Ewan Murray's report
Day two: reaction and analysis
Well, that was an unexpected blast. Heartache for Rory McIlroy, but it was a wonderful day for another Irish star, Shane Lowry, who went out in 31 strokes and grabbed himself a share of the lead at the halfway mark. Moving Day promises to be one heck of a ride, with many of golf’s biggest names in with a realistic shout of glory on Sunday. We leave you with a snapshot of the top of the leaderboard, followed by a list of the big names who’ll be missing this weekend. Thanks for reading. Nighty night!
-8: Holmes, Lowry
-7: Fleetwood, Westwood
-6: Smith, Harding, Rose
-5: Koepka, Spieth, Putnam, Frittelli
-4: Van Rooyen, Finau, Bjerregaard, Reed, Rahm, Kuchar
-3: Hatton, D Johnson, Noren, Simpson, Stenson, Schauffele, Fowler
-2: An, Sabbatini, Pieters, Olesen, Els, Fitzpatrick, MacIntyre
Missing the cut (a selection): Jason Day, Brandt Snedeker, Beef, Padraig Harrington, Gary Woodland, Hideki Matsuyama, Kim Si-woo, Zach Johnson, Paul Lawrie, Bryson DeChambeau, Tiger Woods, Ian Poulter, Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott, David Duval (well, y’know) and ... Rory McIlroy.
It’s no longer possible for the cut line to move. It never looked likely. Everyone at +2 and over will be on their way home. Rory’s dream is officially over. How he’ll be wishing the Open still had its old ten-shot rule.
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Here, hope amid all that drama you haven’t forgotten about David Duval. The extremely likeable 2001 champion ends the week well adrift at the bottom on +27, much as you’d expect after yesterday’s +20 farce incorporating that nonuple-bogey 14. He started his second round today 5-8, and reached the turn in 44. More of the same? Not quite. Because after all that misery, he came home in one-under 34, his final act of defiance a birdie at 17. Of course he did. Of course it was. Golf in all it’s glory and magnificence, right there. It’s why we love it.
A highly emotional Rory McIlroy talks to Sky, and the heart melts. “Part of me is very disappointed not to be here for the weekend.” He nearly dissolves into tears, and has to take a minute. He blows out hard. “Sorry. Part of me disappointed, emotional, but happy with how I played. The support I got was incredible. You could see on the back nine, if I’d got that momentum a little bit yesterday ... and I went with it today ... that was what I was planning to do all week. But yesterday gave me a big mountain to climb. I dug in there, I tried my best, and I showed resilience. It’s gonna hurt for a little bit. [sighs] But I guess the good thing about golf is that I’ve got a tournament in Memphis next week, so I’ll turn my attention to that. This has been a week that I’ve been looking forward to for a long time [voice cracks a little] and I didn’t play my part. But everyone in Northern Ireland who came out to watch me, they definitely played theirs.” At which point Sky interviewer Tim Barter nearly goes as well. Then one last thought. “I can’t wait to watch Shane Lowry over the weekend. He’ll get the support I got today, and hopefully he’ll will them on. I’d love nothing more than to see Shane get his name on that Claret Jug.”
A birdie chance for Rickie Fowler on 18. It slides by the left of the cup, but he’ll take that par. He follows up yesterday’s 70 with a 69, and at -3 he’s only five off the lead.
The new US Open champion Gary Woodland will certainly be missing the cut. A closing bogey, and he departs, finishing his week at +3. McIlroy then tidies up for par, and a valiant round of 65. The gallery cheer as though he’s just won the Open. It’s an almost unbearable moment of bittersweet failure. What an effort, though. What spirit. What fight. But yesterday’s fiasco will keep him awake for a while tonight.
If he chips this in, it’ll be shades of Costantino Rocca at St Andrews in 1995. He wastes no time. He clips a chip up onto the green. It’s always heading left. Pin high, and he’s got to save his par to retain a sliver of hope. But even then he’ll be relying on a statistically unlikely set of circumstances to move the cutline to +2.
Up on the green, the defending champ Francesco Molinari pars. Today’s 69 means he’ll scrape under the cut line. He’s +1. Can McIlroy, back down the fairway, join him? It’s not looking likely, sad to say. He fires a long iron at the flag. A little too much draw, and his ball disappears down a swale to the left of the green. He’ll need to chip in now, across wobbly terrain. Or make par, and hope four of the six players still out there, and above the cut line, crumble coming home. It’s not looking likely, and his expression tells the story. And yet Northern Ireland’s four-time major winner is awarded a standing ovation as he walks up to the green. It’s the scene he’ll have been dreaming of ever since he was a young boy. Sadly, it’s happening on Friday afternoon as opposed to Sunday.
How McIlroy will be wishing he didn’t rush that tiddler on 16 yesterday. That could end up being the difference. Yes, yes, the opening quadruple bogey and the closing triple were bigger disasters, but you get the gist. In do-or-die mode, he clacks an iron into the meaty part of the 18th fairway. Two shots from a strange kind of glory.
McIlroy faces a putt with a little right-to-left movement, but not that much. He doesn’t allow for any break, and it rolls off apologetically to the left. Just a par. One chance left to secure his weekend participation. He tugs anxiously at his bottom lip. The tension is practically unbearable.
And it’s some shot! He lashes through the thick grass, and lands his ball just to the left of the bunker guarding the green. Just a couple of feet from sandy disaster. The ball then breaks to the right and trundles into the heart of the green. He’ll have a look at birdie from about 15 feet! That is magnificent in the circumstances. But there’s still a putt to make.
By rights, there should only be this sort of tension at the Open on Sunday afternoon. But Rory McIlroy’s Homeric attempts to save his skin after yesterday’s implosion have sent the Portrush crowd into a flat spin. Anticipation, concern, panic, excitement, the whole shebang. So what sort of lie has he got down the right of 17? Well ... it’s in the thick stuff, and it’s not the worst lie in the circumstances: the ball’s sitting up a bit, though there’s a big clump of grass behind it. He’s going to take it on, despite a bunker in between ball and target.
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Jason Kokrak has only played in one Open Championship before. He missed the cut last year. But this time round he’s squeaked in, rolling in a 30-footer for a birdie on 18 that takes him to +1. Great scenes of celebration. Not so many back on the 17th tee, where McIlroy flays a wild drive into the thick green stuff down the right. The gallery falls into pensive silence. So much for so many depends on the lie.
Rory paces around his putt. This is huge! You can hear a gull land softly on the Giant’s Causeway. Then, not so much, as the air crackles with ear-splitting delight! He rolls a practically straight putt into the cup, and allows himself a small air-punch of delight. He just requires one more birdie to make his weekend participation certain! He’s +2 ... which might make it anyway if the cut moves out. It’s going to be tight, with a few players still out there hovering either side of the line.
McIlroy sends a quite sensational draw into the long par-three 16th. His ball curls in from the right and drops pin high, ten feet to the left of the flag. That’s a superb chance for the birdie he so desperately requires, on the hole that’s playing third hardest today.
McIlroy blooters a huge drive down 15. So long that he’s left with an awkward distance to wedge in. He overcooks it, sending his ball bounding into the pot bunker to the left of the green. But the splash out offers an opportunity to hole out. A delicate effort teases the crowd but is always missing on the right. Still, he’s saved par and at +3 with three holes to play, a quite frankly absurd dream lives on. The current cut is +1. He needs two birdies as things stand.
Xander Schauffele paces around his 30-footer. The left-to-right line is perfect, but he doesn’t quite hit it. Par will do, and that equals the best-of-week 65s by JB Holmes and Justin Harding. Flawless brilliance. Last year’s joint runner-up goes into the weekend three off the lead at -3. Pars for Henrik Stenson and Graeme McDowell too. They finish the second round at -3 and +1 respectively. All three will take their pars quite happily. G-Mac puffs out hard; survival meant so much to this local lad. Schauffele and Stenson have their eyes on a bigger prize.
Stenson, McDowell and Schauffele come up the last. Stenson clips his second to 15 feet. G-Mac - who needs a par to remain at +1 and survive the cut - follows him in. A couple of fine strokes. Schauffele, who had hit by far the best tee shot and is a good way closer to the green, pushes his second well right. He’s pin high and on the green, but facing a much longer birdie putt.
What a bounce-back birdie for McIlroy at 14! His putt is pretty much straight up the green. He rolls the ball just a smidgen to the left, but not so much that the cup doesn’t snatch it down as it reaches the lip. The sky crackles with static as the gallery whoops and hollers in celebration. Their hero is back to +3, just a couple of birdies away from making it to the weekend. If he pulls this off, it’ll be one of the most astonishing 24-hour turnarounds in form you’re likely to see in quite a while.
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Another birdie for Rickie Fowler! A glorious tee shot at 13 to six feet. In goes the putt, and he’s suddenly -3, just five off the lead. And the super Schauffele shuffle up the leaderboard continues. A big drive down 17, a Scottish-style low bump and run to 12 feet, and a right-to-left slider for another birdie! He’s -3 too. A birdie down the last, and he’d be signing for a best-of-week 64.
McIlroy has his work cut out after that bogey at 13. He sets about attempting to repair the damage immediately on 14, by landing a towering approach 12 feet short of the flag. A great chance for birdie. Meanwhile bogey for Kisner on 13, mere minutes after talking him up. Sorry, Kevin. He slips to -2.
