Spieth weathers conditions, builds a 2-stroke advantage
SOUTHPORT, England – It was not a day for the timid or weak.
Howling winds reaching 35 mph, occasional rain showers and wind-chill temperatures in the low 50s battered Royal Birkdale and the combatants during Friday’s second round of 146th playing of the British Open.
“You hit the ball in the air today, and you’re in the hands of the gods,” Colin Montgomerie cautioned from the warm confines of the announcer’s booth.
Well, the gods were not in a good mood. After wrapping up a tidy round of 3-over-par 73 just past noon to secure a playing spot on the weekend, Ernie Els took pleasure in knowing he was done for the day and heading home.
“It’s only going to get more difficult. I’ll be having some tea watching them
this afternoon,” the fourtime major winner said with wry smile.
Kevin Na said after his 75 that “it was an awful day out there,” one better suited to “sit at home and watch a movie.”
World No. 1 Dustin Johnson didn’t mince words after his 72.
“It’s difficult to do anything out there,” he said.
But play on they all did, doing their best to survive crosswinds that moved some golf balls 50 yards off-line and rain that demanded squeegees to come into play. The setting became so dismal that play was suspended at 5:35 p.m. local time – for 10 minutes.
No one played on better than Jordan Spieth. In the worst conditions, the two-time major champion made a strong move to securing the third leg of the career grand slam with a 69 to move to 6 under through 36 holes and two shots clear of Matt Kuchar, who polished off his 71 three hours before Spieth finished.
Ian Poulter, who finished second here in the 2008 Open, shot even-par 70 to rest three shots off the lead. He’s joined there by reigning U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka, who followed his coleading 65 with a 72.
Richie Ramsay matched par and is four shots out of the lead in solo fifth.
“I would have gladly stayed on the couch for even par and I’d still be there right now. I would have loved that,” said Spieth, the winner of the 2015 Masters and U.S. Open.
“And I saw from this morning it wasn’t playing easy. I think Rory (McIlroy) was able to make a few birdies early. And with some really, really solid shots and really good control of the ball off the tee in a good position. So it’s very difficult, one, to hit the ball like Rory McIlroy, but it’s also difficult when it’s raining to really have full control of the club face and where the ball is going. You get a little water in between the ball and the face and it could scoot way right, way left, like that. So at that point this morning it was tough watching. It wasn’t a great feeling knowing we were coming into something harder than what we were watching.”
McIlroy emerged from his slumber with a 68 to move to 1 under after two rounds; after his first nine holes in the first round, he was 5 over and 10 shots out of the lead. He’s joined at 1 under by Austin Connelly (72), Richard Bland (72) and Gary Woodland (69).
Madison’s Steve Stricker had a 72 and was eight shots off the pace.
There are only nine players in the red going into the weekend.
The low round of the day was turned in by 2015 Open champion Zach Johnson, whose 66 moved him up 81 spots and is 1 over.
Only eight players broke par.
“It’s really about the commitment level that you have to choose to execute all of your shots,” Poulter said. “And half the battle is understanding where to hit the shot, and half the battle is not allowing the course overpower you.”
Kuchar reached 6 under before making bogey on two of his last three holes.
“I don’t come in with a game plan, so I did not have to make any changes. Each hole presents new challenges and I wait until I get there to see what challenge is presented to me and try to make the best of it,” said Kuchar.
Phil Mickelson and Ryder Cup hero Patrick Reed won’t be around for the weekend. Neither will Justin Thomas, who shot 67-80, Billy Horschel, Adam Hadwin, Kevin Chappell, Brian Harman, Wesley Bryan and Kyle Stanley, all winners on the PGA Tour this season. to