JOHNSON TAKES CENTRE STAGE
Zach sets pace even as Fleetwood, McIlroy fire
Carnoustie (United Kingdom), July 20: Former champion Zach Johnson survived miserable conditions and birdied the 18th for the second day running to seize the clubhouse lead at the British Open, but Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy also excelled at Carnoustie on Friday.
The 42-year-old Johnson, who won the Claret Jug at St Andrews in 2015, followed his 69 in the first round with a second-round 67 in the rain, as he moved to six under par for the tournament.
He recovered from a bogey at the first hole of his morning round with five birdies and no more dropped shots after that to lead by a stroke in the clubhouse from Fleetwood.
“The reverence I have for this championship and specifically that trophy, that Claret Jug, I’m not suggesting that someone doesn’t have a higher reverence for it, but I’d argue with them,” said Iowa native Johnson, who had made the cut at 11 straight Opens before this one.
“I’m not going to sit here and say, man, I just love playing in the wind and rain because I don’t, but I can do it, you know.”
Fleetwood, who was raised on links golf, had briefly surged to the top of the leaderboard at the end of his second round, starting the day one over par before shooting a brilliant six-under-par 65 to go to five-under overall.
That put him level with overnight leader Kevin Kisner, who went out in the afternoon looking to benefit from calmer, drier weather.
Fleetwood also capped his round with a birdie at the difficult 18th hole on the Scottish links. That was his sixth birdie of a round that was not blemished by a single bogey, with the 27-yearold showing how comfortable he is at a venue where he holds the course record following a 63 at last year’s Dunhill Championship.
Now right in contention, Fleetwood is dreaming of becoming the first English golfer to lift the Claret Jug since Nick Faldo in 1992.
McIlroy went out shortly before 8am and shot his second successive 69 to go to four-under for the tournament, alongside South Africa’s Erik van Rooyen in sitting two shots off the clubhouse lead.
The Northern Irishman, looking for his first major since 2014, had four birdies for the day as well as dropped shots at the 13th and 14th holes, and was happy with his effort.
SHARMA MAKES CUT Hanging by slender thread till the final putt on the 18th, India’s Shubhankar Sharma capped a wonderful back nine to snatch a birdie to make the cut.
Sharma gave himself a perfect 22nd birthday present with that final birdie on 18th.
It was one of the four he had on the tough back nine and said, “I am so so excited right now. At the 18th, I still thought I just needed to make a par because so many players have yet to finish. I have never played in such wet and cold conditions, changing towels and gloves so often.”
Sharma had four birdies against a bogey on the tougher back nine to climb out of a hole at 5-over through 27 holes. With rounds of 73-71, he is now 2over 144 and sure to be inside at the cut line.
He was lying T-53 and is likely to move up a few more positions. WOODS FAILS TO IGNITE CHALLENGE However, it is looking a little less likely that this tournament will finally be the one where Tiger Woods ends his decade-long major drought, as he shot a second straight even-par round of 71.
At least he will be here for the weekend, in contrast to world number one Dustin Johnson, whose underwhelming 72 leaves him six over par for the tournament. The last world number one to miss the Open cut was England’s Luke Donald at Royal St George’s seven years ago.
— Agencies