Please use the links below to jump to your desired story
McIlroy Happy With par Position at Open
Clarke, Glover Lead Open Championship
Open Championship Second Round Scores
Hole-in-one for Tom Watson at Open
Open Championship Third Round tee Times
McIlroy Happy With par Position at Open
SANDWICH, July 15, 2011 (AFP) - Rory Mclroy said before the British Open started that he would settle to be level par at the halfway stage, and that is exactly where he is after adding a 69 on Friday to his first round of 71.
It was, for the second day running, a mixed bag from the US Open champion, who is seeking to emulate Tiger Woods in adding the British crown to the US one four weeks afterwards.
Out in one under 34, the 22-year-old Ulsterman blew hot and cold down the back nine in cooler evening conditions, and had to save par with an 18-foot putt at the last to stay to par for the tournament.
That left him four shots off the lead and handily placed for the weekend.
It had been, he agreed, a grind of a round.
"Even though it was nice and it was sunny and it looked nice out there, it was very tricky," he said.
"The course is playing a lot firmer, a lot of cross winds, and to shoot something in the 60s today I'm very pleased with.
"It would have been nicer to be a couple better, but I'll take that going into the weekend. I'm very happy with my position and within striking distance of the leaders."
Following his US Open win and in the absence of the injured Tiger Woods McIlroy is the tournament favourite and the biggest draw for the crowds swarming over the Royal St George's links.
Thursday's first round was his first competitive play since winning the US Open at Congressional Country Club, and the three weeks layoff did leave some elements of rust on his game evidence of which were botched drives at eight and 10 that both resulted in bogeys.
It means that McIlroy finds himself in a different position to what he was in at the same stage during the year's first two Majors - The Masters and the US Open - where he led at the halfway stage.
This time, he is poised to strike behind the leaders, a position that he relishes.
"I think you'll see a lot of chopping and changing at the top of the leaderboard, but it's the most open Open I've seen in a long time," he said.
"I think it'll be exciting to be a part of and it'll be exciting to watch over the next two days.
"It really depends on what the weather gives us. I can't go out and be defensive, especially now.
"But four shots in 36 holes on this golf course in these conditions is nothing. It really isn't.
"I'm very happy with my position, and I just need to keep doing the same things I've been doing."
Clarke, Glover Lead Open Championship
SANDWICH, July 15, 2011 (AFP) - Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke and Lucas Glover of the United States shared a one-shot lead at the British Open on Friday, edging clear of a congested field of rivals heading into the weekend.
Clarke carded a two-under-par 68 for the second day running to move to four under at the halfway stage, while 2009 US Open champion Glover shot a solid level par 70 for a 36-hole aggregate of 136.
Bright sunshine and the gentlest of breezes made for perfect conditions on the Royal St George's links layout, a far more attractive proposition than the windswept challenge of the first round.
Clarke's round was a roller-coaster with an eagle and five birdies offset by a double-bogey and three bogeys but the 42-year-old Ulsterman was bullish about his prospects heading into the weekend, where poor weather has been forecast.
"There's an awful long way to go yet, and I believe the forecast for the weekend is very, very poor, which I quite look forward to," Clarke said.
"But the course is going to play very, very tough. If that's the case, then the tournament is still wide open for an awful lot of players."
A win for Clarke would be hugely popular for a player who had three top 10 finishes in the Open in a five-year spell from 1997, including a tie for second place at Troon in 1997 and a tie for third place at Royal Lytham in 2001.
Since then his fortunes have waxed and waned, and he will be forever remembered for his heroic performances in the 2006 Ryder Cup shortly after the death from cancer of his wife Heather.
"It would mean an awful lot ... ", Clarke replied when asked what a win in the Open at his 20th attempt would mean to him at this late stage of his career.
But Clarke and Glover will be looking nervously over their shoulders at a large cluster of challengers who are within a few shots of the lead.
The chasing pack includes Germany's US PGA champion and world No.3 Martin Kaymer, one of four players just a shot off the pace at three under.
Kaymer is joined by first round leader Thomas Bjorn of Denmark, cigar-chomping Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez and America's Chad Campbell.
Bjorn, who had lit up the first round with a five-under-par 65, found the going tougher on Friday but did enough to stay in touch after carding a two-over-par 72.
"It wasn't the prettiest of days golf-wise, but I'll take where I stand in the championship right now," Bjorn said.
A cluster of seven players -- including US Masters champion Charl Schwartzel -- were two shots off the lead at two under while five players, including world No.6 Phil Mickelson, were grouped at one under.