Rickie Fowler’s not out of this Open yet. He’s been quiet all day, but he trundles in a 30-footer on 12, and the birdie takes him up to -2. There are an awful lot of players still in with a shout of this championship. Meanwhile his playing partner Kevin Kisner also birdies the hole. He’s really turned his round through 180 degrees, having bogeyed 2 and 4. A ludicrous eagle on 7, rattled in from distance, has been followed by birdies at 9 and now 12. He’s -3. Easy to forget that Kisner led this tournament for three days last year, before a final round of 74 put paid to his hopes. He’s also got near misses at the PGA and the Players on his CV. Can last year’s joint runner-up go one better this time round?
Rory’s got a decent lie in the sand. He shuffles his feet, bends his knees, opens the face, and splashes out. It’s a nice escape, but the ball trundles 15 feet past the cup. He’ll need that for a par. A huge moment coming up. But he’s quickly up and after his putt, knowing full well it’s short and right. His first bogey today, and he slips back to +4. Suddenly, with only six holes left to play, things are getting very tight now. As if they weren’t already. Meanwhile up on 18, the young Scottish prospect Robert MacIntyre misses a short putt. Bogey, and that’s a one-over 72 today. He’s -2 overall. Par for Beef meanwhile. His 71 means he’s +2, with half a chance of making the cut.
Hmm. Rory’s first misstep for a wee while. He slam-dunks his tee shot at the par-three 13th into a pot bunker front right. Providing the lie is OK, scrambling par shouldn’t be beyond him, but that’s far from ideal. While we wait to see what’s what, a reminder of the state of play at the top of the leader board, with everyone at the business end back in the clubhouse.
-8: Holmes, Lowry
-7: Fleetwood, Westwood
-6: Smith, Harding, Rose
-5: Koepka, Spieth, Putnam, Frittelli
-4: Van Rooyen, Finau, Bjerregaard, Reed, Rahm, Kuchar
McIlroy can’t make his eagle putt - it’s always missing on the right - but it’s a tap-in for birdie. He’s now five under for today’s round, +3 overall, just two shots shy of saving himself, and what on earth was he up to yesterday?!? The next couple of hours: excitement, thrills and spills pretty much guaranteed!
Rory isn’t the only man on the march, though. Xander Schauffele was one of the pre-tournament favourites, and no wonder, because the 25-year-old Californian’s record in the majors isn’t too dissimilar from Brooks Koepka’s at a similar age. In other words: something’s afoot, and it might just be a matter of time. He carded a shockingly poor 75 yesterday, but he’s wheeching back up the standings apace. Birdies at 7 and 8, an eagle at 12, and now another birdie at 15. He’s -2 ... and only six off the lead! If he can pick up another shot or two, he’ll really fancy his chances going into the weekend. He’ll still be confident if he can par his way home, but you get the point.
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Thanks Niall. Well, the end to Dylan Frittelli’s round was a bit of an anti-climax. That 6-5 finish turned a very fine round into a still-decent 69. But plenty of good work was undone at the death. He’s -5. Meanwhile the Rory revival continues apace. After blootering a monster drive down 12, he only needed a gap wedge into the par-five green. He sends his ball over the flag, and though it doesn’t spin back much, he’s got a 20-footer left for eagle. If that goes in, things are going to get very real quite soon.
Ah, unlucky for Frittelli, who leaves himself a monster uphill putt for par – and rolls it to the very edge of the cup! Ultimately, it’s another bogey, and the South African drops down to a share of eighth place. And with that, I’ll hand you back to Scott...
It could have been worse, but this is an awkward lie for Frittelli. The ball is on a bank, surrounded by long grass. He digs his approach shot into the roll-off area behind the final green. Could’ve been worse. McIlroy tees off at the par-five 12th, and creams his shot right-to-left, dodging a couple of big bunkers and finding the fairway.
Another birdie for McIlroy! He can make this game look so easy, and so difficult, depending on his mood. Two birdies to begin the back nine – he probably needs another three to make the cut. Off the final tee, Frittelli lets out a yelp of frustration as another shot careens into the rough.
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Too much for Frittelli to do on the 17th, and he has to settle for a double bogey and a drop down the leaderboard. On the 14th, Henrik Stenson pushes his par putt within an inch, but will slip back to -3, his chances of creeping to the top of the leaderboard fading.
-8: Holmes (F), Lowry (F)
-7: Fleetwood (F), Westwood (F)
-6: Frittelli (17), Smith (F), Harding (F), Rose (F)
Frittelli is in a spot of bother on the 17th, losing his ball off the first tee shot, and landing the second in the rough! His fourth shot on the par four is steered tidily onto the green, so he may escape with just a bogey – but will lose his share of the lead. Meanwhile the defending champion, Francesco Molinari, drains a birdie at the 11th and is now even, and looking good to make the cut.
Rory’s comeback continues! He notches a birdie on the 10th, and is back down to five over. The cut will be +1, maybe +2, so there’s still work to do to sneak into the weekend.
A few words from Shane Lowry: “I had a great time today. I was pinching myself out there - the crowds were fantastic, it was a day to remember. I birdied the first two, and the first tee shot set me up … I knew the rain was coming in later, so I had to make a good start.
“Obviously I’m disappointed with the end, but I’m in a great position and looking forward to tomorrow. I’m playing well, I feel like my game’s where it needs to be. There’ll be pressure, times I’ll get out of position, but next week I’ll be in Memphis, with two men and a dog watching, so I’m happy having a big Irish crowd roaring me on!”
Can Dylan Frittelli grab the outright lead? As Scott mentioned earlier, he only grabbed a place in the field by winning the John Deere Classic last week. At the 16th, he rattles in a par putt from eight feet to stay level with Holmes and Lowry.
Shane Lowry takes share of clubhouse lead!
An errant approach shot leaves Lowry with just too much to do, and he sends his par putt inches wide. He joins JB Holmes on eight under in the clubhouse, but might feel a touch disappointed not to have the outright lead.
Shane Lowry heads to the 18th green, and gets a rapturous reception from the Portrush faithful. Mickelson finishes with a long-range birdie, trimming his score to eight over, still a long old way from the cut.
Thanks Scott, and hello everyone. Here’s a stat to kick things off – this is the 83rd major where Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have both started – and will be the first time they both fail to make the cut. They’ll always have Vegas.
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Yep, Dylan Frittelli is in form all right. His sends his second at 15 to six feet, then makes his fifth birdie of the day. He’s one off the top, the lead still held by Shane Lowry after he clipped a crisp chip up the bank, nearly holing out for an outrageous birdie. Par will do.
-9: Lowry (17)
-8: Holmes (F), Frittelli (15)
-7: Fleetwood (F), Westwood (F)
And with that, I’m off to grease my pan with a couple of rashers. Back in a wee while, but in the meantime, Niall McVeigh is, like a pint of plain, your only man.
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Lowry takes his sweet time to plan his second shot. If you squinted you could be forgiven for thinking you were watching the notoriously snail-paced JB Holmes in action. Though he is leading the Open, to be fair. Finally he takes his shot ... and sends a big one booming through the green and over the back. He’ll have a tricky up and down from the bottom of a bank. Meanwhile up on 18, Andrew Putnam makes par, and signs for a round of 67. One eagle, two birdies, no bogeys. After a tie for fourth at last week’s Scottish Open, he is, like Dylan Frittelli, a man in form. He’s -5.
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Lowry’s tee shot has landed near the 18th tee. He’ll get relief from some spectator barriers, and will take his drop on grass trampled flat by the punters. He’s 130 yards from the green. A huge break.
So having said that, the leader does still seem a little flustered. He sends a hysterical slice into the punters down the right of 17, then starts effin’ and jeffin’ in the lyrical style. He’s in the lap of the gods there, because it looked as though that drive caromed off some poor bugger’s noggin, and it could have gone anywhere.
Another extremely staunch par save by Shane Lowry! His chip out of the cabbage isn’t particularly good, running hot, five feet past. This is more missable than the one he didn’t make at 14 ... but he guides this one in. Nerves of steel. He remains a shot clear of JB Holmes, at -9.
The defending champion Francesco Molinari was wandering around with a face on. A three-over-par 74 yesterday, and pars through the first six holes today. At which point his caddy told him to snap out of his funk and get his chin up. That’s some fine psychology, because since then Molinari has carded back-to-back birdies, the latest the result of a lovely approach to kick-in distance at 8. He’s +1, and while hopes of becoming the first player to retain this title since Padraig Harrington in 2008 look extremely unlikely, he’s moving in the right direction and is now above the cut line.
Lowry just wants to get back to the clubhouse. His early-round mojo has deserted him. His tee shot into the par-three 16th, Calamity, snags in the rough to the right of the green. It’s not a total disaster, as he’s not miles from the flag and only just in the long stuff. But there’s still work to do if he’s to get up and down for his par.
OK, these are crucial moments for Shane Lowry. He’s coming off bogey at 14, and has pulled his approach at 15 into greenside sand. There’s not a lot of green to play with. From wet sand, so badly raked that he complains to the referee, Lowry flops out delicately to three feet. That’s a fine result from where he’d found himself, and it salvages his par. It would have been easy for the head to go there, but Lowry composed himself brilliantly. Meanwhile another birdie for Rory McIlroy, this time at 7. He’s +6 ... and if the cut moves out to +2, you never know, he could make the weekend yet.
Dylan Frittelli sends his tee shot at 13 pin high, albeit a good 30 feet to the left of the flag. A little bit more oomph, and the birdie putt would have dropped, but it’s just a par and he remains two off the lead at -7. Earlier today - at 12.47pm to be precise - we discussed the last bearded winner of the Open. Frittelli is sporting some very hip eye glasses. So should he win, the question will need to be asked: who was the last Open champion to sport specs? Ian Baker-Finch, is who, back in 1991. The sunglasses worn by David Duval (2001) don’t count.
