Phil Mickelson was taking the whizz as things heated up at Troon.
Scotland’s a funny place really. The weather can change so dramatically from one day to next, pretty much like the West Coast of Ireland on steroids. It’s what makes playing golf here so challenging.
Troon is an area better known for its windburn than its sunburn so yesterday was a pretty rare setting for the Open. But the storms that were forecast finally arrived, so we buckled up for some crazy.
7:00pm: Mickelson -10, Stenson -9, Kjeldsen -7, Bradley -7
Oh Rory.
You get our hopes up and then dash them in the bluff. The 27-year-old briefly soared to -5 but started handing back shots on the back nine when his putter went stone cold. A birdie on 16 got him back to -2, however.
Rory McIlroy had 8 putts in the first 8 holes. He's had 15 in the last 6. Momentum really is everything… #TheOpen
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) July 15, 2016
As for the other Irish challengers in the field, Padraig Harrington is even, Darren Clarke is +1 and both will stick around for the weekend. Graeme McDowell [+4], Shane Lowry [+7] and Paul Dunne [+13] will not.
4;45pm: Mickelson -10, Stenson -9, Kjeldsen -7, Bradley -7
All our hopes seem to rest on McIlroy’s shoulders. The Holywood native has been doing okay, ticking along nicely through seven holes. Birdies at 2, 6 and 7 leave him on -5, just five back with plenty of opportunities to come.
Shane Lowry is still a couple of shots shy of making the projected cut and will need a good back nine if he wants to be around for the weekend. Lowry, from Offaly… County Clara (see tweet below) is looking solid though. No drop shots and he’s missed a couple of makeable putts, so if he keeps striking it as well as he is he might just make it.
How are County Clara getting on in the @gaaleinster championship? Keep her lit @ShaneLowryGolf . @JOEdotie #lowry pic.twitter.com/biBFEY2t8h
— Cormac Ó Conaire (@Starie1975) July 15, 2016
Other movers have included Rickie Fowler who’s -2 for the day thus far. Patrick Reed meanwhile is +2 for the round so far, meaning he doesn’t have too much to cheer about this time around in Scotland.
2:45pm: Mickelson -10, Stenson -9, Kjeldsen -7, Bradley -7
The wind is really starting to pick up now which is going to make the back-9 in particular an absolute nightmare for these afternoon groupings. The swirling gales on some of these holes are going to make distance control incredibly difficult so it will be interesting to see how some of the Americans such as Patrick Reed, Billy Horschel and Rickie Fowler fare.
Even putting has been difficult in these conditions as we saw with Paul Casey about an hour ago.
WATCH: Pray for poor Paul Casey as he five putts the seventh at Royal Troon #theopen https://t.co/TOQ4KFffDn
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) July 15, 2016
The Irish are out and looking to get it done so stay tuned. McIlroy is on the first tee and will need to shoot -3 or -4 to stay close to the leaders. Shane Lowry has also made a good start with back to back birdies on his first two holes. Only 15 more to go Shane.
As for Graeme McDowell, he is packing his bags for home after a level par 71 saw him finish on +4.
1:20pm: Mickelson -10, Stenson -8, Kjeldsen -7, Johnson -6
The American carded a second round 69 to follow up his superb 63 on the opening day. A bogey on 15 looked like bringing Mickelson back to the pack but he closed out with three pars.
Sweden’s Henrik Stenson is by himself in second place after picking up five shots over the first 15 holes. Keegan Bradley has dropped a couple of shots after this superb put dropped through the back door.
Watch: Keegan Bradley makes birdie through the back door at seven to go to -7 pic.twitter.com/6AqjlMBf4y
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 15, 2016
12:10pm: Mickelson -11, Kjeldsen -7, Johnson -7, Stenson -7, Bradley -7
Finally, after 30 holes, Mickelson has shown the world he is human after all with a first dropped shot of the tournament at the par-four 12th. What a run from Lefty but it was always going to have to come to an end at some stage. He’s still three clear of the chasing pack and if he can get in to the clubhouse with a run of pars from here, -11 will be virtually impossible to match by the end of the day.
His closest challengers at the moment not to be taken lightly though. Zach Johnson has been on a birdie streak over his front 9, picking up four shots and dropping just the one at the par-three 5th. He’s been going about his thing quietly, dissecting each hole one shot at a time and doesn’t look like he’ll drop too many out there.
Alongside him on -7 is Soren Kjeldsen who has been playing some top quality golf recently. He’s just about to finish up his round and he’s struck gold by avoiding all the crappy weather. -7 will be there or thereabouts when things wind-up later.
Henrik Stenson has had the round of the day so far. Five birdies coupled with just the one bogey and he’s jumped straight up to the leaderboard summit, if not the peak. He’s a man still chasing his first major and this one is definitely not out of his grasp yet. Maybe he should just hire this guy to follow Phil around in the meantime…
10:25am: Mickelson -11, Kjeldsen -6, Kaymer -6
Mickelson looks to have tamed the Scottish golf course and is sashaying about, swinging the leash. ‘Lefty’, who carded a 63 on Thursday, started off with three pars before revving up the birdie machine on 4.
He picked up another shot on 7 and nearly recorded an ace on the par-three 8th hole before tapping in for birdie, his grin almost as broad as his lead atop the standings.
Watch: More Mickelson magic at the Postage Stamp #TheOpen pic.twitter.com/flGLGFJ3qt
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 15, 2016
Early bursts were courtesy of Kjeldsen and defending champion Johnson. Both were -2 early in their second rounds but -6 overall and five adrift of Mickelson.
With Rory McIlroy, Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Shane Lowry not teeing off until later in the day, Irish attention focused on Graeme McDowell and he did not disappoint. Starting the day on +4, the Portrush man picked up four shots to go level par.
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