After 13 hours of Open fun, that’s your lot from me today. A few players still out on the course, but nobody who will bother this lot. See you tomorrow morning, bright and early! Nighty night, everyone, and sweet dreams!
-7: D Johnson
-6: Streb, Goosen, Lawrie, Day, Z Johnson, Willett
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Ah, here we are, finally. Finally. Action! A dismal end to the day for Rose, who three putts from the back of 18. Bogey, and he ends up signing for a one-under 71. Rickie Fowler cards a level-par 72, having made one eagle and two bogeys. And the 1990 St Andrews champion Nick Faldo taps in for a par, and an 11-over 83.
Instead of transmitting the action, the BBC are showing one of those “fun” round-up montages that appeal to the sort of person who believes 2 Good 2 Bad is the best bit about Match of the Day. In other words, absolutely nobody. Did they learn nothing from that Wimbledon highlights debacle? Just show the golf! But in fairness, they do put aside some time for Peter Alliss’s round-up of the day. And with the BBC only having one more Open to cover, and potentially bailing out early after this one, the old boy appears to be embarking on a scorched-earth policy. He’s just accused the R&A of making everything at the Open a bit too commercial these days, suggesting the tournament is lacking a certain something he can’t quite put his finger on. He’s also had a quick moan about the slightly low attendance, arguing the crowds have been a bit flat. Oh, and he’s not enjoyed the weather, which hasn’t helped half the field, though of course it’d be a bit harsh to blame the R&A for that one. I know he’s an acquired taste, but what a broadcaster!
Kuchar takes two putts for par, and signs for a one-under 71. Stenson’s birdie effort slides by the right. He ends the day with a distinctly average one-over 73. But Mickelson tucks his birdie putt away, and will sign for a 70. He’s -2, having made it through some testing winds.
Rose, having laid up at the front right of 17, chips to a couple of feet. He nearly holed that, but the ball slivered past. He makes his par, though, a brilliant save, and he walks off at -2 with a smile on his face. A plan executed to perfection. Up on 18, Kuchar sends his second 25 feet over the flag and spinning a little back. Stenson gets a lot more bite, and leaves himself a ten-footer for birdie. And Mickelson lobs to five feet, having naturally generated the most spin of all. Chesters tentatively three-putts from the back of 16, and drops back to -4.
Jamie Donaldson had been going along well, but suddenly a double bogey at 17, and he’s back to level par. A lovely rasping BBC-bothering “fuck” is his response, as the bogey putt slips by. Marvellous. Mickelson decides to lay up at 17, then spins a lob wedge back to six feet. But he pushes it left, and drops back to -1. And Kuchar can’t make a 15-foot par putt, so he’s back to -1 too. Meanwhile Paul Casey has been going well. Out in 35, he’s in credit on the back nine as well, with birdies at 10 and 15 more than offsetting a bogey at 13. He nearly makes another at 16, but he’ll stay at -2. Casey came third here in 2010, his challenge sputtering out on the final day, so will fancy his chances this week. He’s delivering so far.
Rose sends his third at 16 over the back into Kuchar Country. He too overcooks his putt up from the depression and six feet past the hole. But he pops the bogey putt away. He’s -2. Meanwhile Fowler’s birdie putt dribbles off to the right. He remains at level par. And up on 18, Scott faces the Willett/Spieth putt, from the back of the green with a left-to-right break. He looks to have given it a dangerous larrup, but it disappears into the hole at high velocity. And he’s finished 3-4-3. He’s -2, and suddenly in a much healthier position. Good news as well for Martin Kaymer, who rattles in a long cross-green putt for a birdie that gives him a one-under 71.
Mickelson tickles in a very missable par putt from the back of 16. He’s scrapping his way back to the clubhouse. As is Kuchar, who seriously overhits a putt from down a swale to the back of the green, but knocks in a six-foot return. No dropped shots on the back nine yet for either of them. And those birdies on 10. Rose drives into a bunker at 16 and is forced to chip out, taking his medicine. Bogey suddenly looks quite an attractive proposition. Fowler guides his second into the heart of the green from the camber on the left, and leaves himself a chance for a birdie that’d grab back the shot he dropped on 13. He’s currently level par, and could really do with a something before he gets home.
Robert Dinwiddie and Rikard Karlberg are both in the last group, and both are going well. Through 10 holes, they’re both -4. If everyone else’s travails across the back nine this afternoon is anything to go by - and it is - they’ll do very well to get any further up the leaderboard tonight.
Play is bunched up right now. All very slow. Time to consider Faldo’s struggles at 14. He ended up with a triple-bogey eight. He’s now +10 and, unless he pulls a couple of rabbits out of the hat, almost certain to card the worst round of the day, Mark Calcavecchia and Liang Wen-Chong having previously propped up the field with their eight-over 80s. Rose splashes out of a deep greenside bunker at 15 to save his par; he remains at -3. And there’s another dropped shot for Oda, this time at 13. He’s back to -3.
Henrik Stenson’s mojo has deserted him. He was -2 standing on the 11th tee, but a dropped shot there, followed by another at 13, dropped him back to level par. A couple of pars since, but it’s all distinctly average. His playing partners aren’t exactly ripping it up either, but Matt Kuchar and Phil Mickelson are hanging on in there. Five straight pars each, and they’re through 15 at -2. Mickelson might be doing a wee bit better if the putter was working; his latest missed opportunity being a ten-footer for birdie on 15.
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The amateur Ashley Chesters is this close to draining a 40-footer across 13. But he’ll have to settle for par. He remains at -5. A dropped shot at 11 for Oda. Meanwhile Adam Scott has struggled for consistency all day - three birdies and three bogeys - but he’s just rattled in a 30-footer on 16 with that soon-to-be-banned putter. His fourth birdie of the day takes him to -1.
Geoff Ogilvy’s round really did fall apart. After that aforementioned triple bogey at 14, he dropped more shots at 15 and 16. Those two bogeys dropped him down to -1, and he’s signing for a 71. Not the worst, but he was -6 standing on the 13th tee. Cameron Tringale also had the wind taken out of his sails by a triple. His came at 16, and it was followed by another dropped shot at 17. He ended with a 71 too. But perhaps the most dramatic fall was suffered by Rafa Cabrera-Bello, who went out in 31 but came back in 40. He’s -1 too. It could all have been so much better. But that’s golf, and the back nine at St Andrews in the wind for you.
Poor old Nick Faldo. Three Opens and three Masters, but golf is no respecter of name alone. And if you don’t regularly practice ... well. Faldo has admitted that his “rust has rust”, so perhaps a mini disaster is to be expected. He’s +7 through 13, the latest bogey having come as a result of thinning a drive into thick filth. Now he’s snap-hooked his tee shot at 14 into a midden down the left, and after a five-minute search, is off back to the tee, taking the buggy ride of shame. But then on the flip side, he’s won three Opens and three Masters. The most under-rated British sports star of all time? I’d say so.
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Rose is beginning to fray a little. He very nearly sends his drive at the long par-five 14th over the wall down the right and out of bounds. A lucky bounce back left - albeit into thick rough - saves the day. But what scenes on 18: Willett fires his approach over the flag but a good 30 feet past. No matter! He curls the left-to-right breaker into the cup, one of those that looked in all the way. A birdie to finish, and he’s signing for a brilliant 66! Quite a gaggle of names tucked in behind Dustin here.
-7: D Johnson (F)
-6: Streb (F), Goosen (F), Lawrie (F), Day (F), Z Johnson (F), Willett (F)
Willett doesn’t make birdie on 17, but that’s a very capable and richly deserved par on a hole that’s hellish enough in benign conditions, never mind these stiff winds. He moves to the 18th hole at -5. Rose gets snagged in some greenside rough at 13, and drops his first stroke of the day; he’s back to -5. And back on 18, Zach Johnson teases in a left-to-right curler from the back of the green - pretty much the same putt Jordan Spieth holed a few hours earlier - and he’s signing for a 66. Round of the day, given the conditions he had to battle. Par for Fleetwood, and he puts his name to a very useful 69.
-7: D Johnson (F)
-6: Streb (F), Goosen (F), Lawrie (F), Day (F), Z Johnson (F)
Another amateur is burning it up. Other than Tiger Woods and Edoardo Molinari, Ashley Chesters is the only amateur player to qualify for back-to-back Opens in the last 20 years. Well, he’s just eagled 10, and having gone out in 33 strokes, he’s -5, just a couple off the lead. A handful of difficult holes to come for the 26-year-old amateur, but this is very impressive stuff. Meanwhile another birdie for Oda, who reached the turn in 32 and has just birdied 10. He’s -5 too.
As things stand, here’s the statistics for the Road Hole today. There have been 36 pars. A whopping 66 bogeys or worse; Shane Lowry, for example, took a quadruple-bogey 8, crashing from -3 to +1. And a grand total of zero birdies. But Danny Willett has given himself a chance of becoming the first player to pick up a shot on this wonderfully hellish hole. He slashes a long iron into the front of the green and toys with toppling his ball onto the road behind. But he uses the bank to let the ball roll back onto the top level of the putting surface. Granted, he’ll now have to knock in a 25-footer, but it’s a chance, and there have been precious little of those today.
