FUN DAY FOR PHIL
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Phil Mickelson played one of the better rounds in the difficult afternoon conditions with a 2-under-par 70 in the opening round of the British Open on Thursday.
“I played really well, especially the back nine back into the wind,” he said. “It reminded me of being a kid. I couldn’t reach some of the par-4s.”
Mickelson, the 2013 champ at Muirfield, said he actually had fun.
“I’ve come to really love and appreciate playing here and in this weather,” he said. “You need an element of luck if you’re going to do well in this tournament. You need the luck of the draw. You just can’t be given a disadvantage, a significant disadvantage the first two days. We were at a significant disadvantage today, and hopefully if we’re able to play the entire day tomorrow, it will even itself out.”
WEATHER WATCH
As it often does, the forecast changed, and it appears as if the players in Friday’s afternoon wave will have the better of the conditions. It will still be windy, but they will not have to deal with the heavy rain that is expected in the morning.
THE oTHER JoHnson
Zach Johnson had the best round of the afternoon wave, a 6-under 66 that tied him for second. He said he tried not to think about the tough conditions.
“I think the moment I start dwelling on that, I don’t really execute properly. You start putting more pressure on yourself to have to hit shots,” he said. “I was just having a good time.”
THE oTHER JoRdAn
Oklahoma State’s Jordan Niebrugge matched the low amateur record held since 1960 by Joe Carr with a 67, the best of several great amateur scores. He tied Jordan Spieth for eighth.
“I hit it really well today, but I’ve been hitting it well all week,” he said. “You feel like you don’t have to hit it that well. You can get good shots and get some bad breaks. But either way, it’s just a cool way to play.”
There were six amateurs among the top 62 players.
no ComfoRT zonE
Nick Faldo shot an 11-over-par 83 in his last Open at St. Andrews.
“There’s not a word,” he said when asked to describe his day. “You can’t fall out of a TV tower and come and play here and hope. Silly boy.”
When told the weather was going to get worse, he said, “Beautiful. That’s fine. I feel like I’ve let the leaders get away from me now, so I don’t think I have to worry about anything rather than staying dry tomorrow.”
oH dEERE
Robert Streb provided the second example that the importance of getting to St. Andrews early was overblown.
Like Jordan Spieth, Streb was on the charter from the John Deere Classic and he had never even been to Europe before to play a proper links course. Yet, after his round, he was the clubhouse leader with a 6-under 66.
“I tried my best to get as much information as I could, played a practice round with (fellow Kansas City product) Tom Watson on Tuesday,” Streb explained. “He was pretty helpful.”
That doesn’t mean he’s got it down pat, especially with bad weather expected to roll in.
“I wouldn’t say I’m overly comfortable,” he admitted. “I still don’t know what to expect when the wind changes around things. But I’m just going to try to do my best and see how I do.”
Streb was in the news two weeks ago at the Greenbrier Classic where he lost in a playoff after breaking his putter, tossing it toward his bag. He had to putt with his 56-degree wedge the last nine holes.
TAlE of TWo ninEs
David Lingmerth went out in 7-under-par 29 and back in 40.
“I was obviously feeling really good. Tried not to think too much,” the Swede said. “I felt good on the back, too, just kind of instead of getting the good bounces . . . I mean, links golf, you can miss 30 yards one way and be fine, and if you miss three feet the wrong way, you’re in big trouble, and that’s kind of what happened to me on the back a couple times. Just left myself some really tough positions and had to fight.”
WATson, unmAskEd
Watson had a disappointing finish to his round after getting off to a 2-under. He shot 4-over 76 and will have to go low Friday if he is to make the cut in his final Open.
“Too many sixes,” he said. “I had too many unforced errors. I got on a little roll six through 10, I played some good golf there and made a good putt at 12 to save par. Then the wheels kind of fell off.”
Fans greeted the 68-year-old, five-time champ with Tom Watson masks.
“Those are ugly masks,” he said. “I told them there’s way too many wrinkles in those masks. It kind of scared me looking at those, like geez, look at those things; that guy is ugly.”
CHAmbERs bAy REdux
Three of the contenders at the U.S. Open, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Jason Day, are near the top of this leaderboard again.
“That’s amazing, isn’t it? Bloody hell, they just won’t go away,” said Day, who shot 66, one shot behind Johnson and one ahead of Spieth. “It’s good to see because it’s good for the game of golf, Dustin Johnson playing well, Jordan Spieth. The only person we’re missing is Rory (McIlroy).”
Day might have added the name of Tiger Woods, his playing partner Wednesday along with Louis Oosthuizen.
Day, who idolized Woods growing up, even had to admit there’s something different about his attitude.
“He had . . . killer instincts. I think today he was just struggling a little bit, needed to put his mind somewhere else, and that’s kind of how he dealt with it,” he said. “Before I think the way he used to kind of get back at things, he used to get pissed off at himself and kind of got him back to where he needed to be mentally on the golf course.”