has missed 11 cuts from 12 starts this year but added a 69 to his opening 73 as he drew inspiration from the unique Open atmosphere.
Ian Poulter is England's top challenger after a 73 left him on three-over, while pre-tournament favourite Sergio Garcia is on the fringes of contention, his 73 good enough for five-over.
World number two Phil Mickelson rolled in a six-foot birdie putt on 18 for a 68 that hauled him back into the hunt after his opening 79, while Ernie Els will also be around for the weekend - but ony just.
The South African former Open champion finished right on the cut-line of nine-over after a battling 69.
Monty
Scotland's Colin Montgomerie came back impressively from a miserable run on the front nine to card a 75 that leaves him on eight-over-par.
The big Scot dropped seven shots in his first six holes with two double bogey sixes and a treble on the fifth. But he bounced back with birdies at seven and eight, then held things together admirably on the back nine. A 70-yard approach to three feet at 17 for birdie ensured he will have the chance to battle it out for Ryder Cup points over the weeekend.
There was also an echo of 10 years ago as amateur Chris Wood emulated Justin Rose by holing a chip shot for a birdie on 18. That gave the Bristol youngster a level par 70 and a five-over total. He will be battling it out for the Silver Medal with fellow Englishman Thomas Sherreard, who is one shot worse off after a sparkling second round 69.