Johnson’s on the green at 17, but with no direct route to the hole, and the camber threatening to gather any putt into the bunker - think Tommy Nakajima in 1978, putting into it and then taking four to get out - he elects to chip. He gets his ball to 12 feet. That’s not bad at all from there, with all the dangers facing him. But he can’t knock in the putt coming back. That’s his first bogey of the day, and he’s back to -5. Fleetwood can only chip over the bunker to 15 feet, and fails to save his par. He’s back down to -3 again. Meanwhile up on 18, John ‘Trousers’ Daly sees a birdie putt die off to the right. Par, but having dropped strokes at 16 and 17, he’s only signing for a 71. Slightly disappointing for the old boy, seeing he was up as high on the leaderboard as -4, but chances are he’d have taken that standing on the 1st.
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Fleetwood and Zach Johnson take turns to blooter fairway woods into 17. They both cream their shots, but this hole is playing super-long now. Fleetwood will be left with a tricky chip over the Road Hold bunker, his ball having just failed to topple into it, while Johnson’s only on the front of the kidney-shaped green. Up on 18, Warren nearly drains a 30-footer from the back of the green, but it stops a turn short. Never mind, he’s signing for a brilliant four-under 68.
Willett, just off the green at 16, gives a long putt, uphill and into the wind, a rare old skelp. It’s not just brute force, though, a perfectly judged effort that stops a ball’s width away on the right. He’ll remain at -5. Mickelson whips his second shot at 12 to six feet, then pulls the birdie putt. He stays at -2. Jamie Donaldson going nicely, birdies at 5, 9 and 10 helping him to -2. And a little left-to-right slider into the cup at 10 for Grace, who is -4 now.
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Fleetwood rakes in a birdie putt across 16 from the best part of 40 yards. He’s back to -4. His playing partner Zach Johnson cards his sixth par in a row, a most acceptable state of affairs in these trying conditions. He remains at -6. Stenson bogeys 11 and drops back to -1. Meanwhile Warren dropped a stroke at 16, and looked like shedding another at the Road Hole, plugged in the famous bunker, one leg in the sand and one leg out as he splashed out. But what a shot! He clips the flagstick, and taps in for his par saver. He remains at -4.
Branden Grace, who came so close to the US Open before melting down on the 16th tee at Chambers Bay, is out in 33. Birdies at 5, 6 and 7. And it’s three birdies in a row for Japan’s Koumei Oda, the latest thanks to a 20-footer on the par-three 8th. He’s -4. Meanwhile Rose misses another tiddler, this time from Doug Sanders range, on 10, having driven the green. That’s his second short putt missed in three holes. An expensive nonsense.
Another Peter Alliss quote for the ages!!! Nothing’s been happening for Rickie Fowler. But he’s just rolled in a 30-footer for eagle on the short par-four 10th. Suddenly he’s -1, and in an instant, there’s a lighter twinkle in his eye. The legendary BBC commentator responds by critiquing his cap. “I’m not sure that hat suits him. It’s known as a rapper cap. Or a Patois Poet’s Fascinator.” Ah to have the great man’s way with words. You’ll miss him when he hangs up his mike, you know.
A putt from eight feet rattled into the hole at 14 by Geoff Ogilvy. Trouble is, it was for a double bogey. And that follows a bogey at 13. So three of his six birdies up in smoke in two holes. He’s back to -3, having gone so well for so long. But perhaps he can point to the weather as an excuse. For the wind is whipping across the course now, and it’s cold enough that Bernd Wiesberger is now walking the course with this preposterous thing ...
... wrapped fully across his face, a small gap left open for his peepers. In other fashion news, Jocky Troosers, the 1995 Open champion, has been on a slight downer since reaching the turn in 33, then moving to -4 with another birdie at 10. He dropped strokes at 11 and 12, and though he birdied 14, has just shed another at 16. He’s back down to -2.
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Mickelson’s drive at 10 finds a depression in front of the green. He gets up and down from it for birdie. Stenson takes two putts from 20 feet for his birdie. And then Kuchar misses another short putt, this time for eagle. Birdie will suffice, and all three men walk off at -2. Meanwhile par for Rose at 9, and he’s out in 32. And Zach Johnson lags up to four feet on 15 and escapes with his par. But Fleetwood can’t get up and down from the other side, though, and he’s back to -3. “You know, it’s well within the bounds of possibility that Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth could play all four rounds together this weekend,” notes Steve Buist. “Dare we even imagine the two of them arriving at the Swilcan bridge on Sunday evening tied for the lead? It could lead to the last and final Dustin Johnson Meltdown Time. He might just walk off into the North Sea and keep walking.” Ah the missing link between the big man and Reggie Perrin. I didn’t get where I am today by winning majors.
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Zach Johnson and Tommy Fleetwood have been going well - they’re -6 and -4 respectively - but are making life difficult for themselves on 15. Johnson’s left himself short of the green, maybe just on it, but facing a huge putt. Fleetwood’s off the right in a swale. Meanwhile a fine drive by Matt Kuchar on the drivable par-four 10th: a beauty that bumps up onto the green, rolls with purpose through a depression, and up onto the ridge next to the flag. He’s ten feet away for eagle! Stenson’s effort, 20 feet away, looks positively mundane by comparison! And Willett sets himself up with a birdie chance at the par-five 14th, but prods the five-footer right of the hole. He stays at -5.
It’s been pars all the way for Rickie Fowler so far, but that run comes to an unpleasant end on 8 as he lets a tiddler slide past. He’s +1. Stenson takes nearly two minutes to tap in from 18 inches at 9. Yes, it’s windy, but that can’t be a good sign. In fairness, it goes in, but he wouldn’t be top of your list if you needed someone to make a putt to save your life. Meanwhile wrapping up a couple of stories from earlier. Tyrrell Hatton couldn’t par his way home: a double at 17, and he ended with a 70. Still a vast improvement on the 78 and 77 he shot here as an amateur in 2010, but he’ll be smarting a little. Also with the dull, thudding pain: the 21-year-old amateur Paul Kinnear, who was out in 31, got as high up the leaderboard as -6, but then bogeyed 13 and 16, then doubled 17, and put his name to a 70. Again, that’s a fine round of which the young man should be proud, but the closing run will hurt awhile.
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Another birdie for Rose, who lifts a delicious pin-high wedge on 7 to five feet and knocks in the putt. He’s -4, and looking very content right now. Then his tee shot at the par-three 8th straight at the flag, five feet short. But he clacks his putt to the left of the hole, the ball never going in from the moment it make a poor contact with the putter face. A great chance spurned. The same applies to Badly Drawn Boy tribute act Tommy Fleetwood, who is pin high at 14 in three strokes, ten feet from the cup, but sends it a couple of feet past. Par, and he’s still -4 too, but it could have been better for both English players.
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One of the shots of the day by Anirban Lahiri. He’s not got much of a major-championship pedigree, though he did make a hole in one at the 9th at the Lytham Open in 2012. A smooth iron guided into 15 to four feet, utilising all the curves and kinks of the green. Coming off the back of birdie at 14, he’s now -4. Meanwhile bogeys all round for Mickelson, Stenson and Kuchar, all three men hitting awful irons. Mickelson and Stenson couldn’t get up and down from greenside rough. Kuchar pushed his tee shot wide but still found the huge green. He lagged up well from distance, then yipped the par putt. They’re all back to -1.
On 13, Fleetwood gets up and down from the best part of 100 feet. A great par save. It looked like that ball loss on 12 had upset his equilibrium, but he’s battled through that nicely. Another birdie for Warren, at 14 following one at 13. He’s -5. And a birdie for Ogilvy on 12, and suddenly he’s just the one shot off the lead.
-7: D Johnson (F)
-6: Streeb (F), Goosen (F), Lawrie (F), Day (F), Z Johnson (13), Ogilvy (12)
-5: Niebrugge -a- (F), Na (F), Schwartzel (F), Spieth (F), Oosthuizen (F), Warren (14), Willett (13)
Disaster for Cameron Tringale on 16. A triple-bogey 7, and he’s suddenly dropping from the upper echelons and into the pack at -2. He’s joined there by a fellow American heading in the other direction: Matt Kuchar notches his third birdie in a row, this time at 7. Incidentally, the BBC’s new on-screen graphics look lovely, but the whole package hasn’t been thought through. Before players take their shots, you get all the info you need: name, score, hole and number of shot. But when they hole out, all that’s on offer for the viewer is name and score, and a bloody great Open logo and flag. Rah rah rah, and all that, but no reference to the hole that’s just been played. Which is kind of crucial info. A poor business, all told.
Jimmy Walker is going very nicely indeed. Birdies at 5, 6 and 7, and he’s -3 through 8. Rose is so close to yet another birdie, a tricky downhill left-to-right curler on 6 staying high on the left. And Zach Johnson creams a fairway wood into a strong wind and onto the front of the green at 13, which is suddenly playing long. He nearly knocks in the 25-footer for birdie, but will have to make do with par. But he’s playing some calm, measured golf in increasingly testing conditions.
