American idol is Birkdale pacesetter
IS OUT OF PICTURE JUST GREAT FOR GREGG
bookies were right to rate McIlroy as a 20-1 outsider before a club had been swung in anger.
“It hurts,” said the four-time major winner. “I definitely think this was a lost opportunity to get right into the mix. If you keep the ball in play it’s almost hard to make a bogey. I’ve always been good when I get off to a fast start because I usually keep it going.
“I didn’t today – and that’s the most disappointing thing. I need to pick myself up, play a good round tomorrow, hope for some bad weather, and hope that some guys struggle.”
After five solid holes, McIlroy had the leaders in his sights but then his game began to unravel after back-toback dropped shots at the seventh and eighth holes – and a promising round petered out.
“I have just got to go out there now and limit my mistakes,” he added. ROSS FISHER joined the Brit Pack tied in 11th on two under par after carding a highly-impressive 66.
The 36-year-old from Ascot leads the home nations’ charge with Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy, Scot Richie Ramsay and fellow Englishman Ian Poulter.
And he said: “Sixty-six was probably the worst it could have been.
“I felt like I played really, really solidly pretty much all day and on the entire back nine I felt like there were only a couple of holes where I was just off the edge of the green, trying to stay pars.
“There’s still a way to go and, as we all know, this game can bite you at times.
“So I just have to go out and try to play a steady final round, have fun and enjoy it, because it’s the Open Championship and if you aren’t enjoying it you shouldn’t be here.”
Fisher’s best Open showing is his 13th-place finish in 2009, the same year he won the World Match Play Championship at Wentworth. BIRKDALE pro Gregg Pettersen didn’t earn a penny from the greatest day of his career.
The 38-year-old was the happiest man in town after taking time off from his day job in the club shop to partner South Africa’s Shaun Norris as his marker.
Petterson, who got best pal Paul Jones to caddy, reckoned he shot “four or five over.”
He said: “I am married with two kids, so if I say it was the best day of my life I might be in trouble. It was definitely my best day in golf.
“I didn’t earn a penny from it – but that doesn’t matter. This was just an amazing experience.”