Golf: Watson's way sets the tone at Turnberry

Published on Saturday 18 July 2009 11:46

PETER DAWSON, the Chief Executive of the R&A, admitted even he was agog to see Tom Watson's name at the top of the Open leaderboard at the age of 59 but isn't ruling out the American's chances of picking up the Claret Jug for a sixth time tomorrow.

As world No.1 Tiger Woods was missing a cut for only the second time in a Major, Watson continued to thrill the crowds at Turnberry, sinking two huge putts in the last three holes of his second-round 70 to earn a share of the halfway lead with Steve Marino, a lesser-known compatriot, on five-under-par.

Twelve months ago, another 'Golden Oldie', Greg Norman, rolled back the years to make his presence again in the world's oldest Major and Dawson reckons the British fans are lapping it up.

"It's amazing," he said, looking up at the huge leaderboard at the 18th green from the R&A's HQ at Turnberry to see Watson's name to the fore. He's had a hip replacement and, at 59, is a good deal older than Greg. Tom is such a favourite with the crowds here. He's almost an adopted Brit really, having won our championship five times.

"Nevertheless, I think everyone is agog with what's happening - and I think Tom might be himself to some degree. "But you can be sure of one thing – he'll keep hitting those fairways and greens."

As Dawson, who admitted the shock exit of Woods had been "hugely disappointing", had predicted, scoring was much tougher on day two as 28,000 spectators – 3,000 up on the corresponding figure in 1994 – flocked to the Ayrshire venue.

Mark Calcavecchia, the winner up the road at Troon in 1989, went into today's third round just one behind the joint-leaders, with two other former Major winners, Retief Goosen and Vijay Singh, in a group on three-under.

"We are set for an exciting weekend and it's good to see Mark Calcavecchia, another former champion, and other good players up there chasing Tom and Steve Marino," added the R&A supremo.

"The scoring in the second round was how we expected it to be in the conditions and it spread the field out a bit. The weather for Saturday and Sunday is to be more of the same, I believe, with the wind from the north and the occasional shower."

While a trio of Americans topped the leaderboard, two young Europeans were lurking ominously at the start of play today, to the delight, no doubt, of Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie.

He'll be hoping to have both Ross Fisher and Martin Kaymer in his side to face the Americans in Wales next autumn and they're in with a chance of becoming Major men this weekend. Helped by three birdies in his final four holes, Englishman Fisher, who finished fifth in last month's US Open at Bethpage Black, is in the running again despite the fact his wife, Jo, is due to give birth to the couple's first child any day now.

"I'm obviously thinking about Jo and how she is," he admitted after firing a 68 to lie within two of the lead. "But, at the same time, I'm here to do a job until I receive a phone call. I'm trying to put it to the back of my mind and concentrate on playing golf. I'd love to be here for all four days – but my wife comes first.

"If she were to go into labour before Sunday, I've got no choice as I want to be there. It's going to be a great experience and one that I don't want to miss." Fisher has already let on chance to win on Scottish soil slip from his grasp, foolishly hitting his drive into the Swilken Burn in a play-off with Robert Karlsson in the Dunhill Links last year.

Kaymer, the newly-crowned Barclays Scottish Open champion, started today just four off the lead and isn't ruling out an amazing hat-trick, the German having also won the French Open before he rolled up at Loch Lomomd.

"Three wins in a row with one of the a Major feels impossible – but I'm here to try and do that and hopefully I can keep up my good form over the weekend."

Scoreboard (as of close of paly Saturday)

(Gbr & Irl unless stated) (x) denotes amateurs, Par 70)

135: Steve Marino (USA) 67 68, Tom Watson (USA) 65 70

136: Mark Calcavecchia (USA) 67 69

137: Vijay Singh (Fij) 67 70, Retief Goosen (Rsa) 67 70, Ross Fisher 69 68, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 64 73, Kenichi Kuboya (Jpn) 65 72

138: J.B. Holmes (USA) 68 70, Mathew Goggin (Aus) 66 72, James Kingston (Rsa) 67 71, Stewart Cink (USA) 66 72, Lee Westwood 68 70

139: Jeff Overton (USA) 70 69, Jim Furyk (USA) 67 72, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 70 69, Camilo Villegas (Col) 66 73, Angel Cabrera (Arg) 69 70, Martin Kaymer (Ger) 69 70, Boo Weekley (USA) 67 72, Branden Grace (Rsa) 67 72

140: Anthony Wall 68 72, John Daly (USA) 68 72, Justin Leonard (USA) 70 70, Soren Hansen (Den) 68 72, Nick Dougherty 70 70, Richard Sterne (Rsa) 67 73, Chris Wood 70 70