Another birdie for Henrik Stenson, this time at 6. He’s -2. Back-to-back birdies there. And it’s been back-to-back birdies for Matt Kuchar, who responds to a bogey at 4 with shots picked up at 5 and 6. He’s -1. A quiet start for Martin Kaymer: he’s -1 through 8, having birdied 5. He’s alongside his playing partner, the 2012 nearly man Adam Scott, who sandwiched a bogey at 4 with birdies at 3 and 5.
The 2006 US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy has been out of form for a couple of years. But a top-20 place at Chambers Bay last month has topped up the old confidence, and he’s doing very nicely today. Out in 32, after birdies at 1, 2, 5 and 6, he’s now birdied 10 to move to -5. Meanwhile it seems we were all misinformed about that lost ball down 12. It was Tommy Fleetwood who flayed his drive into deep oomska. Zach Johnson was safe and sound, able to set up a 15-foot birdie attempt from the fairway. But he leaves it high on the left. Par. Which, incidentally, is what Fleetwood was able to achieve, so we presume he found his ball, hacked out, and got up and down from distance. I’m guessing, because the BBC didn’t show any of the post-search action. Anyway, they’re still -6 and -4 respectively, so all’s well. Not quite so much good news for Phil Mickelson, though; he couldn’t drain his long par putt, and he drops back to -2.
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Lefty’s found his ball in the gorse bush, and has decided to take a penalty drop in line behind the bushes. He’ll have a clear shot into the green from trampled grass, a decent outcome all considered. And he fires his third over the flag. He’s still left with a 30-footer coming back, but two putts will limit the damage to a bogey. On 5, Fowler misses a birdie tiddler, giving a little downhill prod too much on the right. He needs a little something soon, because it’s not been happening yet. All pars. Rose birdies, though, and he’s -3, unspectacular but very, very steady. And that’s how his playing partner Nick Faldo won three Opens.
Back to back birdies for Phil Mickelson, the latest at 5. He’s -3, but maybe not for very much longer, as he’s forced to hit a provisional off the 6th tee, having hooked his first attempt into bushes down the right. He’s not the only major winner throwing weekend hacker shapes right now: Zach Johnson is currently searching for his ball in deep rough down 12.
Zach Johnson finds the middle of 11 with his tee shot, and very nearly strokes in the uphill 30-footer for a birdie that’d give him a share of the lead with his namesake Dustin. But he doesn’t quite hit it, and the talcum powder / baby shampoo references will have to wait. Meanwhile another birdie for Gary Woodland, who hits it big into 10 and leaves himself a tap-in to move to -4. And a glorious eagle opportunity for Henrik Stenson on 5: he’s eight feet from the flag. But he pulls it left. A birdie, his first of the day, and he’s -1. I’d be inclined to list Stenson in the Westwood-Garcia column: very talented, but without the moxie that turns great players into major winners. Hope I’m wrong on all three counts, but I fear disappointment.
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Zach Johnson is on the move. His second into 10 flops down 12 feet behind the flag, and he slides in the fairly straight birdie chance he’s left with. He’s -6. Meanwhile Danny Willett drives the 10th, and rakes in the 40-footer he’s got for eagle! He’s -5, and the top of the leaderboard is suddenly bothered by some of the folk out on the course.
-7: D Johnson (F)
-6: Streeb (F), Goosen (F), Lawrie (F), Day (F), Z Johnson (10)
-5: Niebrugge -a- (F), Na (F), Schwartzel (F), Spieth (F), Oosthuizen (F), Tringale (14), Cabrera-Bello (12), Willett (10)
Fowler, behind a grassy mound down the left of 4, lifts a blind wedge to six feet. That’s a gorgeous shot. A great chance for his first birdie of the day. But before that, Justin Rose has a long left-to-right curler up and over a ridge in the green from 40 feet. And it disappears into the cup at some speed! Rose allows his knees to buckle a little as he leans back in celebration. He’s -2. And that’s spooked Fowler a little, who prods gingerly at his putt, and has to make do with yet another par. Meanwhile David Howell hits a hot birdie putt eight feet past the hole on 18, but he knocks in the return calmly, saving his par and signing for a four-under 68. Langer drops his first stroke of the day at 7, to fall back to -3. Gary Woodland has reached the turn in 33, with birdies at 1, 5 and 9, a lovely symmetrical look to his card right now. And there’s another birdie for Tommy Fleetwood, this time at 10; he’s -4, looking very solid indeed, coming off the back of a very decent Scottish Open showing.
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Another birdie for Phil Mickelson, this time at 4. He’s started quickly. But then he started quickly at the US Open, and that didn’t quite work out for him in the long run. Meanwhile it’s back-to-back birdies for Jocky Troosers. The Wild Thing wedges to four feet at 10, and the winner here two decades ago is -4! As is Tyrrell Hatton, who shot 78 and 77 here as an amateur five years ago, but is doing far better today: the 23-year-old Englishman is through 16, two pars away from a very impressive 68.
Another birdie for Bernhard Langer, who is here as winner of the seniors event in 2014. That’s four in the opening six holes! Zach Johnson meanwhile continues to impress. Another birdie at 6, then a 15-footer guided in on 9, and he’s -5 all of a sudden, at the turn in 31 shots. He’s got a decent if not brilliant record in the Open - top-ten finishes in 2012 and 2013 - and enjoys links golf. The 2007 Masters champion might be worth an each-way punt, at the very least.
Home favourites dept. Stephen Gallacher is out of the blocks quickly, with birdies at 1, 3 and now 5. He’s -3. As is Richie Ramsay, who has birdies at 2, 7, 10 and 12, a bogey at 11 the only blemish on his card. And a stroke ahead of the pair at -4, the in-form Marc Warren, who shot 64 in the final round of the Scottish Open last week, and is out today in 32 strokes. Lawrie at -6... Lyle at -1... hmm. So here’s the thing: if a Scottish player wins this week, Scotland ties the USA for the most victories at the Open Championship. It’d be 42-all! I mean, realistically speaking, yes, well, OK. But dreaming is free, and they can’t take it away from us.
John Trousers, the 1995 champion, has just rattled in a 40-footer on 9. That’s a birdie, and it’s his fourth of the day. One bogey, only four pars, and he’s out in a rollercoaster three-under 33. Another old timer doing just dandy: the two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer, who has birdied 1, 2 and 5. He’s -3. As is the more whippersnapperesque Tommy Fleetwood. The 24-year-old Englishman loves this place, having shot 62 here at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship last year. He’s enjoying himself again: birdies at 2, 5 and 6, and he’s -3.
Phil Mickelson’s warmed up now. His second to 2 lands 12 feet past the flag, and he guides in the birdie putt without fuss. A Philesque touch of the peak of his cap to thank the crowd, who warmly greeted that one dropping. Some extra respect for Lefty there, as a former Scottish Open champ.
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Day putts through the Valley of Sin, lagging his ball up to a couple of feet. A fantastic 66. What should really please him is that most of the other low scores have been built on the easier front nine, while Day spread his birdies throughout his card. That shows he can perform around here when the going gets tough. As it’s expected to tomorrow and Saturday, when the weather gets up. Oosthuizen rattles in long left-to-right curler for birdie and a 67. He’s in brilliant nick right now. And Tiger pars. A four-over 76, and he’ll need something special tomorrow. To his eternal credit, he smiles generously as he congratulates today’s vastly more successful playing partners, before walking off, insouciantly twirling his putter like Tusk-era Stevie Nicks.
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The 2013 US Open champion Justin Rose is the third member of the Fowler-Faldo group, and he’s just clipped his second into the 1st to a couple of feet. That’s a certain birdie. Fowler nearly makes one from distance at the back of the green, but it’s one joule short of energy. On 18, Day’s ball stops short, like Frank Costanza, and topples back into the Valley of Sin. A wee job to get up and down from there. But if he does, he’s carding a bogey-free 66. Meanwhile here’s news of Rafael Cabrera-Bello: the Spaniard is out in a blistering 31 strokes, having birdied 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7. He’s in the sizeable group on -5.
The Scottish Open champ Rickie Fowler is out and about! There’d be few more popular winners if he breaks his major duck this week. He’s straight down the middle. As is the 1990 St Andrews champion Nick Faldo, to warmer applause than he used to get back when he was hoovering up six majors. It’s how British crowds roll. Up on the green, Phil Mickelson takes a solid two putts from distance to save his par. The 2013 winner just warming up.
Day blooters his drive into the rough down the left of 17. He leaves his second short left, but chips gorgeously over the bunker to four feet. He remains at -6. And a brilliant up and down by Tiger, who faces a 120-foot putt. He gets it to 15 feet, then slots away the par effort. That’s his best putt of the day by some distance, but he’s still +4, and in all sorts of trouble. Meanwhile up on 18, Paul Lawrie is a ball’s width away from draining a 30-foot left-to-right curler for birdie and a 65. But he makes do with a par and a 66, and he’s in the clubhouse at -6 alongside Robert Streb and Retief Goosen. A marvellous effort by one of the most under-rated Open champions of all time. He went out and won that 1999 Open just as much as Jean van de Velde lost it, you know.