Lowry’s first putt across the 14th lacks a little pace. He’s left himself with a testing five-footer for his par. And it’s a costly mistake, as he sends his putt to the right, expecting a kink back left that never comes. His first bogey of the day. Meanwhile Frittelli is an inch away from rolling in an eagle putt at 12. He kicks in for birdie that brings him to within two shots of the lead.
-9: Lowry (14)
-8: Holmes (F)
-7: Fleetwood (F), Westwood (F), Frittelli (12)
Lowry’s drive at 14 isn’t all that, sneaking off the fairway and into the rough on the left. But he thrashes an approach into the heart of the green nonetheless. He’ll not be expecting to make birdie from where he is, but he’d have taken this outcome when he was observing his ball arcing towards the cabbage from the tee box.
A par for the Irish amateur James Sugrue up the last. He signs for a second-round 73. That’s put him at +2, currently just outside the cut. A triple-bogey seven at 14 may have cost him. But it may not. There’s a fair chance the cut will move out to +2, in which case Sugrue and his fellow amateur, Takumi Kanaya of Japan, also at +2, will battle it out over the weekend for the silver medal. Fingers crossed. But sadly Darren Clarke won’t be there. He leaves a long bogey putt short, then shoves the double-bogey effort right of the hole. A dreadful miss that causes audible shock in the stands ... because at +3, the 2011 champion and Royal Portrush member won’t be teeing it up this weekend. He storms off to the scorer’s hut, clearly upset, desperate to get out of here.
Henrik Stenson snatches at a short par putt on 8. He slips back to -2. McIlroy misses a short birdie putt at 5, and his dreams of a sensational salvage job are beginning to look very wild. He remains at +7. But how about this from Dylan Frittelli?! The 29-year-old from South Africa was the last man to grab a place at this Open, winning the John Deere last weekend. And he’s taken that good form to County Antrim. A 68 yesterday, and he’s on course for a similar round today. Birdie at 2 has been followed up by back-to-back birdies at 10 and 11. He’s -6, currently in a tie for fifth.
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Lowry’s birdie effort is always missing on the high side. Another par. His upward momentum has slowed. But there are worse places to tread water than two clear at the top of the famous yellow Open scoreboard. He remains at -10. Grace converts his birdie chance, though, deserved reward for his wonderful tee shot.
Branden Grace is this close to becoming the second player, after Emiliano Grillo yesterday, to make a hole-in-one at 13. But instead of bounding straight into the cup, it takes a little kick off to the left. He’s left with a three-footer for birdie. His effort makes Shane Lowry’s most acceptable tee shot, landed softly 12 feet from the flag, look completely average by comparison. Birdie chance coming up, though!
A nice steady start for the 2016 champion Henrik Stenson. He follows up birdie at 3 with another at the par-five 7th. He’s -3 and will be revving up for a leaderboard charge, weather permitting. It’s still a little drizzly, but the wind’s not a huge factor, so all’s well at the moment. Time to reflect on the big picture.
-10: Lowry (12)
-8: Holmes (F)
-7: Fleetwood (F), Westwood (F)
-6: Smith (F), Harding (F), Rose (F)
-5: Koepka (F), Spieth (F), Putnam (13), Frittelli (10)
-4: Van Rooyen (F), Finau (F), Bjerregaard (F), Reed (F), Rahm (F), Kuchar (F), Fitzpatrick (13), Noren (11)
Lowry’s putt teases the gallery, briefly looking like it’s heading straight in. But it soon slides off to the left. A tap-in for par, and at -10 he remains two clear of the clubhouse leader JB Holmes. But this is statistically the easiest hole on the course today - it’s offered up three eagles and 51 birdies so far - and that’s an opportunity to extend his lead passed by. The approach to blame.
Lowry does extremely well to fire a bump-and-run out of the thicket, up and onto the green. The ball even bites a little as it threatens to roll hysterically past the hole. He’ll have a look at birdie from 15 feet coming back. Back on 4, McIlroy lands his second 12 feet behind the hole, but his putt, a left-to-right curler, simply refuses to take the last turn. He remains at +7.
A little bit of trouble for the leader at 12. Lowry’s drive was perfect, in the middle of the fairway, but he’s pulled his second into some mutant curly kale down the left. Par should be eminently makeable from there, as he’s got plenty of green to play with, though much will depend on the lie.
As Lowry tees it up on the par-five 12th, Andrew Putnam shows the leader what to do up on the green. He creams his approach to six feet, then strokes in for an eagle. Throw in birdies at 1 and 10, and the 30-year-old from Washington state is going along very nicely at -5. Meanwhile his compatriot Kevin Streelman shot a miserable six-over 77 yesterday. So he’s responded today with a six-under 65, matching Justin Harding’s best round of the week. He’s level par going into the weekend. Something for Rory to chew on, then ... and he responds by holing a tramliner across 3 for a rare birdie. He’s +7 and won’t be giving up the ghost quite yet, despite it all.
Branden Grace had amused the crowd on 10 when he theatrically milked some applause for a birdie, knowing full well the gallery is only really concerned with the antics of Shane Lowry. All in good humour. He doesn’t hit a 15-footer on 11, though, spurning the chance of back-to-back birdies. He remains at -2. His partner Lowry was a little tentative with his longer birdie effort, as well, though he tidies up for par without too much drama. He’s still two clear at -10.
Lowry’s wedge into 11 briefly threatens to bound into the thick rough behind the green, but bites hard on its second bounce and spins back onto the fringe. He’ll putt from there, and will have half a chance of birdie. That’s the currency McIlroy needs to deal in, if he’s to somehow save himself in one of the great feats of golfing escapology. So par on the relatively easy par-five 2nd doesn’t go down so well. A grim look on his face. The super-fast start he’ll have desired has eluded him.
The weather’s improving. The wind’s dropped again, and while it’s still raining, it’s not quite as heavy as it was. Lowry whistles a fine drive down the left of the 11th fairway, clearly not of a mood to take his foot off the gas. Elsewhere, Matthew Fitzpatrick has hit the turn in a blemish-free 33 strokes, after making birdies at 2, 4 and 7. He’s -3 and 2013’s low amateur is on the rise.
Lowry drains a monster! His tee shot at 10 isn’t all that, and he does very well to use all his power to lash his ball from thick rough onto the front edge of the green. A par isn’t certain, as he’s putting over the edge of a ridge down towards the hole. But he guides it in beautifully! Birdie! His sixth of the day! This is a quite majestic performance. The gallery erupt, as loud a holler as you’ll hear on a golf course! If Portrush had a roof, it would have coptered off into the distance and taken Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge with it.
-10: Lowry (10)
-8: Holmes (F)
-7: Fleetwood (F), Westwood (F)
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Rory’s second into the 1st isn’t particularly close to the flag. But he nearly sinks the long birdie putt. Ah well, par, and at least it’s better than the quadruple bogey he ran up yesterday. If only he could have that hole back again. He remains at +8. Up on 18, par for Jon Rahm, who ends with a one-under 70 today. That was far from certain when he was melting down greenside at 2, running up an early double. He gathered himself well, a testament to his increasing maturity. He’s -4 and nicely placed. Ditto his playing partner Matt Kuchar, who shot 68 today.
While Tiger was taking his leave, Patrick Reed was making par and signing for a second round of 67. Last year’s Masters champion is of the opinion that you can’t claim to be a truly great golfer unless you make your mark in Europe as well as the States, and has put in some hard yards on the European Tour. It’d be good to see his commitment pay dividends this week. It might be happening already. He’s -4, positioned nicely ahead of the weekend.
Bedlam on the opening tee as Rory McIlroy rocks up for what is presumably a valedictory performance. After yesterday’s appalling 79, he’ll be looking to right some wrongs, and make a statement before he has to leave his beloved Portrush earlier than anybody expected. And, well, you never know what might happen, stranger things have happened in sport. He’s got a steely look in his eyes - they were flickering with nerves yesterda - and he shares a laugh with his playing partners as he bounces down the fairway after a fine opening tee shot. This could be entertaining. He’s got nothing to lose.
Shane Lowry knocks his approach at 9 pin high, though he’s just on the fringe to the left. It’s too much to ask for a sixth birdie on the front nine, so par it is. He turns in 31. Meanwhile Alex Noren is making a quiet move up the leaderboard. Birdies at 5 and 6, and an approach fired straight at the flag on 8. He can’t make the birdie putt there, but he’s -5.
Tiger is short of 18 in two. He draws back the Texas wedge ... and leaves his putt miles short. It’s been a miserable week for the reigning Masters champion, and it’s going to be a denouement to match. Bogey, and that’s a one-under 70 that, just for a while after the turn, hinted at a sensational cut-dodging feat of escapology. But it wasn’t to be. He ends the week at +6. A sad look in the great man’s eyes as he waves his cap and thanks the crowd for their support, which has never waned despite his poor showing this week. God speed, Tiger. Number 16 at Augusta next year, maybe.
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Shane Lowry has been relatively quiet since taking a share of the lead at 5. A makeable birdie putt missed at 6, then a par scramble up 7. But he’s just eased a delightful short iron into 8, his ball screeching to a halt a couple of feet from the flag. He smiles broadly in the knowledge that sole ownership of the lead is his for the taking. And in goes the putt! A home hero leads the 148th Open!
-9: Lowry (8)
-8: Holmes (F)
-7: Fleetwood (F), Westwood (F)
-6: Smith (F), Harding (F), Rose (F)
Jason Day was going along very nicely for a while. He was -4 through 12. But since then he’s capitulated in spectacular fashion. Bogey, double bogey, bogey, bogey, bogey. Par at the last doesn’t exactly cheer him up, and a 74 will most likely send him home tonight. He’s +2. A wonder birdie for his partner Dustin Johnson, though. He drove into filth then powered his way out to 12 feet. In goes the left-to-right slider, and that’s a brilliant 67! He’s -3 going into the weekend.