141: Francesco Molinari (Ita) 71 70, Graeme McDowell 68 73, Zach Johnson (USA) 70 71, David Howell 68 73, Metteo Manassero (Ita) 71 70, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 69 72, Peter Hanson (Swe) 70 71, Justin Rose 69 72, Ernie Els (Rsa) 69 72, Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (Spa) 69 72, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe) 71 70, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 71 70

142: Billy Mayfair (USA) 69 73, Oliver Wilson 72 70, Davis Love III (USA) 69 73, Kevin Sutherland (USA) 69 73, Tom Lehman (USA) 68 74, Darren Clarke 71 71, Paul Broadhurst 70 72, Richard S Johnson (Swe) 70 72, David Drysdale 69 73, Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 70 72, Andres Romero (Arg) 68 74, Paul McGinley 71 71

143: Bryce Molder (USA) 70 73, Steve Stricker (USA) 66 77, Nick Watney (USA) 71 72, Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 71 72, Daniel Gaunt (Aus) 76 67, Kenny Perry (USA) 71 72, Rory McIlroy 69 74, Sean O'Hair (USA) 68 75, Ryuji Imada (Jpn) 74 69, Luke Donald 71 72, Padraig Harrington 69 74, Stuart Appleby (Aus) 71 72

144: Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 68 76, Johan Edfors (Swe) 71 73, Graeme Storm 72 72, Paul Goydos (USA) 72 72, Mark O'Meara (USA) 67 77, Robert Allenby (Aus) 70 74, Paul Lawrie 71 73, Paul Casey 68 76, Thomas Levet (Fra) 71 73

Failed to make the cut: 145: Tiger Woods (USA) 71 74, Charley Hoffman (USA) 71 74, Anders Hansen (Den) 68 77, Adam Scott (Aus) 71 74, Colin Montgomerie 71 74, Todd Hamilton (USA) 75 70, Ben Curtis (USA) 65 80, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 71 74, Josh Geary (Nzl) 70 75, Mike Weir (Can) 67 78, D.J. Trahan (USA) 68 77

146: John Senden (Aus) 66 80, Peter Baker 74 72, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 70 76, Matt Kuchar (USA) 70 76, Ryo Ishikawa (Jpn) 68 78, Anthony Kim (USA) 73 73, K J Choi (Kor) 74 72, Elliot Saltman 70 76, Briny Baird (USA) 72 74, Tim Clark (Rsa) 71 75, Martin Laird 74 72, Ben Crane (USA) 71 75

147: Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 74 73, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 71 76, David Toms (USA) 72 75, David Duval (USA) 71 76, Rhys Davies 73 74, Mark Brown (Nzl) 71 76, James Driscoll (USA) 76 71, Yuta Ikeda (Jpn) 76 71, Richard Green (Aus) 71 76, Rodney Pampling (Aus) 74 73

148: Robert Rock 73 75, Gary Orr 73 75, Bubba Watson (USA) 73 75, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 75 73, Charles Howell III (USA) 73 75, Alvaro Quiros (Spa) 71 77, Gaganjeet Bhullar (Ind) 71 77, David Higgins 73 75, Sandy Lyle 75 73, Prayad Marksaeng (Tha) 73 75, Markus Brier (Aut) 71 77

149: Richie Ramsay 77 72, Azuma Yano (Jpn) 75 74, David Smail (Nzl) 70 79, Stephan Gross (Ger) 74 75, Lucas Glover (USA) 72 77, Brian Gay (USA) 73 76, Wen-chong Liang (Chn) 77 72, Rafael Echenique (Arg) 72 77, Stephen Ames (Can) 72 77, Brandt Snedeker (USA) 72 77

150: Timothy Wood (Aus) 73 77, Chad Campbell (USA) 73 77, Tomohiro Kondo (Jpn) 71 79, Ken Duke (USA) 71 79, Terry Pilkadaris (Aus) 68 82, Steve Surry 69 81

151: Hunter Mahan (USA) 72 79, Nick Faldo 78 73, Jeremy Kavanagh 74 77, Richard Finch 73 78, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 74 77, Tim Stewart (Aus) 74 77, Marc Cayeux (Zim) 75 76

152: Damien McGrane 78 74, Greg Norman (Aus) 77 75, Lloyd Saltman 75 77, Thomas Haylock 74 78

153: Bruce Vaughan (USA) 78 75, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 75 78

154: Dustin Johnson (USA) 78 76, Koumei Oda (Jpn) 76 78, Ian Poulter 75 79

155: Daniel Wardrop 75 80

156: Michael Wright (Aus) 77 79

157: Oliver Fisher 79 78

160: Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) 79 81

161: Peter Ellebye (Den) 77 84

162: Jaco Ahlers (Rsa) 83 79

Ret: Michael Campbell (Nzl) 78