Spieth takes an age working out the line of his putt on 18. It’s got a huge left-to-right break. It’s worth the effort, because he judges it to perfection, and it drops in, just the right pace. He punches the air, a birdie at the last, and a five-under 67. The Hogan dream is very much alive. A quarter of the way there. Neither Matsuyama nor Johnson, from similar positions, give their efforts enough. Matsuyama - who reached the turn in 33, but dropped shots at 10, 14 and 15, coming back in 39 - is level par. Dustin’s leading the championship, but one more turn of the ball there and he’d have been putting his name to a 64. As it stands, he’s happy enough tapping in for a 65.
-7: D Johnson (F)
-6: Streb (F), Goosen (F), Lawrie (17), Day (16)
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Spieth flays his drive at 18 miles left, but wedges to 15 feet, a decent chance for a closing birdie. Matsuyama - who got up and down from the back of 17 - follows him there. And Johnson - the longest, hitting last - chips to 12 feet. Dustin’s the sole leader now, because Lawrie left his approach at 17 short, was forced to chip over the bunker, and left the 20-footer he gave himself low on the right.
Brisk starts dept. The 2013 PGA champion Jason Dufner dropped a shot at the opening hole, but has birdied 2, 3, 5 and now 6 to move to -3. The 2007 Masters winner Zach Johnson has birdied 1, 2 and 5; he’s -3 as well. And alongside the pair of them, England’s Danny Willett, who birdied the opening three holes and has just parred 4.
Dustin can only lob his ball over the flag and 25 feet behind the hole. No matter, because he strokes in the return putt! That’ll feel like a birdie, and he remains in the lead at -7. Spieth meanwhile splashes out from the sand to six feet, a fine escape from there, but he sends the short par putt away to the right. That was never going in, and for once Spieth’s putter has betrayed him. He drops back to -4. Birdie for Howell on 14, grabbing back a shot dropped at 13. He’s -5. And the 21-year-old English amateur Paul Kinnear drops one at 13, but he’s still very nicely placed at -5.
Everyone in trouble down 17. Dustin’s in the rough down the left, and chooses to fire an iron straight over the famous bunker. He doesn’t catch it at all, and the ball ends up short and left in semi-rough. He’s snookered by the bunker, with the flag only just over the sand. That’ll be quite a poser. Spieth meanwhile finds the bunker. A test for him, too. The best shot in the grouping is Matsuyama’s: from Dustin Country down the left, he finds the back-left portion of the green.
Jason Day continues to go along very nicely. Having reached the turn in a blemish-free 33 strokes, he’s now birdied 10, 14 and 15. He’s -6. A bit of trouble down the back of 16, though, putting from a hollow; he gets it up and over a hillock, the ball breaking dramatically to the right. He’s left with a six footer for his par, which he makes. That was very missable. He’ll feel good about that. Meanwhile Sergio finds the centre of the green on 18. Two putts for a par, and that’s a 70. Not a disaster, but such a shame about that bogey on 17 after his escape from the bunker. Still, it could be worse. His playing partner Lee Westwood misses a tiddler. He finishes 5-5-5, three bogeys in a row, and a good round has turned into a bog-average 71.
One of the shots of the day here by Sergio Garcia. He’s up against the face of the Road Hole bunker, and splashes out to a couple of feet. Genius. And so of course he then misses the par tiddler. He’s back to -2. And now he’s nearly wanged his drive at 18 out of bounds on the right! He should be fine from there, but that was toying with disaster. Meanwhile Cameron Tringale, who is always there or thereabouts in PGA events, without ever actually getting the job done, has flown out of the blocks today. Birdies at 1, 2 and 3, followed by another couple at 5 and 7. He’s right in the mix here - though the wind is getting up, so keep it going while you can, everyone.
Dustin Johnson, on the same green, leaves himself with a lot to do to save par and a share of the lead … but he sends it straight in at a decent pace. And on that note I’m off, and Scott’s back to lead you through for the remainder of the day’s play – enjoy.
A rare miss from >10ft for Spieth! His birdie effort on 16 fails to find its target, and he swings his putter through the air out of frustration. He pars, of course, but it says a lot for his current form that we are surprised he missed a mid-length putt.
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Schwartzel, having dropped a shot on the 17th, pars the final hole to make his way into the clubhouse on a promising -5. Poulter, having birdied only the 10th, finishes up on +1. Back on 15, Lawrie pars to remain tied at the top with Johnson on -7.
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The English amateur Paul Kinnear, who has just unluckily lipped the 12th hole with a birdie putt, sits tied for third alongside Streb and Goosen. Some info from our golf correspondent, Ewan Murray, from the course, on why we shouldn’t be too surprised.
Worth noting that amateurs like Kinnear play lots of competitive links golf. Stage etc is different now but course the same.
— Ewan Murray (@mrewanmurray) July 16, 2015
Johnson pars the 15th with his second putt after the lengthy first from the back of the green trickled a tad too far, while his co-leader, Lawrie, in the group immediately behind, fails to find the green with his approach – sending it to the right.
-7: Lawrie (14), D Johnson (15)
-6: Streb (F), Goosen (F), Kinnear -a- (11)
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Tiger sinks his putt for his first birdie of the day! He’s on to +4. Elsewhere Oosthuizen hits his fifth birdie of the day to go on to -4. Spieth’s third on 15 rolls to five foot from the hole.
@alansmith90 can you do anything about that bl@@dy helicopter?
— Alan Weir (@oldgreydoc) July 16, 2015
Unfortunately the only things I can think of to stop it are illegal, so that will be a no and you’ll just have to endure it. Sorry!
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Spieth’s second on 15 from the rough ends a smidgen short of the green, Johnson’s approach ends behind the pin and on to the back of the green. It’ll be a difficult putt from there. On 14, Woods, also short of the green, decides to putt on and rolls about a body-length beyond the hole to the right.
On 18, Ernie Els cannot finish with a birdie, sending his putt left of the hole. He rolls in the follow up to end the day on -1. Johnson finds the fairway from the 15th tee, while Spieth’s effort lands on the light stuff but rolls a couple of feet into the first cut of rough. The other member of that group, Matsuyama, somewhat in their shadow but back on a fair -1, also finds the fairway.
Luke Donald, who finished up on -4, reacts to his first round: “I made some good saves for pars on 13, 14, 17. I was happy with that score and I think conditions will get more difficult later today.” Back on the course Lawrie hits a remarkable fourth shot on 14 from near the 15th tee back on to the green to leaves himself a gimme from what looked like an impossible position. “A miracle pitch, would you believe it,” says a flabbergasted Peter Alliss, lamenting our inability to actually see the shot due to an obstructed view. What do I know, eh?!
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Drama on the 14th. Spieth has a sharp, tricky downhill put to save par and coolly rolls it in. However is playing partner, Johnson, has a putt to join Lawrie – he sinks it to move on to -7. Further back the hole, Lawrie’s third shot after playing out from the bunker is shanked right and ends up near the 15th tee. Does not require some golf genius to declare he will be dropping a shot or two here. Woods saves par on 13 after leaving the previous putt short to remain on +5.
Hello! The US amateur Jordan Niebrugge after his -5 round, the joint best by an amateur on this course, tells BBC: “I arrived last Friday and played four or five times so I’m used to the track … and my caddy works here.” Lawrie, meanwhile, has found sand on 14. One back on 13 Woods has a long, long birdie putt but leaves it about six foot short. And two further back, Howell saves par to remain on -5.
And we’ve got a new leader! It’s the 1999 champion Paul Lawrie, who has just tickled a 15-footer in on 13. His ball threatened to stay up on the left lip, but finally toppled in to great cheers from the home gallery. Spieth, meanwhile, couldn’t escape on 13; two putts and he’s back to -5. What an Open we have here!
-7: Lawrie (13)
-6: Streb (F), Goosen (F), Schwartzel (14), D Johnson (13)
And with that, I’ll leave you in the very capable hands of Alan Smith. See you again in a while!
Tiger chunks a chip on 12. The divot he takes up comprises 30% of the historic county of Fife, and nearly goes as far as the ball. Just before he took the shot, with uncanny timing, the BBC transmitted pictures of a tatty old crow, hopping around ominously, the universal symbol of impending doom. Oh Crow! Oh Tiger! He manages to scramble par, but what a miserable display this is. Meanwhile on the 1st tee, it’s the 1995 St Andrews champion John Daly. You can’t miss him, because he’s wearing green and pink trousers. The BBC again, and Peter Alliss compares the Wild Thing’s wild attire to the sort of wallpaper the hosts of Homes Under The Hammer regularly strip off in order to boost the price of property. And it’s par for Donald at the last. He signs for a 68, having played the tricky back nine in a Faldoesque nine pars.
Paul Lawrie joins the gaggle at -6 with birdie at 12. How long Jordan Spieth remains part of that leading group is a moot point. He’s just driven into one of the Coffin bunkers in the middle of the 13th fairway, and is forced to take his medicine and knock out sideways. He’s still the best part of 200 yards from the green, playing three. He toys with the bunker to the front right of the green, but the ball stays up and creeps onto the putting surface. He’s pin high, and will have a 25-footer for par.