Tournament favourite Rory McIlroy meanwhile remains in contention, bunched with 12 players in the clubhouse at level par, four off the lead.
The 22-year-old US Open champion, who had started the day one over, posted a one-under-par 69 after a round which included four birdies and three bogeys. "It would have been nicer to be a couple better, but I'll take that going into the weekend," McIlroy said. "I'm very happy with my position and within striking distance of the leaders."
English amateur Tom Lewis, who had led overnight after a dazzling five-under-par round in the first round, meanwhile slipped down the pecking order after a four-over-par 74 which left him at one under.
But with the cut projected to come at three-over, Lewis, 20, had done enough to guarantee his involvement over the weekend on a day when several high-profile British hopes fell by the wayside.
World No.1 Luke Donald, world No.2 Lee Westwood and European Ryder Cup stars Graeme McDowell and Ian Poulter were all faced with the possibility of missing the cut, due to be decided later Friday.
Donald's hopes of surviving through to the weekend took a nosedive after bogeys on the final four holes saw him card a 75, leaving him six over.
Westwood never got going on his way to a three-over-par 73 which left him four over while last year's US Open champion McDowell stumbled through a nightmare seven-over-par 77 that featured a double-bogey and five bogeys.
Poulter meanwhile hit the self-destruct button in the form of an eight-over-par 78 which left him seven over.
The biggest cheer of the morning went to 61-year-old American legend Tom Watson who scored a hole-in-one at the par-three sixth hole with a four iron. Watson eventually shot a level par 70 to finish at two over.
Open Championship Second Round Scores
SANDWICH, July 15, 2011 (AFP) - Collated scores from the second round of the 140th Open Championship at par-70 Royal St George's here Friday:
136 - Darren Clarke (NIR) 68-68, Lucas Glover (USA) 66-70
137 - Chad Campbell (USA) 69-68, Martin Kaymer (GER) 68-69, Thomas Bjorn (DEN) 65-72, Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP) 66-71
138 - Pablo Larrazabal (ESP) 68-70, Charl Schwartzel (RSA) 71-67, Davis Love (USA) 70-68, Tom Lehman (USA) 71-67, George Coetzee (RSA) 69-69, Dustin Johnson (USA) 70-68, Anders Hansen (DEN) 69-69
139 - Adam Scott (AUS) 69-70, Phil Mickelson (USA) 70-69, Tom Lewis (ENG) 65-74, Jeff Overton (USA) 68-71, Ryan Palmer (USA) 68-71
140 - Kyle Stanley (USA) 68-72, Anthony Kim (USA) 72-68, Yang Yong-Eun (KOR) 71-69, Zach Johnson (USA) 72-68, Steve Stricker (USA) 69-71, Webb Simpson (USA) 66-74, Robert Rock (ENG) 69-71, Fredrik Jacobsen (SWE) 70-70, Simon Dyson (ENG) 68-72, Yuta Ikeda (JPN) 69-71, Rory McIlroy (NIR) 71-69, Rickie Fowler (USA) 70-70, Sergio Garcia (ESP) 70-70
141 - Spencer Levin (USA) 72-69, Raphael Jacquelin (FRA) 74-67, Richard Green (AUS), 70-71, Rory Sabbatini (RSA) 71-70, Charles Howell III (USA) 71-70, Jason Day (AUS) 71-70, Bubba Watson (USA) 69-72, Robert Allenby (AUS) 69-72, Gary Boyd (ENG) 71-70, Stephen Gallacher (SCO) 70-71, Stewart Cink (USA), 70-71 Noh Seung-Yul (KOR), Richard McEvoy (ENG) 69-72
142 - Harrison Frazar (USA) 72-70, Kenneth Ferrie (ENG) 71-71, Mark Wilson (USA) 74-68, Joost Luiten (NED) 73-69, Trevor Immelman (RSA) 70-72, Justin Rose (ENG) 72-70, Jim Furyk (USA) 72-70, Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) 72-70, Tom Watson (USA) 72-70, Ricky Barnes (USA) 68-74, Hwang Jung-Gon (KOR) 68-74, Bo Van Pelt (USA) 73-69, Bill Haas (USA) 72-70, Peter Uihlein (USA) 71-71
