The Open Day 2 Wrap Up

Post by Sports Writer Derek Clements

DANNY WILLETT probably still can't quite believe his luck. The Yorkshireman, who began The Open with a round of 66, got to 10 under par after 10 holes of his second round and eventually finished with a 69 for a 36-hole total of 135, nine under par.

He led by two shots and was able to head home and put his feet before the likes of Dustin Johnson, the first-round leader, had even started his second round.

Willett was sitting pretty in the knowledge that his main challengers would not be able to finish their second rounds. It was all because of a three-hour weather delay that meant Johnson, Jordan Spieth and several other leading contenders had no chance of getting back to the clubhouse before darkness fell.

Willett birdied second, fifth, ninth and 10th before dropping shots at the 15th and 17th, but finished in round in terrific style, with a birdie at the last.

"I have played two really solid rounds of golf," Willett said. "I am particularly happy with the way I have played the back nine, where I have played a lot of really solid shots and not got myself into trouble.

"Leading The Open is a childhood dream and looking up at the leaderboard and seeing my name there is a bit surreal. My plan now is to rest up and then try and go out and have a good weekend and, hopefully, still be up there at the end of it all."

Adam Scott was another to make the most of the weather. The Australian, who should have won at Lytham when Ernie Els triumphed, played the best golf of the day. Having started on two under, he scorched round the Old Course in 67 and finds himself seven under par, two behind Willett.

Scott is tied with Zach Johnson, the American, who added a 71 to his first-round 67. And there was plenty for the Scottish fans to cheer. Marc Warren, who finished so well at the Scottish Open, has maintained his recent good form. He began the day on four under par and improved by three shots, with birdies at the fourth, fifth and seventh. He dropped one at the eighth, birdied the 10th, had a bogey at the 11th and then held on, finishing with a three on three on the 18th.

Warren is a much improved player and it would be a big surprise if he is not still there or thereabouts on Sunday. Other notables very much in the hunt for the 144th Open Championship include Geoff Igilvy, who finished on five under, alongside with Justin Rose.

David Lingmerth, who played the front nine in 29 shots in the first round, continued his love affair with those holes, picking up shots at the third, fifth and ninth. But he still had the second nine to come, and in round one they cost him 40 shots.

Nick Faldo, who stuttered to an 83 on day one, deserves credit for a magnificent fighting performance. He was never going to make the cut, but had plenty of pride to play for and was one of a very small number of people to birdie the 17th and get himself back to one under par for his round. Playing in his final Open at St Andrews, Faldo stopped on the Swilcan Bridge and milked the applause of the crowd for all he was worth, his son Matthew beside him. The 57-year-old three-time champion received a standing ovation as he made his way to the final green and struggled to fight back the tears. He finished with a par and, remarkably, a round of 71.

Later in the evening, Tom Watson, the five-time winner, would do the same thing. Watson received a standing ovation as he walked to every tee, every green and every fairway. You would have to be a very cold-hearted person for it not to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.

Faldo finished his round just after 5.45pm. Minutes earlier, Dustin Johnson (65) and Jordan Spieth (67), began their second rounds. Just behind them was Paul Lawrie, on six under. As they set off, the wind was getting stronger and they knew that the evening was going to be about holding on to what they had. They knew, too,  that they would almost certainly be returning in the morning to finish things off.

With an awful lot of golf still to be played, the cut was predicted at level par. Tiger Woods had a mountain to climb if he was to make it after his opening 76.