David Howell never quite fulfilled all that promise, but he enjoyed a top-ten finish at the 2008 Open, and made the top 15 last year. The 40-year-old Englishman appears to be in the mood for another high finish. After an opening-hole birdie, he made another three in a row, at 6, 7 and 8. He should have made it four, but pushed a short putt on 9 to the right. Still, he’s out in 32 strokes, at -4. Meanwhile up on 17, sheer brilliance from Luke Donald, who finds himself up against the face of the Road Hole bunker, but escapes with a deserved par after a stunning punch up and out to a couple of feet. An insanely good bunker shot, and to strains of LUUUUUUKE he walks to the final hole smiling, as well he might at -4.
On 18, Goosen wedges to 12 feet, and rolls in the birdie putt. He’ll be signing for a 66, and a tie of the clubhouse lead. He’s joined at -6 by his fellow South African Charl Schwartzel, who birdies 14. It’s quite a leaderboard, this:
-6: Streb (F), Goosen (F), Schwartzel (14), Spieth (12), D Johnson (12)
-5: Niebrugge -a- (F), Na (F), Lawrie (11)
Kevin Na drains a 30-footer on 18 for birdie, and he’s signing for a blemish-free 67. Some news of his playing partner Sandy Lyle, who carded a very respectable one-under 71. Goosen finds the Road running behind the Hole at 17, but lobs to four feet and saves his par. Meanwhile Spieth is in a little bit of bother down 12. He’s found the long grass, and punches into the middle of the huge double green. A long two-putt left there. But he rolls his monster three feet past, lovely judgement from where he was, and he avoids dropping his first shot. Such brilliant control from distance.
Another missed green for Tiger, another short putt lipped out, another shot dropped. This is beyond dismal. He’s +5, and propping up the entire field. His playing partner Jason Day makes another birdie, and rises to -4. It’s lovely to see him going so nicely after the tumult of the US Open. And another scramble for Sergio, this time on 13. He remains at -3, as does his playing partner Lee Westwood. Sergio’s par putt needed all the cup, the ball racing round the rim before dropping, and he punches the air with determination and delight.
Spieth isn’t the only Jordan making waves today. A birdie at the last for the amateur Niebrugge, and the 21-year-old American is signing for a 67! The other young American amateur, Oliver Schniederjans, is hanging on in there too. Having reached the heady heights of -4 through 8, he doubled 9, but has continued to battle: birdies at 10 and 14 have more than offset a bogey at 11, and he’s -3 through 15.
-6: Streb (F), Spieth (11), D Johnson (11)
-5: Niebrugge -a- (F), Goosen (16), Todd (13), Schwartzel (13), Lawrie (10)
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Sergio on the surge! He whistles his tee shot at the par-three 11th down a swale to the right of the green. He’s shortsided, facing a hellishly tricky up and down. But he makes it. And he’s rewarded for his staunch display with birdie at 12. Suddenly, just as it looked like he was dropping back to -1, he’s up at -3. The in-form Kevin Kisner came flying out of the traps: birdies at 1. 3 and 5, and he’s reached the turn in 33. He’s -3 through 10. Bubba Watson is going along nicely. He’s -3 through 13, though a missed tiddler on that hole will cause him some emotional tumult. And back on 11, Spieth’s tee shot stays up on the bank, back left of the green, but that’s near enough to the flag for a look at birdie. And in it goes! He joins Streb and Dustin in the lead at -6!
Here’s the 2000 and 2005 St Andrews champion Tiger, with a snaking birdie attempt prodded slightly apologetically towards the hole at 9. It’s never dropping, and he’s reached the turn in 40 shots, +4, only Rod Pampling and Kevin Streelman worse off. He’s playing very poorly indeed, and as he trudges off to the next tee, looks more saddened than angry. A slight twitch of the lip, an involuntary Elvis, gives away a micro-tell. He looks upset. First Chambers Bay, now this. It’s not much fun to watch the great man struggling in the majors in such an abject manner. God speed, Tiger Woods. Meanwhile what a juxtaposition with the 2010 king of St Andrews, his playing partner Louis Oosthuizen: he birdies, having just about driven the green, and he’s out in 33. The third member of the group, Jason Day, pars, also reaching the turn at -3.
Robert Streb pars 18 and signs for a six-under 66. He’s got the clubhouse lead, but for how long remains to be seen, because he’s joined at -6 out on the course by Dustin Johnson, whose second to 10 is wedged to eight feet, the birdie putt stroked in with ease. Meanwhile Matt Jones of Australia rolls in a 15-foot birdie putt on the last, and signs for a four-under 68. And some breaking news: it’s cold in Scotland, though the wind’s not up yet. So plenty of time still to make hay while the sun doesn’t shine.
Anything Jordan Spieth can do, the 1999 champion Paul Lawrie can match. He’s just rolled in a 25-footer on 9 to reach the turn in 31 strokes. He’s -5. Another veteran, Goosen, is a dimple’s width away from stroking home a left-to-right uphill 40-footer on 16, but he remains one off Streb’s lead. Meanwhile Goosen’s compatriot, the former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, was out in 33, and has just followed up birdie at 10 with another at 12. He’s -5. And this leaderboard is already looking stellar:
-6: Streb (17)
-5: Goosen (16), Todd (12), Schwartzel (12), Spieth (9), D Johnson (9), Lawrie (9)
What an end to the round for David Lingmerth. Out in 29, and it all started going wrong after the turn. Bogey at 11, 14 and 15, then a double on the Road Hole. A birdie at 18 has repaired some of the damage, though there’s no disguising that he came back in 40 strokes. But he’s signing for a 69, still nicely placed at -3. That’s golf for you, right there. Like football, it’s a game of two halves. A funny old game. Hey, he’s still in the record books, that 29 over the front nine matching Tony Jacklin’s best Open score at St Andrews. Meanwhile Tiger wasn’t able to save his par at 7. He’s+4, tied for 79th place out of 81 players. What a business.
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Matteo Manassero, who respectfully escorted Tom Watson around Turnberry in 2009, on his way to becoming the low amateur, hasn’t really clicked as a pro yet. But the 22-year-old Italian made the top 20 last year at Hoylake, and now he’s just carded four birdies in five holes, the latest at 9, to reach the turn in 33. He’s -3. Birdies for Louis Oosthuizen at 5 and now 7. He’s -2. Carl Pettersson can’t save par on 14 after whistling his ball into a bush; he’s back to -3. And Dustin Johnson is a yard or so away from driving the short par-four 9th, but two putts gives him a birdie, and he’s reached the turn in 31 strokes. As has Jordan Spieth, who has a look at birdie on the same hole from 15 feet, his ball staying out on the high side.
The 1999 champion Paul Lawrie has just clipped a wedge to three feet at 7. He taps in for his birdie, a third in a row, and the fourth of the day. The veteran Scot joins the big group at -4. Nothing’s going right for poor Tiger, though. He guides a wedge straight at the flag at 7, but it spins back down a huge swale to the right of the green. He’ll face quite the up and down to save his par.
Spieth takes his tee shot at the par-three 8th. He spins away in disgust. Has he bunkered it? Nope, it’s merely in the centre of the green, pin high, but maybe 30 feet from the flag. Standards, though. He can’t knock in the long (but fairly straight) uphill birdie effort, and par will have to do. Hey, nobody’s perfect. Birdie for Day at 6; he moves to -3. Day’s playing partner Tiger gives himself a look at birdie by landing his second pin high to 15 feet, but doesn’t hit the putt and it dies off to the left. There’s no spark. Such a shame. Meanwhile Todd rakes in a monster on 11 to move to -5. And par on the last for the Irish amateur Paul Dunne, who reached the turn in 32 and held it together nicely on the much tougher back nine; just the one over coming back, and he signs for a three-under 69. Magnificent.
What a start this is by Jordan Spieth. He caresses a wedge to three feet at 7, then strokes it in for his third birdie in a row, and his fifth of the day. This is effortless brilliance. He’s in second spot, alongside Goosen, who has just missed a tiddler on 14 for a birdie that’d have given him a share of the lead with Streb. Meanwhile a bogey for Petterson at 13, dropping him back to -4.
Tiger is in all sorts of bother down the left of 5. He drives into rough, then wangs an awful 3-wood onto the grassiest of knolls. His third takes a hot bounce and ends 40 feet past the hole. Three putts later - the last one a tiddler - and the two-time St Andrews Open champion is +3 after just five holes. He’ll currently be grateful for the late-round collapse of Rod Pampling. The Aussie was -1 after a birdie at 11, but double-bogeyed 13, then carded another four bogeys in a row. He signed for a five-over 77. Without Pampling, Tiger would be propping up the entire field.
The wind is beginning to rise. So make those scores while you can. The afternoon starters won’t fancy this. Streb grabs the sole leadership with birdie at 15. Another birdie for Lee Westwood, this time at 7. He’s -3. Matsuyama sees his birdie effort from 12 feet on 6 slip just past, but Spieth, from a similar position, makes no mistake. He’s the best putter in the world right now. Like that’s news. He’s -4, just two off the early lead. Meanwhile in the clubhouse with a four-under 68: the 6.32am starter Greg Owen, who ended his very fine, very early round with a birdie.
