ROCK PUSHING OPEN DOOR
ENGLAND’S Robert Rock rolled back the years to claim the halfway lead in the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open.
Six years after beating Tiger Woods head-to-head, Rock achieved another personal milestone by adding a second round of 63 to his opening 64 at Gullane for a halfway total of 13 under par and two-shot lead over compatriot Tyrrell Hatton and Sweden’s Jens Dantorp.
Rock, 41, is in pole position to secure one of the three qualifying places on offer for next week’s Open, although he will be in Carnoustie anyway in his role as coach to a number of fellow players.
“Getting into the Open is everything, but it’s all about putting four rounds together,” said Rock, whose last European Tour title came in Abu Dhabi in 2012, where he played the final round alongside Woods and outscored him by two.
Scotland’s Connor Syme set a new course record of 62 before Japan’s Hideto Tanihara fired a 61. But Phil Mickelson missed the cut.