Tiger does pretty well to limit the damage at 17 to bogey. He’s played well today, looking much less stiff than yesterday. He’s two under for his round with a hole to play. But there was no coming back from that 78. At +5, he won’t be here this weekend.
It’s a par for Justin Rose up the last. He’ll be very happy to scribble his name at the bottom of a 67. A couple off the lead at -6. Lucas Bjerregaard gets in with par for a fine 68: he’s -4. A shot dropped by Finau, though, and he stumbles into the clubhouse after three bogeys in the final six holes. But he’s still posted 68-70, and if he gets his putting sorted, he could be a serious threat this weekend. He’s -4.
Tiger’s given it his all. But it’s over. On 17, he pulls his drive into the cabbage down the left, then sends his second into even thicker stuff by the green. He swipes his club through the air with great feeling and frustration. Already three shots below the cut line, it’ll be a result to get out of this situation with a bogey, never mind a par.
Blimey, the weather really has turned quicksmart. Umbrellas spring open, hoods are whipped up, the galleries hunker down. Plenty of rain. Very fine rain. Very wet rain. One reason Tony Finau will be happy to get back into the clubhouse. The other: he’s been struggling over these closing holes. Bogey at 16, a short birdie putt missed at 17, and now he’s flayed his drive at 18 into the oomska down the right. He’s found his ball, but it’ll be some chip-out medicine and nothing more. He seems at a loss for what to do. He asks the match referee whether one of the marshals stepped on his ball, because the lie is so appalling. But the marshal says he didn’t. Finau accepts that without question or any sign of irritation. The perfect sportsman. He hacks out sideways, back onto the fairway, the best he could do. Justin Rose meanwhile makes the green in regulation.
Lee Westwood sends his second into 18 to 20 feet. A decent birdie opportunity, a putt with not too much in the way of left-to-right movement. But he just doesn’t hit it. Never mind, he’ll be delighted to sign for a four-under 67, especially as it was all pars up until 11. He’s tucked in just nicely ahead of Moving Day, and with the weather moving in - a bit more wind, and some rain coming down - the low scoring of the morning is unlikely to be replicated across the board. Yesterday’s late starters, who became today’s early starters, have definitely had the better of the weather. It’s all part of the Open’s charm.
A bang-average 72 for Dustin Johnson yesterday. But he’s been doing his best to salvage the week today. Birdies at 2, 4 and 6 saw him reach the turn in 33. He’s level par on the back nine, with bogeys at 11 and 14, birdies at 12 and now the fiendish 16th. He’s -2, not out of it by any means, though he wouldn’t say no to a strong finish. Meanwhile up ahead, on the 17th green, Justin Rose and Tony Finau both turn their noses up at birdie putts within ten feet. They remain at -6 and -5 respectively.
Par for JB Holmes up the last. It’s a 68 to go alongside yesterday’s 66. He’s only opened a major with two sub-70 rounds once before, shooting a pair of 69s at Erin Hills in the 2017 US Open. He ended that one in 12th place. He’s -8 going into the weekend. Meanwhile it’s a 69 for the 2002 and 2012 champion Ernie Els! The Big Easy goes into the weekend at -2.
A glorious birdie for Lee Westwood on 17. He’s in a bit of trouble off the tee, in the long stuff to the left of the hole. But he powers his second towards the back of the green, then guides in a perfectly paced left-to-right curler from 20 feet. Back-to-back birdies, and his fourth in six holes! This is a proper Open bid now. A mere 37 holes away from banishing the demons of 2009, 2010 and 2013. Meanwhile a fuss-free par for Justin Rose at 16, but it’s a Calamity three-putt bogey for his playing partner Tony Finau, who slips to -5.
-8: Holmes (17), Lowry (5)
-7: Fleetwood (F), Westwood (17)
-6: Smith (F), Harding (F), Rose (16)
Sergio’s tee shot into the par-three 3rd topples down a run-off to the left. Inches away from staying on the green. But it’s a thin line, and he can’t get up and down from the swale. He’s back to -3. Holmes meanwhile leaves himself a long two putts for par on 17. The first one’s not given quite enough, but he makes the nerve-jangling five-footer that remains. He’s only got a share of the lead now, though, because Lowry bashes his drive at the risk-and-reward short par-four 5th to the left of the green. A decent leave, and he gently lifts his lob wedge to kick-in distance. That very nearly dropped for eagle. But birdie will suffice, and the gallery responds accordingly!
-8: Holmes (17), Lowry (5)
-7: Fleetwood (F)
-6: Smith (F), Harding (F), Westwood (16), Rose (16), Finau (15)
Lee Westwood rakes home a monster from the fringe at the front of the par-three 16th! That’s his third birdie in five holes. Everything else today has been par. The 46-year-old’s dream of a late-career major is alive and well! He’s -6, in a tie for fourth alongside his compatriot Justin Rose, who set about making a pig’s lug of 15. A tee shot pushed right, then a couple of oddly weak chips. A 20-footer for par is then rammed into the cup. What a save!
-8: Holmes (16)
-7: Fleetwood (F), Lowry (4)
-6: Smith (F), Harding (F), Westwood (16), Rose (15), Finau (15)
Holmes very nearly gives up a shot carelessly on Calamity. His tee shot was decent enough, just off the green to the left. But he seriously overcooked his first putt, leaving one of eight feet coming back. He’s missed a couple much shorter today. However this one drops. That’s a great putt under the circumstances. He stays at -4. Lowry nearly makes his long birdie putt on 4, but he’ll take par from where he found himself off the tee. Meanwhile another birdie for Patrick Reed, this time at 13, and he rises to -4. And Jon Rahm finally moves into red figures for his round today with a simple-enough birdie at the par-five 12th. He’s -4 too.
Pars at 12 and 13 for Tiger. A little bit of fire has gone out of his game in the last 20 minutes or so. With time running out, he’ll need to rekindle quickly. On 4, Lowry hoicks a poor tee shot into the thick vegetation to the left of the hole. It doesn’t look as though he’s got a route into the green, with the pin tucked behind a mound on the left. But he fires a low shot into the front of the green, using the bank on the right to kick his ball back round into the heart of the dancefloor. Some local knowledge put to good use there. And he’ll have a look at birdie from 25 feet or so.
Justin Harding is home with a 65. It’s the round of the week so far, and one that’s catapulted the 33-year-old South African up to -6. His best finish at an Open is already guaranteed; his only previous effort was a missed cut at Muirfield back in 2013. Meanwhile only the second bogey of the week for Jason Day, at 13; he’s back to -3. And Tony Finau sheds a shot at 13 to slip back to -5.
Branden ‘Mr 62’ Grace, slayer of Birkdale and a major championship record of 44 years’ standing, nearly aces 3. A gentle draw that nearly rolls in after a couple of bounces and a sweet roll. He’ll tap in what’s left for birdie and move to -1. His partner Shane Lowry meanwhile strokes his own putt into the cup for a perfect birdie-birdie-birdie start. The third member of the group, Phil Mickelson, must be looking on at Lowry’s birdie blitz and reminiscing about long time ago when he was fab. A double at 2 has pretty much extinguished all hopes of Lefty making it to the weekend; he’s +7.
-8: Holmes (15)
-7: Fleetwood (F), Lowry (3)
-6: Smith (F), Harding (F), Rose (13)
It’s a birdie-birdie start for Lowry. A lovely third sent close, and he tidies up to move to -6 in short order. And his tee shot at the par-three 3rd is a beauty, pin high to ten feet. Back on 1, Sergio sends a lovely approach into the green, off the bank to the right, then curls in a left-to-right 25-footer for an opening birdie! He’s -4. His playing partner Webb Simpson bumped one in to 12 feet, meanwhile, but he leaves the much shorter putt up on the high side. He stays at -3. But overall, the field is taking a piece out of Portrush right now.
Cameron Smith shaves the hole at 18 with a birdie putt. No matter, he’s signing for a 66, matching the lowest round of the week so far, shot by JB Holmes yesterday. He goes into the weekend at -6, looking good for Moving Day. Jason Day is trucking along nicely, meanwhile. Birdies at 2, 10 and now 12, and he’s -4. Just the one dropped shot so far this week, at 18 last night. Now there’s a player overdue a second major. He’s -4, and looks to be in the mood to make up for his near miss at St Andrews in 2015.
News of our beloved Tiger, who was surely kaput after dropping a shot at the par-five 7th. But he’s hit the turn with a vengeance, making birdie at 10 and 11. At +4, he’s still three shots shy of the projected cut at +1 ... but he couldn’t somehow salvage this, could he? Put it this way, he’s not going down without a fight. And you don’t win 15 majors if you haven’t got game. This could be fun.
A three-putt bogey for JB Holmes at 14, as he shoves one right from close range. That’s his second short one missed in six holes. His lead at the top is halved to one; he’s -8, a shot ahead of Tommy Fleetwood, who is currently telling Sky Sports how important all those par scrambles were just before the turn. He’s quietly content, as he should be. A long-anticipated major breakthrough could be just a couple of days away.
-8: Holmes (14)
-7: Fleetwood (F)
This Open is really cooking now! Justin Rose, who had turned in 34, puts the pedal down by sending his second at 12 to ten feet, then knocking in the eagle putt. He’s in a tie for third too. Back on 1, Shane Lowry makes an early statement with a birdie that gets him heading in the right direction in short order. Birdie for the quietly efficient Tony Finau at 12. And back-to-back birdies for Lee Westwood, at 12 and 13, and he’s bothering the upper echelons of the leaderboard as well! There’s still not a great deal of wind, so today’s low scoring could continue for a while.