-6: Streb (15)
-5: Goosen (13), Pettersson (12)
-4: Owen (F), Lingmerth (16), Niebrugge -a- (14), Na (13), Donald (12), Mahan (12), Todd (9), Spieth (6), D Johnson (6)
How David Lingmerth must wish the turn had never come. He’s been struggling on the back nine, chasing par. On 15, he’s forced to knock in a missable six-footer for his bogey. It’s in, but he’s back in the pack at -4 now. Meanwhile Brendon Todd has birdied 3, 5, 6 and now 9, and the 29-year-old American, playing in only his second Open Championship, is out in 32.
Matsuyama on the move. He’s in the heart of 5 in two, lags a 35-footer up to a couple of feet, and knocks in the birdie putt. He’s up to -3. Spieth matches his effort, and moves to -3 too. But their playing partner Dustin, having boomed a typical monster drive down the track and lifted a 9 iron to three feet, taps in for eagle! He’s -4, and looking the part. Meanwhile monster putt of the day has just been sunk by Kevin Na, who putts through a valley from 50 feet for a birdie that takes him to -4. And Goosen will very soon be joining the leaders, having come within an inch of holing a 60-yard wedge at 12. A tap-in birdie will take him to -5.
Sergio on 6, 20 feet from the flag. He hits a putt that was destined to travel 40 feet past had the hole not got in the way. But it rattles into the cup at high velocity, and he’s -2! As is his playing partner Lee Westwood, with back-to-back birdies at 5 and 6. “I don’t want much from life,” begins Simon McMahon. In fairness, we’d already come to that conclusion ourselves, based on the amount of time you spend reading these reports. “But seeing Tom Watson finish on Sunday this week is one of them. He deserves that. Although if I had to choose between that and a certain Spaniard lifting the claret jug, well.” Preach on, brother. Sergio! He couldn’t, could he? *
[* Answer: Almost certainly not. But let us dream, will you.]
A bit of trouble for the leader Lingmerth at 14, as the Swede tries to bump a wedge through a few mounds, and watches in horror as it breaks off to the left and runs back off the green. He can’t get up and down from the front, racing a putt eight feet past and missing the return. He was out in 29, but he’s dropped two since the turn. He’s back to -5. But here’s contrasting news for Swedish fans, as big Carl Pettersson curls in a 12-footer on 10, and then makes another birdie with his long putter at the par-three 11th. He’s suddenly tied for the lead alongside his compatriot!
-5: Lingmerth (14), Streb (13), Pettersson (11)
-4: Levy (14), Niebrugge -a- (13), Goosen (11), Donald (11), Mahan (11)
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Tiger hasn’t made a green in regulation yet. He’s just landed his second into 3 short. This isn’t in the US Open realms of Difficult To Watch yet, but to put it into some sort of context: he’s one of only ten players out of 63 to be out there and over par. He gets up and down from the front, which may make him feel a little better. His playing partner Oosthuizen misses a dribbly six footer for birdie: he’s not done much wrong yet, but nothing special either. He’s level par.
Tiger can only hoick his third into the 2nd to 25 feet. Aimless. He’s all over the shop. But he’s slightly unfortunate as a mighty fine putt horseshoes out. That’s another bogey, though, and a dismal start for Tiger. So much for his conservative approach, taking irons off the tee Hoylake style. He may as well be flaying them hither and yon with his driver. Day knocks in his birdie effort, and he’s -1. Meanwhile what a run here by the 22-year-old American amateur Oliver Schniederjans: a birdie at 3, and now three on the bounce between 6 and 8; he’s -4. But he’s not the leading amateur right now. He’s not even the leading American amateur. Step forward Jordan Niebrugge, who has birdied 10 and now 12, having gone out in 33. He’s -5, in a tie for second with Robert Streb, and a shot behind the early leader David Lingmerth.
Tiger’s woes continue on 2, a heavy second shot left 50 yards shy of the green! The early signs aren’t good for the 14-time major winner. Day - having hit his tee shot nearly 80 yards ahead of Tiger - gently eases his second pin high to ten feet. Lingmerth, incidentally, is going along serenely after that dropped shot at 11. Pars at 12 and 13, up and down from 30 feet at the latter, and he’s still in the lead, a shot ahead of Streb. And another birdie for Goosen, this time at the short 10th.
-6: Lingmerth (13)
-5: Streb (12)
-4: Levy (13), Niebrugge -a- (11), Goosen (10), Donald (9), Mahan (9)
Spieth is this close to making it three birdies in a row. But having sent his second at 3 pin high to ten feet, his putt lips out. An excellent start nevertheless. It’s two in a row for Dustin, though, after a delightful approach to six feet. And Matsuyama makes birdies as well. This group are on fire: they’re all -2 through 3. Up on 12, Streb lifts his approach to 18 inches; he’ll surely be moving up to -5. Tap. And in.
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Ti-gerrrrrr! He’s just flipped his wedge into the Swilcan Burn. Day and Oosthuizen both set up birdie chances. Tiger was a good 40 yards behind his playing partners; a suggestion that he might have mishit his opening shot a little. Playing from 140 yards out, with the pin at the front of the green, another misjudgement wasn’t long in coming. He wedges his fourth over the burn to three feet, and should escape with a bogey. Which he does, rattling it in. Day and Oosthuizen can’t make their birdies, though, short ones missed. None of the three particularly happy as they walk off. Meanwhile birdie for Sergio on 3, after a lovely wedge to six feet. He’s -1. It’s a fast start for the 2011 champion Darren Clarke, who birdies 1 and now 3; he’s -2. And Donald races in a 25-footer on 8, to move to -4. That’s four birdies in the last six.
Spieth loves talking to his ball, doesn’t he. “Down! Softly! Softly!” Like an obedient pup, it obeys, taking one bounce and stopping pin high, ten feet from the hole. Matsuyama again is right next to him. They’re following each other around the course. Spieth strokes in his birdie putt, like you knew he would. The Phenom is -2 after 2. Dustin sent his his second close too, and this time he makes his birdie. But Matsuyama fails to make it a group hat-trick. Par. Meanwhile back on 1, another stellar group gets underway. Jason Day, hopefully refreshed and raring to go after his hellish US Open experience. To huge cheers from the faithful gallery, it’s Tiger Woods, twice an Open champion here. And finally the 2010 winner here, Louis Oosthuizen, who was the best player at the US Open, if you factor out that ludicrous opening-day 77. They all clip their tee shots down the track. All three, all smiles.
Spieth blooters his tee shot straight down the middle of 2. Matsuyama right next to him. Dustin a good 30 yards ahead of them both, a little frustration taken out on the ball there. Goosen rakes in a 30-footer on 8 to move to -3. Anthony Wall, who tied for 11th at Hoylake in 2006, is out in 33: he’s -3.
It’s fair to say it’s all happening. Lingmerth goes straight for the flag at the par-three 11th, and dumps his ball in Hill Bunker to the front left. He’s got an eight-foot-high face to splash over, but he manages to gently guide the ball out to six feet. He couldn’t have done much better there. But his curly right-to-left putt dies just in front of the hole, and it’s his first dropped shot of the day. Back to -6. On 1, Spieth, Johnson and Hideki Matsuyama pepper the flag with wedges, but only Spieth and Matsuyama manage to convert for birdies. Poor Dustin’s putter continues to betray him. Meanwhile Luke Donald, another man whose career has been a litany of near misses, has started well. Birdies at 3, 5 and 6, and he’s -3. And Levy’s good round continues. Having got to -3 through 7, he dropped a shot at 8, but birdies at 9 and now 11 see him rise to -4.
Here comes Jordan Spieth, described by the BBC’s legendary Peter Alliss as a “phenom”. To have his way with words, huh? Spieth swishes an iron down the left-hand side of the fairway, and his bid to match Ben Hogan’s unique feat of 1953 is underway. His playing partner Dustin Johnson whistles an iron down near the burn. You’d need a cold, hard heart not to wish the big man well, after that horror show on the last at Chambers Bay. Meanwhile a very brisk start from eternal bridesmaid Hunter Mahan. Birdies at 1, 3, 5 and now 6, and he’s -4 in double-quick time. And Lingmerth makes a meal of 10, driving into rough down the left, then having reached the green in regulation, leaving himself a ten-footer for par with a weak putt. But it’s in, and he stays at -7.
-7: Lingmerth (10)
-5: Streb (9)
-4: Mahan (6)
Lowry isn’t the only recent US Open contender to start slowly. Patrick Reed dunks his second at the opening hole into the Swilcan Burn. Welcome to Fife, big man! His fourth over the burn doesn’t go that close, but he rattles in the 12-footer he leaves himself and escapes with just the bogey. Meanwhile birdie for his playing partner Lee Westwood, and a par for Sergio. Up on 2, Bubba escapes with par after a long two putts o’er hill and dale. And on 9, Streb strokes in a left-to-right slider from 15 feet for another birdie, and he moves to -5. He’s out in 31, fantastic scoring which only looks workaday in the context of Lingmerth’s astonishing birdie blitz.
Lingmerth wedges his second at 9 pin high to 15 feet. That’ll give him a decent look at birdie for a front nine of 29. And he rolls in the right-to-left slider! He’s -7, matching Jacklin’s front-nine 1970 record at St Andrews! Meanwhile an opening birdie for Bubba, who eases his second to five feet and strokes in the putt without fuss. A dropped shot for Dunne at 11. And it’s a miserable start to the championship for links expert Shane Lowry. Bogeys at 1 and 4, and he’s already +2.
