Love gets lucky bounce

THE ROYAL & Ancient took some fierce stick in the build-up to the Open Championship for increasing the par of the Royal St George’s links from 70 to 71. Now the game’s finest are very happy that they did so, for only one player, Davis Love III, is under regulation at the halfway stage.

Mind you, many of them suspect the championship committee have been more than a little devious in ensuring that this was so, especially where their pin positions over the first two days were concerned. Departing US Open champion Jim Furyk claimed they were "the toughest I have ever seen in this tournament," and even the leader Love was not prepared to disagree.

While the blazers in the R&A may be smiling smugly to themselves this morning, you have to wonder if their apparent chicanery is spoiling the fun for the huge galleries which at 44,000 are the biggest ever for a Friday at an Open held in England and the millions watching on television. The atmosphere was strangely muted throughout a day that dawned dull and gloomy but was blessed with glorious sunshine in the afternoon.