-9: Holmes (13)
-7: Fleetwood (F)
-6: Smith (17), Harding (16), Rose (12), Finau (12), Bjerregaard (12)
-5: Koepka (F), Spieth (F), Westwood (13), Lowry (1)
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Justin Harding’s stunning run continues as he birdies 16. His long-handled putter is red hot. Since the turn, he’s made five birdies, one par and one bogey. He’s now tied for third at -6, alongside Lucas Bjerregaard, who nearly eagles 12. But birdie will do. Up ono 18, Jordan Spieth nearly makes a birdie, but makes do with par and a fine 67. The 2017 champ did well to keep that round from unravelling, because he was all over the place on the back nine. But he fought and scrambled and somehow managed to play those nine holes in level par.
Birdie for Jon Rahm at 9, and after that double at 2, he’s hitting the turn in level par for his round. He’s back to -3. Eagle at 7 for Park Sang-hyun, whose one and only previous appearance in the majors resulted in a missed cut at last year’s Open. There’s just one letter of difference between his name and that of his compatriot Park Sung-hyun, one of the biggest stars on the LPGA Tour. That must play havoc with his search engine optimisation.
Ireland’s great hope for Open glory, Rory McIlroy Shane Lowry, is out and about! He sends his opening tee shot down the middle. He’s got a bit of ground to make up today. One off the lead last night, he’s now five off the pace, because JB Holmes has just registered back-to-back birdies, the latest coming at the par-three 13th. A tee shot clacked straight at the stick, albeit 20 feet short, then a putt gently guided into the cup with right-to-left grace. He’s -9, two clear of second-placed Fleetwood.
Holmes regains control of the Battle of the Beards with birdie at 12. He was inches away from rolling in a 25-footer for eagle. He’s -8. In other razor-free news, Louis Oosthuizen birdies the last. It’s a much-needed boost, given he’d bogeyed 14, 16 and 17. He’s level par. And Brooks Koepka pars 18 for a quiet 69 that’ll do him no harm come the weekend.
-8: Holmes (12)
-7: Fleetwood (F)
-6: Smith (16)
-5: Koepka (F), Spieth (16), Harding (15), Finau (11), Bjerregaard (11)
Closing birdie for Tommy Fleetwood, deserved reward for a lovely draw sent to 15 feet. The putt’s stroked smoothly into the cup, and that’s a superb second round of 67! He’s the new clubhouse leader at -7 ... and he’s the co-leader of the tournament as well, alongside JB Holmes. “With Holmes, Fleetwood and Shane Lowry all in good shape at the moment, what odds on a bearded champion golfer this year?” wonders Declan Keane. “Does the facial insulation help keep the head and therefore also the brain, warmer, to contribute to course management, when playing links golf in the wind? And any idea who was the last Open winner with chin fluff?” Extensive research (i.e. flicking through the R&A’s lovely guide while I should be watching the action) suggests there hasn’t been a bearded winner since 1882, when Bob Ferguson took the title at St Andrews sporting an extremely wide goatee. No sides or moustache though, and a lack of hair on the upper lip might irk some purists. So with Willie Park Sr. (1875, Prestwick) similarly disqualified for lack of tache, despite having a dead sheep glued to his chin, we have to go right back to 1867, when Old Tom Morris triumphed at Prestwick with the full Santa arrangement.
-7: Fleetwood (F), Holmes (11)
-6: Smith (15)
-5: Koepka (17), Spieth (16), Finau (10)
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A fine up and down from sand at 15 by Jordan Spieth, who in doing so bodyswerves back-to-back birdies. He remains at -5. Meanwhile up on 18, Tyrrell Hatton nearly drains a long birdie putt, but has to settle for par and a 71. A slight stumble coming home, with bogey at 14 followed by that double-bogey calamity at Calamity, but he’ll be in good position going into Moving Day at -3. Once again he departs the scene all downcast - his only bogey yesterday came at 18 - but he’s playing some fine golf and promises to be a factor this weekend.
One of the cheers of the day as Darren Clarke, a member of this club, birdies 3. He moves into red figures. Away up on 17, Tommy Fleetwood responds to the bogey at Calamity by nearly draining a long birdie putt. Par will do to steady the ship, and he remains a shot off the lead at -6. And Justin Harding, the late-blooming South African who tied for 12th at this year’s Masters, rakes in another birdie putt with his long flat stick. A third in four holes, and he’s -5 for both round and tournament.
Tiger had been trying his best to somehow stay alive this weekend. Birdie at 3, then another at 6. But a short par putt missed at 7 has almost certainly put paid to any lingering hope. He’s back down at +6 now, and the cut is currently expected to send everyone at +2 and over home. Meanwhile a second bogey of the day for Spieth, always out of position on 14, but a second birdie in three holes for Justin Rose, rolling in a long one at 9. Spieth slips to -5, Rose rises to -4.
Tiger is looking much more comfortable today, the troublesome back warmed by the rather pleasant temperatures. It’s not exactly sunbathing weather but Woods cuts a happier figure this morning. Of course, it helps if the putter heats up too and, after draining a big one at the opening hole, he sinks a 20-footer at 6 to go -2 for the day. At +5 overall, he still looks maybe two or three shots away from the cut line but he’s not giving this up easily. As if we would expect anything less from the 15-time major champ.
A second bogey of the day for Fleetwood, who had whistled his tee shot at 16 into Hatton Territory. Unlike Tyrrell, who required three swishes to extricate himself from the jungle, Fleetwood whips out first time, high and onto the green. He’s left with a 12-foot chance to save his par, but can’t make it. So he drops out of the lead, which is the sole property of JB Holmes again. By the way, Holmes’ bogey on 9 was a nonsense, a short, straight putt not given enough juice and stopping apologetically short. Meanwhile a fourth birdie in five holes for Cameron Smith, at 12; another birdie for Harding, coming behind, also at 12; and four birdies in five holes for the brilliant Patrick Reed, at 3, 4, 6 and now 7. This really is bubbling up nicely!
-7: Holmes (10)
-6: Fleetwood (16), Spieth (13), Smith (13)
-5: Koepka (15)
-4: Van Rooyen (F), Harding (12), Finau (8), Bjerregaard (8), Reed (7), Lowry
Thanks David. This is really hotting up now! With little wind around Portrush, the course is there for the taking. And plenty of players are taking advantage. Tony Finau birdies 8 to move to -4. Lucas Bjerregaard has birdied 2, 7 and 8 to rise to -4. Justin Harding has risen to -3 after eagle at 7 and birdie at 10. Meanwhile Erik van Rooyen is back home after parring every hole on the back nine. Out in 33, that means he’s signing for a 68, and is the early clubhouse leader at -4.
How quickly fortunes switch. Tyrrell Hatton comes through his crisis moment by holing a brave 15-footer for bogey at 16 although there’s just a little confusion as the scoreboard in the press tent is showing double. Did he take a drop that we didn’t see? Meanwhile, Fleetwood blazes his tee-shot at that same 16th into deep rough. And to complete the ebb and flow at the top, Holmes makes his first mis-step of the day with a dropped shot at 9. Holmes now tied for the lead with Fleetwood.
Just before I hand back to Scott, it emerges that Hatton did indeed take double at 16 so he’s back to -3 overall. Right, back to Mr Murray for further drama.
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Hatton making a meal of 16. His tee-shot goes left into the dense cabbage and his first hack out moves more turf than ball. For a horrible moment, it looks as if he’s simply pounded it further into the ground but a second chop finds the green. He’s staring at double bogey though and you sense it’s a massive moment in his tournament. But no such troubles for Tommy Fleetwood. Back at 15, the shaggy-haired one curls in a 25-footer for birdie and he hits the giddy heights of 7-under and just one off JB Holmes’ lead.
Tiger is looking much more comfortable today, the troublesome back warmed by the rather pleasant temperatures. It’s not exactly sunbathing weather but Woods cuts a happier figure this morning. Of course, it helps if the putter heats up too and, after draining a big one at the opening hole, he sinks a 20-footer at 6 to go -2 for the day. At +5 overall, he still looks maybe two or three shots away from the cut line but he’s not giving this up easily. As if we would expect anything less from the 15-time major champ.
Koepka knocks in his straightforward birdie putt at 13 to get to -5 and back to tied third. Meanwhile, his rival for ‘coolest in show’ category, Dustin Johnson, knocks in a ten-footer for birdie at 6. DJ’s card, like his walk, has a pleasing rhythm this morning: par-birdie-par-birdie-par-birdie. That’s lifted him to -2 and tied for 17th.
Jordan Spieth is 4-under for his round and 5-under overall but we shouldn’t be surprised by his move today. A check of the PGA Tour’s scoring averages reveals why as it shows that the Dallas native does his best work of a Friday. Spieth ranks 16th in R1 scoring, 2nd in R2, 166th in R3 and 196th in R4. In other words, a typical Spieth performance this season involves a good start, a Friday surge and a gradual slide down the leaderboard on the weekend. He’ll need to reverse that final 36-hole trend to stay in the mix here but you suspect Spieth has something up his sleeve in majors. He’s won three and keeps likening Royal Portrush to Royal Birkdale, the scene of his Open triumph two years ago.
The accelerator has been pressed; here comes another birdie for Koepka. Buoyed by his par breaker at 12, he strikes a gorgeous tee shot to just outside four feet at the par-3 13th. That’s the mark of a champion; just when it all looks a bit flat, they produce a sudden change of pace to get on the shoulder of the leader again. Back at 14, Hatton’s loose approach to the right leaves him a tough up and down from a little hollow and the up bit isn’t quite good enough and the putt doesn’t go down. The bogey drops him back to -5 and three behind.
