Red-hot Danny Willett keeps the pressure on America’s high flyers

Dustin Johnson did not manage 18 holes but he showed enough in a second round cut short by fading light to stay just out in front in The 144th Open Championship last night at St Andrews.

The 18-hole frontrunner will have slept on the lead for the second night in row but after a rain-soaked morning that delayed play for three hours yesterday, Johnson was due to resume his second round this morning at 7am with five holes still to play.

The American who infamously has failed repeatedly to finish the job in the majors after getting himself into winning positions, most recently at last month’s US Open, is 10 under par, a shot ahead of 36-hole clubhouse leader Danny Willett of England and significantly four ahead of Jordan Spieth, the man who pounced when Johnson faltered at Chambers Bay to win his second major in succession.