143 - Edoardo Molinari (ITA) 69-74, Henrik Stenson (SWE) 72-71, Fredrik Andersson Hed (SWE) 68-75, Floris De Vries (NED) 70-73, Gregory Havret (FRA) 72-71, Simon Khan (ENG) 71-72, Gary Woodland (USA) 75-68, Ryan Moore (USA) 69-74, KJ Choi (KOR) 71-72, Paul Casey (ENG) 74-69, Gregory Bourdy (FRA) 73-70 Paul Lawrie (SCO) 73-70, Matthew Millar (AUS) 71-72
144 - Thomas Aiken (RSA) 74-70, Bryden MacPherson (AUS) 71-73, Padraig Harrington (IRL) 73-71, Lee Westwood (ENG) 71-73, JB Holmes (USA) 69-75 Alejandro Canizares (ESP) 73-71, Justin Leonard (USA) 70-74, Ben Crane (USA) 71-73, Danny Willett (ENG) 69-75, Graeme Storm (ENG) 70-74, Hunter Mahan (USA) 75-69, Ross Fisher (ENG) 71-73, Peter Hanson (SWE) 73-71, Sean O'Hair (USA) 73-71, Rick Kulacz (AUS) 74-70
145 - Peter Whiteford (SCO) 70-75, Brandt Snedeker (USA) 75-70, Graeme McDowell (NIR) 68-77, Nick Watney (USA) 74-71, Matteo Manassero (ITA) 73-72, Camilo Villegas (COL) 71-74, Alexander Noren (SWE) 69-76
146 - Robert Karlsson (SWE) 72-74, Angel Cabrera (ARG) 72-74, Luke Donald (ENG) 71-75, John Daly (USA) 72-74, Jason Dufner (USA) 74-72, Kevin Streelman (USA) 76-70, Neil Schietekat (RSA) 73-73
147 - Prom Meesawat (THA) 72-75, Martin Maritz (RSA) 73-74, Lee Corfield (ENG) 72-75, Jason Knutzon (USA) 75-72, Charley Hoffman (USA) 72-75, Martin Laird (SCO) 72-75, Geoff Ogilvy (AUS) 74-73, Ian Poulter (ENG) 69-78, Thorbjorn Olesen (NOR) 73-74
148 - Lucas Bjerregaard (DEN) 73-75, Bernhard Langer (GER) 75-73, Tadahiro Takayama (JPN) 70-78, SM Bae (KOR) 72-76, Robert Garrigus (USA) 74-74, Marc Calcavecchia (USA) 69-79, Francesco Molinari (ITA) 73-75, Tetsuji Hiratsuka (JPN) 75-73, Ernie Els (RSA) 72-76
149 - Sandy Lyle (SCO) 73-76, Jonathan Byrd USA) 75-74, Kurt Barnes (AUS) 68-81, Brad Kennedy (AUS) 77-72, Kevin Na (USA) 74-75, Mark Laskey (WAL) 73-76
150 - Scott Jamieson (SCO) 75-75, Steve Marino (USA) 74-76, Nathan Green (AUS) 74-76, Aaron Baddeley (AUS) 77-73, Thomas Shadbolt (ENG) 74-76, Simon Lilly (ENG) 74-76, Chris Tidland (USA) 77-73
151 - Matt Kuchar (USA) 74-77, Lam Chih-Bing (SIN) 76-75, Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 75-76, Hiroyuki Fujita (JPN) 75-76, Ben Curtis (USA) 77-74, Brian Davis (ENG) 75-76
152 - Mark O'Meara (USA) 76-76, KT Kim (KOR) 75-77, Bob Estes (USA) 74-78
153 - Adam Wootton (ENG) 71-82, Andrew Johnston (ENG) 74-79, Jerry Kelly (USA) 74-79, Prayad Marksaeng (THA) 76-77, Rhys Davies (WAL) 75-78, Francis McGuirk (ENG) 77-76
154 - Andy Smith (ENG) 81-73, Alvaro Quiros (ESP) 75-79, Ryo Ishikawa (JPN) 74-80
155 - Hiroo Kawai (JPN) 75-80, David Duval (USA) 78-77
156 - Todd Hamilton (USA) 77-79
157 - Markus Brier (AUT) 77-80
161 - Simon Edwards (WAL) 82-79
169 - Craig Hinton (ENG) 82-87
Retief Goosen (RSA) withdrew
Hole-in-one for Tom Watson at Open
SANDWICH, July 15, 2011 (AFP) - Tom Watson stole the show as the second round of the British Open got under way on Friday, sinking a hole-in-one at the 169-yard, par-three sixth, the 15th ace of his career.
The 61-year-old American legend, who came within one putt of winning the year's third Major at Turnberry two years ago, stood on the sixth tee at even for the round after five straight pars.