A frustrated slap of his club as Koepka chips to 12 but the ball rolls and rolls and only decides to stop when it’s waved goodbye to the hole some 15 feet behind it. And yet, the four-time major winner has plenty of ways to skin a cat and decides to knock in the putt to make his birdie that way. Koepka -4. Tommy Fleetwood now has back-to-back red numbers after another birdie putt drops at 13. He celebrates with a lovely drive at 14 and is now just two behind leader Holmes.
While the par-5 12th should be a routine birdie in this weather, Brooks Koepka has word to do for his four. His approach is tugged left and into rough short of the green. The major monster is only evens for the day and that’s a surprise with others gathering birdies at a regular rate elsewhere on a kinder Royal Portrush today. No concerns yet for Koepka but he’ll want to go through the gears at some point and he’s running out of time this morning with the harder holes (14 to 18) to come.
Tommy Fleetwood moves into joint-third after what is now an expected birdie at the par-5 12th. That’s three back from Holmes. As Scott mentioned, England has had just two Open champions in the last 50 years – Tony Jacklin in 1969 and Nick Faldo (1987, 1990, 1992). So what sweet music it would be if Hatton or Fleetwood lifted the claret jug. Talking of which, while I can imagine Sir Nick being quite a card at a Karaoke night, Jacklin once released his own album of pop standards (‘Swings Into’). I actually have this record (check Discogs for yours), and will argue with anyone that Tone’s version of Both Sides Now is up there with Joni Mitchell’s. Tommy’s quite theatrical; I reckon he could croon out some ditties. Tyrrell perhaps more thrashy punk.
Hello from Royal Portrush. This is Dave Tindall. Taps mic. Whistly feedback. Awkward silence. So, I didn’t expect JB Holmes to be five clear of Brooks Koepka when Scott departed stage left for a well-deserved break. Still, there it is and Holmes’ nearest challenger is now Tyrrell Hatton after the Englishman birdies 12 and just misses another good chance at 13. One story which popped up in a far corner of the media centre this morning involved one of JB’s practice rounds. Despite being regarded as one of the slowest players on the planet – and arguably other planets presuming they have golf courses and support life – Holmes was in a rush, twice ignoring marshal’s red flags and blasting tee-shots away regardless. The reason? He didn’t want to be late for a restaurant booking. There’s your cure for slow play then; tell the tour’s worst plodders they have a table booked five hours on from their tee-time (I’ve worked in 45 minutes for freshening up and travel).
A meltdown for Jon Rahm at the par-five 2nd. He’s down a swale to the left of the green. He putts up. The ball comes back at his feet. He tries again with a wedge. That one comes back too. A third go flies past the flag and off the front of the green. He runs up a double bogey seven, and clatters down to -1. He’s bubbling. Meanwhile a different sort of emotional scene on 18 as Tom Lehman says goodbye to the Open. No valedictory birdie, his putt shaving the lip, but it’s a par and he’s off into the sunset having shot 78-76 this week. He’s +12, but he’ll always have Lytham. The crowd salute him with the warmth he deserves, and he doffs his cap in thanks. A lovely moment.
And with that, I’m away for a bit. David Tindall will be your guide for the next hour. Enjoy, enjoy!
Another birdie for JB Holmes! This one comes at the par-three 6th, reward for a fine tee shot to 12 feet. A straight putt in, and suddenly he’s sitting on a three-shot lead, because Spieth’s approach to 9 finds a bunker from which he can’t get up and down. Bogey. He’s still turning in 32 strokes, though. And Cameron Smith of Australia, who has top-five finishes at the Masters and the US Open, but has done nix at the Open so far, birdies 2, 7 and 8 to get himself involved. “So glad you mentioned Laura Davies,” writes Hubert O’Hearn. “Yes, she is quite wonderful, isn’t she? My favourite bit of byplay was when Sky’s Ewen Murray asked her if she liked Tommy Fleetwood’s all-the-fashion golf shirt. ‘No, I don’t like it. You could wear it though.’ I love that! It’s the equivalent of sitting in a restaurant and one’s companion saying ‘This tastes awful! Here, try some.’ Splendid.”
-8: Holmes (6)
-5: Hatton (11), Spieth (9)
-4: Van Rooyen (14), Fleetwood (11), Smith (8), Lowry
Adam Hadwin, from the middle of the 8th fairway, sends a one-bounce iron into the cup! The Canadian is going along very nicely today as a result, his eagle following birdies at 2 and 7, He’s -1. Kurt Kitayama, a 26-year-old Californian playing in the Open for the first time, and with two wins already this year on the European Tour, is on a hell of a tear today as well. Birdies at 3, 4, 7, 8 and now 12, with a sole bogey at 10, and he’s whistled 65 places up the leaderboard to -1. Meanwhile a rare backwards step by An Byeong-hun, who had birdied 2, 4, 7, 12 and 15, but finally sheds a stroke at 16. He’s -2.
An astonishing par save by Tyrrell Hatton on 11! Having flayed his drive into triffids down the right of the fairway, he just about managed to hack his ball back onto the semi-rough. You could only just see his head poking out of the verdant wilds. His third into the green wasn’t all that, either, his ball rolling off the back. But he guides in a 35-footer to remain at -5! But he’s two off the top now, because up on 5, Holmes birdies to re-establish sole ownership of the lead.
-7: Holmes (5)
-6: Spieth (8)
-5: Hatton (11)
-4: Van Rooyen (13), Fleetwood (10), Lowry
Birdie-birdie-eagle-birdie for Spieth!
Jordan Spieth is responsible for one of the iconic Open moments: that odyssey down 13 at Birkdale a couple of years ago. The sheer lunacy of his sortie to the practice range tends to obscure the brilliance of what came after he limited the damage to bogey. Birdie, eagle, birdie, birdie. Title sealed. Well, he’s doing something very similar today. A 25-foot rake across 8, and it’s another birdie! He’s five under for the last four holes, after going birdie, birdie, eagle, birdie. He’s grabbed himself a share of the lead. You have got to love this guy.
-6: Spieth (8), Holmes (4)
-5: Hatton (10)
-4: Van Rooyen (13), Fleetwood (10), Lowry
Updated
Sky Sports have got a new commentator in their ranks this week: the four-time major winner Laura Davies. She’s a great listen. Witty, easy-going and informative, she’s always on hand to immediately explain the lay of the land and the many shot options available to the players, something not always apparent watching links golf in 2D. Expertise, experience and knowledge lightly worn. She’s also had a righteous pop at folk who moan about the coverage given over to Tiger - “Why wouldn’t you want to watch him?!” - and as an aside written off VAR in football as the pointless fiasco it is. Marvellous.
Never mind par for Tiger! He curls in a big left-to-right breaker from 25 feet, and that’s an opening birdie that brings him back to +6. Here comes hope! A broad smile as he considers the prospect of one of the great cut-dodging rounds. Buckle in, folks! Then up on 7, Jordan Spieth rolls in a putt from the swale to the right of the green, and that’s an eagle that catapults him into a share of second! Fleetwood saves his par on 9, three scrambles on the bounce! And to complete a manic minute, Justin Rose birdies 2. It’s all happening! Again!
-6: Holmes (4)
-5: Hatton (9), Spieth (7)
-4: Van Rooyen (11), Fleetwood (9), Lowry
-3: Koepka (8), Westwood (3), Rose (2), Rahm, Noren, Simpson, Garcia, Frittelli, MacIntyre, Aphibarnrat
Tiger’s got a good lie in the rough down 1, and finds the green with his second. Two putts, and he should escape with par. Fleetwood is once again scrambling for par, having driven wildly down 9. Forced to chip back out, he wedges to eight feet from 100 yards. A chance to save himself yet again. Meanwhile Oosthuizen misses another tiddler, this time at 8, this time at the cost of a shot. He slips to -2.
Tiger time! Having shot 78 yesterday, weekend participation is pretty much a pipe dream, the way he’s been playing since that spine-tingling victory at Augusta. And yet there’s electricity in the gallery regardless as he takes to the tee. Star quality. You either have it or you don’t. However the early signs aren’t good, as he pulls another stiff one into the thick stuff down the left. Patrick Reed meanwhile unsheathes a wood and larrups his opening drive down the middle. A street-fighting level-par 71 yesterday for the 2018 Masters champion, who gets a raw PR deal in the HBH’s book, and accordingly very much has our support. It’d be great to see him in the mix come Sunday, after a quiet time since his breakthrough major victory.
After two pars that feel like bogeys, here’s a par that has the warm, fuzzy sensation of birdie. Fleetwood sinks a 30-foot right-to-left slider on 8. Always out of position, that could be a momentum changer in the wake of his struggle down 7. Two par scrambles in a row, and he remains at -4. Tony Finau meanwhile yips from short distance at the opening hole, and he starts with a miserable bogey. Back to -2 for the big man.
Hatton is one turn away from birdie on 8, after knocking his second to 15 feet. The putt not quite the quality of the approach. Back on 7, Koepka elects to chip. And he doesn’t really commit to it, his ball stopping six feet short. He tugs his birdie putt left. What a waste of two fine shots. A par that’ll feel like a bogey. Ditto Oosthuizen, who yips a birdie tiddler. Holmes isn’t far from making his eagle putt at 2, but birdie will do to regain sole ownership of the lead. And it’s back-to-back birdies for Spieth at 6. He’s in the mood for this, suddenly in the mix.
