St George’s up to old tricks as odd couple hit the front
Thomas Bjorn and England’s Tom Lewis are the unlikely leaders after 18 holes as the wind blew in off the English Channel yesterday morning and lay down during the afternoon on the Kent links that produced Ben Curtis as the Champion Golfer of 2003 on the British Open’s last visit here.
That Bjorn, the man who gave up a four-shot lead in the final round eight years ago to let Curtis in, produced his five-under-par 65 in the worst of the conditions and Lewis his in the early evening calm suggests that this year’s tournament is destined to continue springing surprises, the sight of Pádraig Harrington playing in a flat cap being the least of them.
The leaders enjoy just a one-stroke advantage over Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez, 2009 US Open champion Lucas Glover and his fellow American Webb Simpson, who each shot 67s yesterday. And two shots back of them lies a large group including two Irishmen, neither of whom is the current US Open champion Rory McIlroy.
Instead, it is Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke who start their second rounds this morning three shots back of the lead on two under par alongside players including PGA champion Martin Kaymer.
McIlroy, a morning player yesterday, took his time to get his round going and ground out an opening one-over 71 that represents a satisfactory start to his bid for back-to-back majors, although he again looks likely to be on the wrong side of the draw today in terms of the weather, as yesterday’s early starters are set to get their second rounds under way late, when the wind is forecast to get up once again.
“Myself and Darren got the right side of the draw, no doubt about it,” McDowell said. “I watched a little bit of Rory’s round... solid, good effort out there and right in the mix. We just feel fortunate we were in the afternoon.”
McIlroy, a shot behind a number of players, including Phil Mickelson, is in a group that includes world numbers one and two Luke Donald and Lee Westwood, while 2010 champion Louis Oosthuizen began his title defence with a 72.
Two-time champion Harrington, his headgear attributed to a testicular cancer awareness campaign on behalf of a friend at his equipment manufacturer Wilson, had to make do with a three-over-par 73.
Eight shots ahead of Harrington, Bjorn and Lewis make something of an odd couple: the veteran with perhaps his best years behind him and the 20-year-old amateur named Tom after five-time British Open champion Tom Watson, with whom he has been paired.
Lewis, from Nick Faldo’s home town of Welwyn Garden City, just north of London, shot the lowest round by an amateur in British Open history, outscoring 66s by Justin Rose in 1998, Tiger Woods in 1996 and Frank Stranahan in 1950. He is also the first amateur to lead the championship since 1968, when Michael Bonallack shot a 70 to co-share with Brian Barnes at Carnoustie.
It was a wonderfully assured performance that saw Lewis one-putt the first eight greens and earn the approval of the man for whom he was named.
“He’s quite a refined player at age 20,” Watson said having carded a creditable 72. “We certainly have a new young breed out here, don’t we? We’ve got the McIlroys and the Ishikawas and the Lewises. We have a lot of young players playing very good golf.
“I just had to smile inside to watch him play. I didn’t play particularly well myself, but I certainly was impressed by the way he played.”
Lewis plans to play the Walker Cup against the USA this September at Royal Aberdeen before turning professional but, before that, he plans to follow the same career path as a certain Holywood golfer named McIlroy, starting with the Silver Medal for low amateur. At the very least.
“Rory is an excellent player. He’s definitely one of the best players out there at this moment in play. He’ll definitely get to world number one at some stage in his career. Hopefully I can get to the same standard and have a few battles with him.
“That would be a dream. He’s an excellent player, and I look up to him. I don’t know what he finished on today, but I’m sure he won’t be too far away coming into Sunday.
“With an excellent ball striking like he has, it’ll be tough to hold him off. But that’s what we play golf for — for the challenge, and hopefully I can come across and play with him sometime in my career or this year. That would be excellent.”
More immediately, Lewis has McIlroy and Co. to keep at bay for 54 holes.
“I’m going to need to hole a lot more putts this week to challenge at the top of the leaderboard. But I’ll be happy just to make the cut and be leading amateur, never mind the top of the leaderboard,” he added.
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