His four-iron shot hit the centre of the green and with one hop disappeared into the cup to roars of approval from the gallery. That left him at even par for the tournament after his 72 on Thursday.
It was the second hole-in-one of the tournament following that of American Dustin Johnson at the 16th in Thursday's opening round and the seventh in the last decade.
Watson, however, is not the oldest player to record a hole-in-one in the Open as Gene Sarazen was 71 when he aced the famous Postage Stamp at Troon in 1973.
"It was ironic, this morning I was watching Padraig Harrington and Colin Montgomerie on the show discussing The Open venues, and what do they show? They show Gene Sarazen on the Postage Stamp making his hole in one with a five-iron.
"He hit a heck of a shot in there, beautiful swing right there, dropped it under, hit that five-iron, a little draw in there, and maybe that's what inspired me today; I don't know.
"That's the second one I've had in a Major championship. I had one at the US Open in 1980 at Baltusrol on the fourth hole in the first round. Maybe it was bookends."
More was to come from the ever-popular Watson as he stood over a 20-foot putt for an eagle three at the next hole, but missed it left of the hole for a birdie to get to under par for the tournament.
Bogeys followed at 10 and 11, but Watson hung on to come in with a par 70 and at two over he had every chance of playing at the weekend.
Watson is playing in his 34th Open having first competed at Carnoustie in 1975, and he has won the tournament five times.
But this is the first time in 115 rounds of Open golf that he has fired a hole-in one.
Watson's Open wins came back in the 1970s and 1980s, but after a hip replacement operation he has found a new lease of life in recent years and provided one of the sports stories of the year at the Turnberry Open two years ago.
On that occasion he had a putt to win the tournament for a sixth time at the 72nd hole, but came up short and then lost a four-hole playoff to fellow American Stewart Cink. He missed the cut last year at St Andrews.
Open Championship Third Round tee Times
SANDWICH, July 15, 2011 (AFP) - Tee-times and pairings for the third round of the British Open here on Saturday (All times local, GMT + 1):
0855 - Matthew Millar (AUS)
0905 - Paul Lawrie (SCO), Gregory Bourdy (FRA)
0915 - Paul Casey (ENG), KJ Choi (KOR)
0925 - Ryan Moore (USA), Gary Woodland (USA)
0935 - Simon Khan (ENG), Gregory Havret (FRA)
0945 - Floris De Vries (NED), Fredrik Andersson Hed (SWE)
0955 - Henrik Stenson (SWE), Edoardo Molinari (ITA)
1005 - Peter Uihlein (USA), Bill Haas (USA)
1020 - Bo Van Pelt (USA), Hwang Jung-Gon (KOR)
1030 - Ricky Barnes (USA), Tom Watson (USA)
1040 - Louis Oosthuizen (RSA), Jim Furyk (USA)
1050 - Justin Rose (ENG), Trevor Immelman (RSA)
1100 - Joost Luiten (NED), Mark Wilson (USA)
1110 - Kenneth Ferrie (ENG), Harrison Frazar (USA)
1120 - Richard McEvoy (ENG), Noh Seung-Yul (KOR)
1135 - Stewart Cink (USA), Stephen Gallacher (SCO)
1145 - Gary Boyd (ENG), Robert Allenby (AUS)
1155 - Bubba Watson (USA), Jason Day (AUS)
1205 - Charles Howell III (USA), Rory Sabbatini (RSA)
1215 - Richard Green (AUS), Raphael Jacquelin (FRA)
1225 - Spencer Levin (USA), Sergio Garcia (ESP)
1235 - Rickie Fowler (USA), Rory McIlroy (NIR)
1250 - Yuta Ikeda (JPN), Simon Dyson (ENG)
1300 - Fredrik Jacobson (SWE), Robert Rock (ENG)
1310 - Webb Simpson (USA), Steve Stricker (USA)
1320 - Zach Johnson (USA), Yang Yong-Eun (KOR)
1330 - Anthony Kim (USA), Kyle Stanley (USA)
1340 - Ryan Palmer (USA), Jeff Overton (USA)
1350 - Tom Lewis (ENG), Phil Mickelson (USA)
1405 - Adam Scott (AUS), Anders Hansen (DEN)
1415 - Dustin Johnson (USA), George Coetzee (RSA)
1425 - Tom Lehman (USA), Davis Love III (USA)
1435 - Charl Schwartzel (RSA), Pablo Larrazabal (ESP)
1445 - Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP), Thomas Bjorn (DEN)
1455 - Martin Kaymer (GER), Chad Campbell (USA)
1505 - Lucas Glover (USA), Darren Clarke (NIR)