-6: Holmes (2)
-5: Hatton (8)
-4: Van Rooyen (9), Fleetwood (7), Lowry
-3: Koepka (7), Oosthuizen (7), Spieth (6), Westwood (1), Finau, Rahm, Noren, Simpson, Garcia, Frittelli, MacIntyre, Aphibarnrat
Like Oosthuizen before him, Spieth follows birdie at 5 with a forensic tee shot at 6. He’ll have a very good look at birdie from eight feet. Up on 7, Koepka sends his ball just over the back of the green with two huge hits. He’ll be thinking about bumping up a chip, or possibly putting, from the swale. An outside eagle chance. Up and down for birdie. Meanwhile back on 2, the co-leader Holmes is pin high in two. A 25-foot eagle putt coming up.
A first birdie of the day for Jordan Spieth, at 5, and he’s quietly moving back in the right direction after a mid-round wobble yesterday. The 2017 winner is -2. Tommy Fleetwood escapes with his par on 7. Erik van Rooyen is inches away from draining a long birdie putt at 9, but he’ll be content enough to turn in 33. Yet another birdie for An Byeong-hun, his fourth of the day, at 12; he’s -2 and increasingly a factor in this tournament. And Lee Westwood’s birdie effort on 1 is miserable, always turning off to the right. A chance for the fastest of starts spurned.
Lee Westwood must be thoroughly fed up with his eternal bridesmaid status. With a view to addressing this misery, he sends his approach at the opening hole pin high to ten feet. That’s a lovely shot. Birdie putt coming up that may inform the rest of his round. Meanwhile on 7, Fleetwood is halfway up a steep hill, his feet miles below a snagged ball. Two bunkers in between him and the green. He does extremely well to clip his ball into the swale to the right of the green; a chance to get up and down for par from there.
A no-sweat par for Holmes at the opening hole. He’s now sharing his lead with Hatton, of course; the Englishman can only par the 7th. They’re both -5. Coming behind, Fleetwood would take that par right now, as he lashes a long iron into the bonny heather well to the right of the green. Halfway up a big slope, he’ll have a puzzle to solve getting back down.
Back-to-back birdies for Oosthuizen! He follows up his easy-going birdie at the short par-four 5th by swishing an effortless iron towards the flag at the par-three 6th. He’s eight feet away, and in goes the putt. He joins his partner Koepka at -3, the current PGA champion unable to covert a decent opportunity from 12 feet. Par.
Here comes the overnight leader JB Holmes! Easy to forget that, were it not for the freakish, other-worldly, once-in-a-generation antics of Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson at Troon in 2016, Holmes would already be an Open champion. He was the best of the rest that week, a mere 14 shots shy of Stenson, 11 behind Lefty. OK, OK, but you get the point. A wonderful 66 yesterday, and he opens his second round by splitting the fairway.
Koepka is really trying it on at 5. If he creams his drive, he’s surely bumping through the green and out of bounds, with the white stakes only a couple of feet behind. So he creams his drive ... and is fortunate that he’s a tad off line, so his ball snags in rough at the front right of the green. Then he chips aggressively, unable to get any spin from the curly kale. His ball is only a few joules of energy shy of rolling through the green and OB. Like Frank Costanza, it stops short. He should escape with par with a couple of putts from the fringe. Yep, four. Lucky Brooks. He’s -3. Birdie meanwhile for Oosthuizen, who drove the green and took a couple of wise putts. Much more sensible. He’s -2.
A shame for Van Rooyen, who sets his six-foot eagle putt off to the left, and it’s never turning back. A misread. But it’s his third birdie today. Such a shame, though, because the long iron in was so sweet. Still, he’s just one off the lead now ... a lead shared by Hatton, who makes his birdie at 6 without fuss or drama. And it’s all happening at the top, because Fleetwood gets up and down from the side of the risk-reward short par-four 5th (it’s driveable, but there’s OB just over the back) and makes birdie. Look at how this is hotting up, and it’s only just gone 9am on the Friday!
-5: Hatton (6), Holmes
-4: Van Rooyen (7), Fleetwood (5), Lowry
-3: Koepka (4), Westwood, Finau, Rahm, Noren, Simpson, Garcia, Frittelli, MacIntyre, Aphibarnrat
There could be some more movement atop the leaderboard soon. Hatton has just caressed a gorgeous iron at the par-three 6th to six feet. Meanwhile up on the par-five 7th, Van Rooyen nearly pipes an iron into the cup from the fairway for an albatross! The ball bounds a few feet past the hole, so eagle’s not a gimme. But he should be making birdie at the very least from there. For the record, it would have been the first albatross at the Open since Paul Lawrie lashed one in from distance at the 7th hole at Turnberry in 2009.
Koepka goes backwards for only the second time this week. He’s very fortunate with his tee shot on 4, the ball sticking on the shoulder of a bunker and refusing to topple back in. However he comes up short with his second and, shortsided, does well to chip to 15 feet. But he can’t make the putt. He’s back to -3, his place at -4 taken by Tyrrell Hatton, who birdies 5 to move within a shot.
-5: Holmes
-4: Hatton (5), Lowry
-3: Van Rooyen (6), Fleetwood (4), Koepka (4), Westwood, Finau, Rahm, Noren, Simpson, Garcia, Frittelli, MacIntyre, Aphibarnrat
-2: Fox (6), Rose, Park, Turner, Langasque
A second bogey of the day for Justin Thomas, who misses a short one on 4. He throws his putter away in frustration. He’s +2. Much more of this, and he’ll have to start fretting about the cut. A long way to go, of course, but early guesswork, nothing more, suggests it might fall around +3 or +4. Meanwhile Ryan Fox arrests his early morning slide with birdie at 5. He’s -2.
Koepka sends his tee shot at 3 into the swale to the left of the green. No matter: he just gracefully scoops his wedge to a couple of feet, and tidies up for par. For a player with a boom-boom reputation, he’s got such a delicate touch around the greens. He’s the complete player. Meanwhile a second birdie of the day for the increasingly impressive Erik van Rooyen; the 29-year-old South African has been hanging around the leaderboards at the majors for much of the last year. A breakthrough could be a-coming, because he moves to -3, sinking a 15-foot putt at 5 after leaving an eagle attempt egregiously short. Two men with ice in the veins.
While Koepka was making his birdie at 2, Sharma was doing the same, repairing the damage of the opening hole. He’s back to -1. Oosthuizen was busy making a disappointing three-putt par. He stays at -1. A fast start meanwhile for Thomas Pieters, who birdies 2 and 4 to move to -1. The big Belgian has top-ten finishes at the Masters and the PGA under his belt, but he’s done little at the Open. Time to make good, perhaps.
An Byeong-hun hasn’t really done anything in the majors to date. But the 27-year-old from Seoul finished the recent US Open tied for 16th, his best effort yet. And he could be in the mood to trump that this week. He’s followed up his early birdie at 2 with others at 4 and 7. He’s whistled 52 places up the leaderboard to -1. Meanwhile on 2, Koepka nearly drains his eagle putt, but taps in for birdie. The first positive move at the toppermost of the poppermost:
-5: Holmes
-4: Koepka (2), Lowry
-3: Hatton (4), Fleetwood (3), Westwood, Finau, Rahm, Noren, Simpson, Garcia, Frittelli, MacIntyre, Aphibarnrat
-2: Van Rooyen (4), Rose, Park, Turner, Langasque
Bounce-back birdie for Tommy Fleetwood at 2. All down to a lovely second into the meat of the green. His eagle putt wasn’t too far away. Coming behind, Brooks Koepka sends his second at the par-five pin high. He’ll have a relatively straight look at eagle from 25 feet or so.
Golf is such a wonderfully weird game. Ryan Fox couldn’t stop making birdies yesterday afternoon; now, not much more than 14 hours later, the new record holder for the low back nine at the Open can’t stop making bogeys He follows up his mistake at 1 with a short yip at 3, and he’s down to -1 already.
Another par for Hatton at 2. Greenside in two, his chip on doesn’t spin back to set up a makeable birdie putt. Still, he remains at -3. Back on 1, Koepka powers his second from the thick stuff into the heart of the green, then lips out from 25 feet. So close to a sensational turnaround in fortune after that poor tee shot. But he’ll have taken his par. Oosthuizen pars as well. But it’s a first bogey of the week for Shubhankar Sharma, who makes up this group, the result of a wayward tee shot. He was only half a turn away from salvaging his par, too. A breakthrough statement can’t be long in coming for the 22-year-old from India. A high finish this week could be it.
Fleetwood’s first putt, from the fringe to the side of 1, is woefully underhit. He leaves himself a 30-foot hope for par, and the putt’s never going in. He slips back to -2. And his partner Thomas can’t get up and down from the sand, so he’s going the wrong way as well; he’s +1. But up on 2, Erik van Rooyen rattles one in from distance, and the early birdie takes up up to -2. The 29-year-old South African is beginning to make his name in the majors, after good showings in last year’s Open, and this year’s US Open and PGA. Someone to keep an eye on this week.
Here comes the world number one, Brooks Koepka! The gallery gives him the ovation he deserves. But his opening tee shot isn’t up to standard. Like Fleetwood before him, he toys with the OB stakes down the left, and is pleased to see his ball nestle in the thick rough and refuse point blank to bounce towards serious scorecard-related bother. Louis Oosthuizen, the 2010 champion, is a bit braver than most: instead of playing it safe with iron, he takes a fairway wood. And claps it down the middle.
