He was at 10-under 132 midway through the tournament, heading to the weekend with a shot at becoming the oldest Open champion since Old Tom Morris in 1867.
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The so-called “Big Four” of world golf were again left trailing in the wake of the leaders.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland puts on the 12th green during the second round of the British Open Golf Championship at the Royal Troon Golf Club in Troon, Scotland, Friday, July 15, 2016. Blame that on the weather.
“I think it’s pretty clear which side of the draw was better for scoring, but that’s the Open”, said Rickie Fowler, who had an afternoon tee time. The 18-shot differential was the biggest meltdown in Open history over the first two rounds. So after coming in from the rain and wind – particularly one 90-minute stretch on the back nine – he was not surprised at how the leaderboard looked.
Nor was he about to complain.
Others who escaped the carnage included Germany’s Martin Kaymer, who is on three under, and US Open champion Dustin Johnson, who lies on two under.
“Unless someone goes out there and posts a silly number”, Stenson said.
“This year it’s not so much. But I just said out there, ‘I’m not going to let being on the wrong side ruin my mood or ruin my week'”. I feel better and now that my swing is back on plane, I’m starting to hit some shots like I did 10 years ago and starting to play some of my best golf again. Some players get lucky with their tee times. But I held it together nicely coming in, and played the last five holes at one under par.
The 40-year-old Pontypridd-born star went out in some of the worst weather which saw the title ambitions of Danny Willett, Jordan Spieth and Justin Rose take a hit.
Go down the leaderboard to find more evidence.
Having laid the foundations with that sparkling 63 in the sunshine on Thursday, narrowly missing out on a majors-record low round of 62 when his final putt lipped out, his second round in more hard conditions as heavy rain arrived at the Ayrshire coast in mid-morning was described as “stress free”. That left him at five over par, one worse than his score when the round began.
Spieth was heard uttering rare words – “I can’t buy a putt” – on his way to a 71, while Day made it three straight majors as the No. 1 player in which he failed to break par in the opening round.
“This was the first course that I really played effectively links golf in 2004”, he said.
In his first round at a major since winning the U.S. Open, Johnson played a round that usually gets rewarded at a U.S. Open – 14 pars, two birdies, two bogeys.
“I understand the age thing”, Mickelson said, “but the fact is that from 10 years ago, when I was playing my best golf, I’m 25 pounds lighter, I’m in better shape, I’m physically stronger than I was”, said Mickelson.
The American had six birdies, including three in a row from the 15th hole, but marred his card with double-bogey sixes at the seventh hole and the treacherous 11th hole.
French golfer Clement Sordet, who teed off in the first three-ball of the day, had the words “pray for Nice” emblazoned on his cap which also carried a black ribbon. Duval, who shot 82 on Thursday and had no chance to make the cut, has been rehabbing a wrist injury. He knows he hasn’t played well enough to contend through the first two rounds here. They are two strokes ahead of defending champion Zach Johnson, who bogeyed the last hole for a 70.
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The Irishman was not one to complain, and he stands as an example of how best to handle such situations. Such is The Open.