-7: Lingmerth (9)
-4: Streb (8)
Lingmerth’s parred the 8th. So birdie at the short, drivable par-four 9th will see him out in 29 strokes. That would equal the Old Course’s Open front-nine record, set by Tony Jacklin in 1970. (See, Rory, this is what reigning champions can do on a benign day at St Andrews.) An eagle, and he’d be matching Denis Durnian’s Open front-nine record, set at Royal Birkdale in 1983. Meanwhile Craig McEwan has been perusing the official Open website: “Spectator advice: Please don’t bring stepladders. This from the same organisation that tried to stop Maurice Flitcroft. Could anyone smuggle stepladders on to the Old Course?”
This is becoming preposterous now. Lingmerth has just birdied 7. Six birdies in seven holes. It’s his first round in an Open Championship! What a way to announce yourself. He’s two clear at the top of the young leaderboard, ahead of Streb (who has just birdied 6) but not Bjorn (who has dropped one at 10).
-6: Lingmerth (7)
-4: Dunne -a- (9), Streb (6)
Alexander Levy of France is a young man in a hurry. He made his major-championship debut at the PGA last year, finishing very respectably in a tie for 30th. He went three places better at the US Open last month. The 24-year-old has also got two European Tour wins under his belt already, and now he’s making waves at his first Open Championship. Birdies at 2, 4 and now 7 move him right up the early leaderboard in a tie for fourth place with Owen, Streb and Niebrugge. Meanwhile the first prediction of the week from John McEnerney, still recovering it would seem from the dramas of that aforementioned US Open: “From the Chambers of Horrors Bay to Heaven. That’s some change and I doubt anyone will launch toys from their prams this week. Well, Bubba might.” Yes, the beauty of Bubba is his sheer unpredictability. He could easily shoot 62 or 82. And there are few more entertaining sights than watching Bubba coming off double bogey, an otherwise decent attempt at a poker face betrayed by a slight narrowing of the eyes, light reddening of the cheeks, and 17 gallons of hot steam parping out of both ears. It’s very hard not to love him. I hope he’s in the mood to take advantage of these conditions.
Another birdie from the simply astonishing David Lingmerth! He’s bounced back from the shock of only parring 5 with yet another birdie, this time at 6. This must surely be the best start to an Open career in 144 years of history. He’s a shot ahead of Bjorn, who is out in 32, and the amateur Dunne, who matches that score after nine holes, having just birdied 9. Greg Owen does his best to stay on the leaders’ tails. His third birdie of the day, this time at 9, sees him out in 33 strokes. Also moving up to -3 are Streb and another amateur, the 21-year-old American Jordan Niebrugge, both with birdies at 5.
-5: Lingmerth (6)
-4: Bjorn (9), Dunne -a- (9)
-3: Owen (9), Streb (5), Niebrugge -a- (5)
Kevin Streelman got a late call-up to the Open, replacing Chris Kirk. He certainly appears to be in the mood to make his mark, any mark. An opening double bogey has been followed by birdie and bogey. A rollercoaster +2 already, and he’s one of only five players over par, with 33 out on the course right now. Matt Every props everyone up at +3, having added to that double bogey at 2 with another bogey at 4. Meanwhile it would appear David Lingmerth has been wasting everyone’s time. A par at 5. Pfffft! Pah! Just the four opening birdies in a row, then. He stays at -4 alongside Bjorn. What a start, though!
The two-time US Open champ Retief Goosen has come wheeching out of the blocks, Lingmerth style. Perhaps with good memories of the last Open here - the big South African placed sixth in 2010 - he’s birdied the opening two holes. Meanwhile marvellous news of Sandy Lyle. The 1985 champion dropped a shot on the easy opening hole, but he’s grabbed it back quickly with birdie at 3. He’s not going to win this week, but we all have our favourites, so please allow me that. And joining Lingmerth at the top of the tree: Thomas Bjorn, with his fourth birdie in five holes, this time at 8.
-4: Bjorn (8), Lingmerth (4)
-3: Dunne -a- (7)
63. The lowest score in major championship golf. Set by Johnny Miller at the 1973 US Open and matched 25 times but never bettered. Seemingly unbreachable. Is the record set to topple this morning? I mean, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. But still. What’s the point in following sport if you’re not allowed to dream? The Old Course’s defences are down this morning. Will someone seize the day and carve themselves a lovely, thick, succulent slice of history? The non-defending champion Rory McIlroy must be sitting at home itching all over. He shot one of those 63s here on the opening day five years ago (before being banjaxed by the wind, shooting 80 on the Friday, but that’s another story). What he’d give for a chance to take another tilt at 62.
David Lingmerth has taken to Open golf in a manner that makes Tom Watson look like Maurice Flitcroft! He’s just birdied 4 as well! This is an astonishing debut. Sheer perfection! The only way here is down. Bjorn meanwhile stays on his tail with his third birdie in a row, this time at 6. As does the amateur Dunne, who picks up another shot at 5. And Robert Streb is another man in the groove right now. He finished fourth in the Wells Fargo back in May, then made it to a four-man play-off at the Greenbrier a couple of weeks ago. Birdies at 1 and now 3 see him continue that form; he’s -2. But it’s not all a walk in the park: An Byeong-Hun has become the first player to register a common-or-garden bogey. He’s dropped a stroke at the opening hole, the first player to do so. An was in the top 30 at Hoylake last year, his first Open as a professional, but maybe he’s suffering flashbacks from five years ago, when he missed the cut here as an 18-year-old amateur.
-4: Lingmerth (4)
-3: Bjorn (6), Dunne -a- (5)
Lingmerth’s dream start to Open golf continues! The Swedish debutant makes it three holes played, three birdies carded. He’s the new, early leader of the Open, clearly still buzzing from his first PGA Tour win at the Golden Bear’s Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village last month. And it’s a Scandinavian landgrab at the top of the leaderboard, with 2003 bridesmaid Thomas Bjorn of Denmark carding back-to-back birdies at 4 and 5 to move to -2.
-3: Lingmerth (3)
-2: Bjorn (5), Dunne -a- (4)
So with all that talk of easy scoring, here’s news of the first dropped shots of the tournament. You’ll notice the use of the plural, because nobody’s made a bogey yet. Matt Every however has doubled the 2nd. Much better news for David Lingmerth: the Swede, on his debut, has followed up birdie on 1 with another at 2. No bother, this Open lark, huh.
The 1st on the Old Course is a nice gentle start, so all these early birdies are no great surprise. But it’s also worth noting that there’s only a gentle breeze this morning, so a low score is there for the taking for the early starters. The wind’s expected to pick up later in the day, so the draw’s been kinder to Jordan Spieth than Rickie Fowler, Sergio Garcia than Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods than Adam Scott. The winds are expected to pick up on Friday, so the benefit of going out early tomorrow, after the draw switcheroo, may not be so great. But time will tell. For now, the players out there are filling their boots. Picking up birdies at 3: James Hahn and the 2004 champion Todd Hamilton. Ah the Curtis-Hamilton era of the early Naughties. And they say the Open nearly died during the 1950s.
Dunne birdies the 2nd as well! The young amateur leads the field! Such as it is, early doors! Do we have another Tom Lewis - 65 on the opening day at Sandwich in 2011 - on our hands? A long time to go yet, but yes please. Meanwhile there’s a birdie at the 1st for the US-based Scot Russell Knox, who only scraped into the Open as a result of poor Rory McIlroy’s ill fortune on the football field. Oh Rory. Anyway, we’ll not be making a habit of these early leaderboards, but an amateur currently has sole leadership of the Open. And yes, yes, there may only be a dozen players out on the course, but only the coldest of hearts could deny us taking another snapshot for him. He’s leading the Open!
-2: Dunne -a- (2)
-1: Owen (3), Knox (1), Lingmerth (1)
We’re barely more than half an hour into the Open, with only a few players out and about, so all the leaderboards dotted around the course a bit redundant right now. Well, perhaps, but tell that to Paul Dunne. The young Irish amateur made it through final qualifying in some style - a pair of 67s at Woburn - though he nearly missed his start time that day, only arriving a minute before he had to tee it up. He’s obviously a young man who knows how to time his run to perfection, because he’s birdied the opening hole. So if you ever find yourself tied for the lead at the Open, you’d want it marked down somewhere for the record, right? It’s only fair, right and proper. And here it is:
-1: Owen (2), Dunne -a- (1)
E: Pampling (2), Bjorn (2), Hamilton (1), Hahn (1)
So welcome to the 144th Open Championship at the home of golf, St Andrews. The grand Old Course has been buffed and cleaned, polished and preened, and after all the waiting and anticipating, we’re finally under way! Who will put their name to the illustrious list of Open winners at St Andrews: Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, Peter Thomson, Bobby Locke, Tony Lema, Nick Faldo, John Daly, Louis Oosthuizen, Tiger, Seve, Jack? (The Sonics. The Sonics.) The official starter Ivor Robson - making his final appearance at the Open - called the first group to the tee a few minutes ago. Rod Pampling of Australia - who led the 1999 Open at Carnoustie after the first round, only to miss the cut after ballooning to an 86 on Friday - had the honour of hitting the first shot of the 2015 Open. He creamed it down the middle of the invitingly wide 1st fairway. He parred the hole, but his playing partner Greg Owen carded the first birdie of this year’s Open.
