LITTLE-KNOWN KK GIVES COOL KIDS A KICKING

AMERICAN trailblazer Kevin Kisner aims to put the boot into his housemates – on and off the course. Kisner is sharing a pad locally with compatriots Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Jason Dufner, Zach Johnson, Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler. The others have eight Major titles between them but 34-year-old Kisner (left) is unruffled.

He outshone his more illustrious housemates at Carnoustie with a blistering five-under-par 66.

And he revealed he and his famous pals have been playing

football in the back garden of their rented ‘frat house’.

Kisner said: “It’s not intimidating at all – they’re all great people. Everybody is just really chill and it’s a lot of fun to be around those guys.

“It’s really cool just to hear what they have to say.

“We’re also out there playing soccer at night and hanging out. It’s pretty cool to watch how athletic a lot of those guys are. I just try to smash Duff in the face – he’s the goalie. Jordan is pretty good at football... until he sends it over four houses and we’ve got to knock on neighbours’ doors for the ball.”

Kisner, a two-time US PGA Tour winner, has never finished in the top 50 in three previous appearances at the Open.

But he added: “I felt like the greens were not as slow as we’ve had in the past. I feel like I can hole them all.”

Fellow American Tony Finau (right) is one shot back after a 67, which included a birdie on the last. World No.2 Justin Thomas is three shots back on two under.

Thomas, who drove the ball 415 yards on the last with his three-wood, got to fourunder before bogeys on the 12th and 16th. But world No.1 Dustin Johnson faces a battle to make the cut after a disastrous 76.