11:53am ET – Midway Through 2nd Round
The conditions this week so far at Royal Lytham & St. Annes are very easy for an “Open.” The course is soft and players are able to throw darts at pins. Not hard and links-like.
Brand Snedeker has just dropped a 64 on the field, jumping to first place at -10. That two round total ties the lowest in Open Championship history (Nick Faldo). I like Sneds and feel he should be the example players of all levels use for pace of play.
Phil Mickelson, despite a 2nd place finish in last year’s Open and a good showing in last week’s Scottish Open, flamed out. He was treading water yesterday (73, +3) and blew up today with a 78 (+8). Phil is heading home early after missing the cut, which should be somewhere around +2 or +3. Phil’s game is a high ball flight, high spin game. He should have fared well in the current conditions but it just didn’t happen.
Tiger Woods fired a first round 67 (-3). He is now through seven holes and sits at -5. His game looks solid. The question is whether or not he will have that “one bad round” which knocks him out of contention.
Adam Scott led after round one with a fine 64. He was close to tying the record for low round in a major. He’s at -8 on the tournament through 11 today, just two shots off Sned’s lead. His putting is solid and his ball striking is as good as I’ve seen in a long time.
Lee Westwood fired a 73 after day one. He hasn’t started yet today. He will be 13 shots off the lead when he does. Not sure he can make up that kind of ground.
Bubba Watson equaled Tiger after round one with a 67, but after making a snowman is +4 on his round today through nine holes.
After a first round 67, Rory McIlory shot 75 today. He looks to make the cut, barely.
If the projected cut stays at +3, Rickie Fowler, Keegan Bradley, K.J. Choi and Gary Woodland will miss the cut.
Zach Johnson sat alone in 2nd after a 65 yesterday, but is now +2 on today’s round. Zach sits T8 through 10 holes today at -2.
Graeme McDowell is quietly lurking. After yesterday’s 67 and going -1 through nine today, he sits T4 at -4.
Can’t wait to watch the rest unfold.
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