So much for Zach Johnson’s fast start. A three-putt bogey on the par-five 2nd. That’s careless. The 2nd proved one of the easiest holes on the course yesterday, offering up 40 birdies, four eagles, and just 20 bogeys or worse. An average of 4.846, so if all of that is anything to go by, the 2015 champ has just given up nearly 1.2 shots to the field with three swishes of the flat stick from just 14 feet. He’s back to -1.
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The Open 2025: second round updates from Royal Portrush – live | The OpenNotice: Undefined variable: newid in D:\vertrigo\www\voice\see.php on line 32  Key events A good moment for Repubblica Italiana on the greens. Matteo Manassero – who as a 16-year-old played with Tom Watson in the first two rounds of the aforementioned 2009 Open, en route to finishing in a tie for 13th, becoming the youngest-ever winner of the Silver Medal awarded to the leading amateur – makes a 25-footer on the par-three 3rd. Meanwhile his compatriot Francesco Molinari walks in a putt of similar distance on the par-five 2nd. A pair of birdies. Manassero is currently +2, Molinari level par. Zach Johnson is part of a small but significant footnote in Open history. In winning the 2015 staging at St Andrews, he became only the fourth man, after Bob Martin, Willie Park Jr. and Seve Ballesteros to win the Open on a Monday. The 49-year-old Iowan has started well in his quest for a garden-variety Sunday victory this time, with a fine opening round of 70 yesterday. He’s off to a flyer today, too, sending a gentle draw into the 1st green, from 156 yards to 16 feet, taking the deep bunker at the front out of play, then tidying up for birdie, the first of the morning so far. There were only 12 birdies on the opening hole yesterday, so this is no mean feat. He’s now -2. Rickie Fowler has had plenty of near misses in the majors. His record in 2014 pretty much tells the whole story: a tie for fifth at the Masters, a tie for third at the PGA, and second-place finishes at both the US Open and Open. He’s also competed for the Claret Jug on the final day at Sandwich in 2011 … and here at Portrush in 2019. There would be few more popular winners not named Rory, Shane or Tom, and the 36-year-old Californian has started his week well with a round of 69 yesterday. He’s off to a good start today, as well, cracking his opening tee shot down the track. He’s -2. The weather shouldn’t misbehave as much as it did yesterday. It’s forecast to be overcast for most of the day, with some sun perhaps breaking through in the afternoon. The afternoon might also see some heavy rain at times. Chances always of scattered showers, naturally. The wind shouldn’t be too bothersome, though the occasional gust of up to 18 mph is possible. As for the weekend: it’s expected to be brighter on Saturday, and wetter on Sunday. But no risk of the thunderstorms that were threatened yesterday but thankfully didn’t materialise. We’ll get through Sunday. Another erstwhile champion takes to the tee. Francesco Molinari became the first Italian to lift the Claret Jug at Carnoustie in 2018. This morning he displays a bit of the moxie that was required back then to see off Tiger Woods, Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy on the final day, bashing his drive down the left side of the fairway. The ball creeps into the rough, but that’s more than good enough with those internal OB markers a mere 15 yards either side of the fairway. Molinari is +1 after yesterday’s opening round of 72. The first shot of the second day of the Open is hit by the 2009 champion golfer Stewart Cink. The US star didn’t get the acclaim he deserved upon winning at Turnberry back in the day, the unavoidable cost of beating the legendary Tom Watson in a play-off. Watson was 59, agonisingly close to breaking all sorts of records, and so Cink was cast in the role of dream-snatcher and heart-breaker, all for having the temerity to win the biggest tournament of his life with some brilliant golf. Well, he gets the love he deserves now with a warm round of applause as he sends his opening tee shot down the middle. A film of Cink’s 2009 triumph and its aftermath, Underdogs, is on Sky Sports and well worth your time. Warning: Cink’s disarming charm may make you feel a tad guilty. Anyway, now 52, Cink is +4, with a bit of work to do if he’s to avoid the cut this time round. Preamble… and we’re back. Less than nine hours ago, the first day of the 153rd edition of the Open Championship came to a close. Now we’re up and running again! Friday promises to be another Homeric odyssey, and we’ll be blogging about it ♫♪ all day looooooonng♫♪. Here’s how the very top of a star-studded leaderboard looked at the end of play last night … -4: JS Olesen, Li, Fitzpatrick, Bezuidenhout, English … and here are the tee times for the second round (GBR & IRE unless stated, all times local, (a) denotes amateurs). It’s on! 0635 Stewart Cink (USA), Marc Leishman (Aus), Matteo Manassero (Ita) Source link Posted: 2025-07-18 07:46:15 |
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