There are only three players under 30 with a major to their name. Justin Thomas is one. (Jordan Spieth and Brooks Koepka are the others.) The 2017 PGA champ has a reasonable lie down the right of 1. But he undercooks his second, the ball stopping short of the green and turning off into a bunker to the left. A tricky up and down to come. Tommy Fleetwood makes a much better fist of his second from the left, powering his ball pin high, just off the side of the green to the right. He’ll have taken that for sure when he was anxiously watching his tee shot sail towards the out-of-bounds markers. Now all he needs to do is get up and down. No biggie.
A huge reception for Tommy Fleetwood as he tees it up. But the crowd fall quiet as his ball whistles towards the OB down the left. Fortunately it snags in the thick rough just before the white posts. Lucky Tommy. Justin Thomas, who salvaged his round yesterday after a slow start, ending up with a level-par 71, finds the cabbage down the right. Up on the green, Tyrrell Hatton leaves his birdie effort well short, but salvages the situation with a hard-as-nails par saver from 12 feet. That’ll give him heart. A dropped shot on 1 after bogey at 18 yesterday might have sent a notoriously emotional player off into a tailspin. But he looks pretty happy with that.
All hot streaks must come to an end. Ryan Fox birdied six of his last seven holes last night, but he’s bogeyed his first today. On in regulation, he trundled a hot birdie effort miles past the cup, and couldn’t save himself coming back. He slips to -2, then sends his drive at the par-five 2nd into sand on the left, so his chances of bouncing back with a birdie on one of Portrush’s more forgiving holes are immediately diminished.
Tyrrell Hatton would be one off the lead were it not for a closing-hole bogey yesterday evening. Heart on sleeve as ever, he looked thoroughly deflated after finishing with his only dropped shot of the day. But you can’t knock an opening round of 68 at the Open. A good round this morning, when the weather’s kind, and he’ll be set fair for the weekend. England hasn’t had an Open champion since Nick Faldo won at Muirfield in 1992. Pre-Faldo, the English are looking at Tony Jacklin in 1969. Before that, it’s Max Faulkner, the 1951 winner at ... Royal Portrush. Some sort of sign? OK, it’s a stretch. But it’s got to happen sometime. He knocks his tee shot down the middle, then sends his second pin high, albeit just off the putting surface to the right.
Ryan Fox hasn’t got much of a track record in the majors. The 32-year-old from Auckland’s best showing in one of the big ones is a tie for 27th in last year’s PGA at Bellerive. But he’s now got a record in the majors: yesterday afternoon he birdied 12, 13, 14, 15, 17 and 18, a blitz that saw him come back in 29 strokes, a new Open best. The previous record of 30 was set by Eric Brown at Lytham in 1958, and was since matched by Tommy Nakajima (1986 Troon), Ross Drummond (Muirfield 1987), Mark Brooks (Turnberry 1994), Phil Mickelson (St Andrews 2000), Stuart Appelby (Muirfield 2002), Kenichi Kuboya (Turnberry 2009), Rory McIlroy (St Andrews 2010) and Justin Rose (last year at Carnoustie). But you can strike through all of that now. Fox receives a warm ovation as he tees it up this morning, then cracks his iron down the track. He’s -3, the first of the leading pack out today.
The first birdies of the second round, and they both go to South Koreans. An Byeong-hun, coming off the back of a decent showing at Pebble Beach in the US Open, moves to +1 after picking up a shot at 2. Meanwhile Innchoon Hwang, playing in the Open for the first time at 44, birdies the opening hole, reward for a delightful second arrowed straight at the flag. He’s level par now.
Rory’s not long for this championship either. Here’s Andy Bull’s take on his head-spinning horror show yesterday.
You’ll need some reading matter to go with that breakfast cuppa. Here’s Tiger on his sore back. Get him while you can, because he won’t be here this weekend.
It’s sunny and relatively still this morning at Portrush. But don’t expect it to stay that way forever. It’ll begin to cloud over soon enough. The morning is expected to stay dry, the odd squall excepted, but the chances of showers increase in the afternoon. We should avoid heavy rain, but don’t bet the farm on it, this is links golf, this is the Open Championship. The wind should be gentle all day, though the aforementioned don’t-risk-the-mortgage caveat remains.
Lehman’s errant drive leads to a bogey. Not the ideal start to the champ’s valedictory round. He slips to +8. Niemann’s salvage bid looks doomed as he too drops a shot; he’s +6. Jimenez is the only one of the three to make par, but he remains at +11. It’ll be a wee while before things hot up this morning. Plenty of time to make yourself a cup of coffee.
The 1996 Champion Golfer gets the second day’s play underway. Tom Lehman, at 60 exempt for the final time, is most likely playing his last round at the Open today, having shot 78 yesterday. He sends his opening tee shot into a fairway bunker to the right. He’ll be going round with the current Senior Open champion Miguel Angel Jimenez, who ran up an 82 yesterday and is just biding time until he defends his title next week. The 20-year-old Chilean prospect Joaquin Niemann makes up the three-ball. He’s got plenty of work to do today if he’s to extend his Open debut into the weekend, having shot 76 yesterday.
Preamble
Yesterday, JB Holmes shot 66, Tiger carded 78, Rory McIlroy took 79, Ryan Fox came back in 29, Emiliano Grillo aced 13, and David Duval ran up 14 on 7. If today has half as many jaw-dropping moments, we’ll be doing pretty well. Here’s how the top of the leaderboard looks after the first round ...
-5: Holmes
-4: Lowry
-3: Noren, Simpson, Garcia, Frittelli, MacIntyre, Aphibarnrat, Fox, Hatton, Fleetwood, Koepka, Westwood, Finau, Rahm
-2: Langasque, Rose, Park, Turner
... and here are today’s tee times. It’s on!
6.35am: Tom Lehman, Joaquin Niemann, Miguel Angel Jimenez
6.46am: Byeong Hun An, Jorge Campillo, Chris Wood
6.57am: Joel Dahmen, Adri Arnaus, Dimitrios Papadatos
7.08am: Stewart Cink, Rory Sabbatini, Innchoon Hwang
7.19am: Erik Van Rooyen, Kurt Kitayama, Jake McLeod
7.30am: Ryan Fox, Shaun Norris, Dongkyu Jang
7.41am: Tyrrell Hatton, Keith Mitchell, Thomas Pieters
7.52am: Justin Thomas, Tommy Fleetwood, Thorbjorn Olesen
8.03am: Brooks Koepka, Louis Oosthuizen, Shubhankar Sharma
8.14am: Billy Horschel, Jazz Janewattananond, Aaron Wise
8.25am: Jordan Spieth, Marc Leishman, Danny Willett
8.36am: Cameron Smith, Adam Hadwin, David Lipsky
8.47am: Paul Lawrie, Chez Reavie, Justin Harding
9.03am: Takumi Kanaya (a), Tom Lewis, Brandon Stone
9.14am: Lucas Glover, Joost Luiten, Nino Bertasio
9.25am: Ernie Els, J.B. Holmes, Abraham Ancer
9.36 p.m. Brandt Snedeker, Lee Westwood, Brian Harman
9.47 p.m. Justin Rose, Tony Finau, Lucas Bjerregaard
9.58am: Dustin Johnson, Jason Day, Keegan Bradley
10.09am: Tiger Woods, Matt Wallace, Patrick Reed
10.20am: Jon Rahm, Patrick Cantlay, Matt Kuchar
10.31am: Kevin Streelman, Doc Redman, Robert Rock
10.42am: Adrian Otaegui, Yuta Ikeda, Isidro Benitez
10.53am: Patton Kizzire, Sang Hyun Park, Yuki Inamori
11.04am: Yoshinori Fujimoto, Doyeob Mun, Andrew Wilson
11.15am: Gunn Charoenkul, Yosuke Asaji, Ashton Tur
11.36am: Darren Clarke, James Sugrue (a), Charley Hoffman
11.47am: Emiliano Grillo, Sung Kang, Thomas Thurloway (a)
11.58am: Andy Sullivan, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Alexander Levy
12.09pm: Chan Kim, Zander Lombard, Brandon Wu (a)
12.20pm: Richard Sterne, Romain Langasque, Matthias Schmid (a)
12.31pm: Padraig Harrington, Matthew Fitzpatrick Andrew Putnam
12.42pm: Bubba Watson, Eddie Pepperell, Rafa Cabrera-Bello
12.53pm: Phil Mickelson, Shane Lowry, Branden Grace
1.04pm: Alex Noren, Mike Lorenzo-Vera, Sam Locke
1.15pm: Webb Simpson, Sergio Garcia, C.T. Pan
1.26pm: Ryan Palmer, Andrea Pavan, Dylan Frittelli
1.37pm: Kyle Stanley, Robert MacIntyre, Andrew Johnston
1.48pm: Mikko Korhonen, Oliver Wilson, Curtis Knipes (a)
2.04pm: Ian Poulter, Sungjae Im, Kiradech Aphibarnrat
2.15pm: Henrik Stenson, Xander Schauffele, Graeme McDowell
2.26pm: Haotong Li, Russell Knox, Bernd Weisberger
2.37pm: Jason Kokrak, Connor Syme, Austin Connelly
2.48pm: Zach Johnson, David Duval, Corey Conners
2.59pm: Francesco Molinari, Bryson DeChambeau, Adam Scott
3.10pm: Rory McIlroy, Gary Woodland, Paul Casey
3.21pm: Rickie Fowler, Kevin Kisner, Hideki Matsuyama
3.32pm: Jim Furyk, Si-Woo Kim, Jimmy Walker
3.43pm: Luke Lista, Alexander Bjork, Paul Waring
3.54pm: Shugo Imahira, Nate Lashley, Benjamin Herbert
4.05pm: Mikumu Horikawa, Callum Shinkwin, Garrick Porteous
4.16pm: Prom Messawat, Matthew Baldwin, Jack Senior
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