Ben Hogan was the winner of the 1953 Open Championship at Carnoustie. A four-stroke victory over Dai Rees, Antonio Cerdá, Frank Stranahan and Peter Thomson. None of the men tied for second place were exactly mugs. Rees would finish second in the Open on three occasions. Cerdá was in the middle of a run of five top-five Open finishes in a row; in nine appearances, he finished outside the top ten just twice, and never lower than 26th. Stranahan was the world’s leading amateur golfer - as well as a renowned weightlifter and marathon runner - and already had second-placed finishes at the Masters and the Open under his belt. Thomson, of course, would go on to win five Opens.
But none of them could get anywhere near the man the Carnoustie gallery referred to as The Wee Ice Mon. Hogan, wrote the Guardian’s legendary Pat Ward-Thomas, “dresses as modestly as he talks and only the piercing deep-set eyes reveal the force of character behind them. Imagine him as he scrutinises a long difficult stroke, with arms quietly folded, an inscrutable quarter-smile on his lips, for all the world like a gambler watching the wheel spin. And then the cigarette is tossed away, the club taken with abrupt decision, the glorious swing flashes and a long iron pierces the wind like an arrow. That was Hogan. We shall never see his like again.”
Damn straight. Ward-Thomas knew Hogan wouldn’t play another Open. Apart from a quip about offering the greenkeeper at Carnoustie a loan of his lawnmower, he was the model of diplomacy. But in private he was far from impressed with the more laissez-faire course maintenance associated with links golf at the time: the parched and divot-marked fairways, the slow greens, the unraked bunkers, the flagsticks of varying heights. He’d come over to prove a point and cement his legend, and he did that all right. His 1953 Open came off the back of wins at that year’s Masters and US Open. The Triple Crown. The Hogan Slam. The greatest single season in the history of golf. Job done.
The narrative of Hogan’s Open will run through the 2015 championship like words in a stick of rock. Firstly, consider the reigning champion Rory McIlroy. On the one hand, it’s been a good week for football-mad Rory, with his beloved Manchester United making a couple of huge signings in Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin. On the other, it’ll go down as a thoroughly miserable one, because by jiggering his ankle ligaments during a recent kickabout, he’ll become the first player since Hogan in 1954 to fail to defend his title. A crushing disappointment for the player, though let’s face it, for all of us even more so. Get well soon.
Then there’s Jordan Spieth. In winning the 1953 Open, Hogan became the first player to win the Masters, US Open and Open in the same year. (He couldn’t compete a slam, because the PGA overlapped with the Open back in the day.) As things stand, he’s still the only man to manage it. Four other players have won both Masters and US Open in the same year: Craig Wood did it in 1941, Arnold Palmer in 1960, Jack Nicklaus in 1972, and Tiger Woods in 2002. With a war on, there was no Open opportunity for Wood. Palmer and Nicklaus both missed out by a single shot. And Tiger was undone by a third-round tempest at Muirfield: he shot a ten-over 80, before bouncing back with a final-round 65, finishing only six shots back. It’s hard enough without luck like that. And now it’s Spieth’s turn to have a go. All the best, young man.
The astonishing 21-year-old Texan is hot favourite to win here at St Andrews. He’s coming off the back of a victory last weekend at the John Deere Classic, and of course those two ice-cool major wins at Augusta and Chambers Bay. His putting is, according to the man himself, “awesome right now”, and he promises there’s “plenty” left in the tank. Gulp! History is within his reach, the job two-thirds done, though it’s going to be quite a test of nerve, even for a genius like Spieth. Here’s Pat Ward-Thomas again on Hogan in 1953: “From the moment he arrived in Britain, Hogan was under considerable strain. Not since [Bobby] Jones had one man been made such an overwhelming favourite, and although Hogan’s confidence, which incidentally was never expressed, in his ability must be immense, he was facing a tremendous test of his powers. The knowledge that the whole golfing world was expecting him to win must have been disturbing even to his cool brain.” The parallels are clear enough. We already know Spieth’s got the talent, the moxie and the nerve to win the big prizes. But this is right out there. History shows it’s one hell of an ask, even for the greats. The Big Ice Mon cometh?
Spieth is naturally the star attraction, but there’s not a bad undercard: Rickie Fowler, fresh from winning the Scottish Open; Louis Oosthuizen, bang in form and a winner here in 2010; Justin Rose, due a showing at the Open; Dustin Johnson, having once again come so close to a major; Adam Scott, who may feel the Open owes him one; Jason Day, who could challenge for a US Open with his head swimming; Martin Kaymer, who enjoys St Andrews; Sergio Garcia, because, well, y’know; and Tiger Woods, who has won here twice, appears to have turned a corner, and on the Old Course can get away with driving that makes Seve look like Calvin Peete. It’s the oldest and grandest championship in the world. It could be epochal. It’s on!
The first-round tee times (all BST):
6.32am: Thomas Bjorn, Greg Owen, Rod Pampling
6.43am: Todd Hamilton, Paul Dunne (a), James Hahn
6.54am: Graham DeLaet, Brian Harman, Russell Knox
7.05am: Matt Every, Alexander Levy, David Lingmerth
7.16am: Joost Luiten, Matt Jones, Robert Streb
7.27am: Anthony Wall, Byeong-Hun An, Jordan Niebrugge (a)
7.38am: Sandy Lyle, Charley Hoffman, Kevin Na
7.49am: Retief Goosen, Shane Lowry, Kevin Streelman
8am: Carl Pettersson, Luke Donald, Hunter Mahan
8.11am: Ross Fisher, Victor Dubuisson, Billy Horschel
8.22am: Graeme McDowell, Webb Simpson, Oliver Schniederjans (a)
8.33am: Ernie Els, Tom Watson, Brandt Snedeker
8.44am: J.B. Holmes, Brendon Todd, Shinji Tomimura
9am: Ian Poulter, Charl Schwartzel, Bubba Watson
9.11am: Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Patrick Reed
9.22am: Darren Clarke, Matteo Manassero, Romain Langasque (a)
9.33am: Dustin Johnson, Hideki Matsuyama, Jordan Spieth
9.44am: Paul Lawrie, Ryan Palmer, Kevin Kisner
9.55am: Tiger Woods, Louis Oosthuizen, Jason Day
10.06am: John Senden, Tadahiro Takayama, Brooks Koepka
10.17am: David Duval, Stewart Cink, Ben Curtis
10.28am: Mikko Ilonen, David Howell, Greg Chalmers
10.39am: Raphael Jacquelin, David Hearn Eddie Pepperell
10.50am: Tyrrell Hatton, Scott Arnold, Paul Kinnear (a)
11.01am: Adam Bland, Gary Boyd, Daniel Brooks
11.12am: Scott Hend, Jonathan Moore, Ryan Fox
11.33am: Mark Calcavecchia, Marcel Siem, Jaco Van Zyl
11.44am: Thomas Aiken, David Lipsky, Jonas Blixt
11.55am: Soren Kjeldsen, Morgan Hoffmann, Danny Lee
12.06pm: Richie Ramsay, Pablo Larrazabal, Cameron Tringale
12.17pm: Steven Bowditch, Hiroshi Iwata, Ben Martin
12.28pm: George Coetzee, Anirban Lahiri, Rafael Cabrera-Bello
12.39pm: Padraig Harrington, Liang Wen-Chong, Marc Warren
12.50pm: John Daly, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Jason Dufner
1.01pm: Zach Johnson, Bernd Wiesberger, Tommy Fleetwood
1.12pm: Thongchai Jaidee, Danny Willett, Gary Woodland
1.23pm: Geoff Ogilvy, Francesco Molinari, Bill Haas
1.34pm: Mark O’Meara, Russell Henley, Gunn Yang (a)
1.45pm: Bernhard Langer, Tom Lehman, Justin Leonard
2.01pm: Stephen Gallacher, Hiroyuki Fujita, Ryan Moore
2.12pm: Adam Scott, Martin Kaymer, Jimmy Walker
2.23pm: Jamie Donaldson, Yuta Ikeda, Keegan Bradley
2.34pm: Matt Kuchar, Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson
2.45pm: Nick Faldo, Justin Rose, Rickie Fowler
2.56pm: Jim Furyk, Paul Casey, Branden Grace
3.07pm: Harris English, Ashley Chesters (a), Andy Sullivan
3.18pm: Koumei Oda, Marc Leishman, Kiradech Aphibarnrat
3.29pm: Edoardo Molinari, James Morrison, Romain Wattel
3.40pm: Pelle Edberg, Daniel Berger, Mark Young
3.51pm: Brett Rumford, Tom Gillis, Ben Taylor (a)
4.02pm: Marcus Fraser, Scott Strange, Alister Balcombe (a)
4.13pm: Taichi Teshima, Robert Dinwiddie, Rikard Karlberg
