Marino makes his mark

Little-known American Steve Marino today set the early clubhouse target in the second round of the Open as a previously defenceless Turnberry exacted a measure of revenge on the world’s best players.

Marino began the day three off the lead held by Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez, the 45-year-old having equalled the lowest first round in Open history with his 64 yesterday.

But, as Jimenez and many others failed to cope with a strong wind on the Ayrshire links, Open debutant Marino carded a second round of 68 for a five-under-par halfway total of 135.

That was one behind Japan’s Kenichi Kuboya, who finished his first round shortly before 9pm last night with a run of birdie-birdie-eagle and promptly birdied the first today, but looked likely to be a good target for the rest to chase.

Marino was originally third reserve for the championship and only received a call-up on Sunday, but shrugged off his inexperience of links golf with four bogeys, four birdies and an eagle today.

At the time Marino finished, only a handful of players were under par for their rounds, and overnight leader Jimenez was one of those faring much worse than that.

The Spaniard dropped four shots in five holes from the second and found yet more trouble on the par-three sixth, a daunting 231-yard hole played into the wind, with his tee shot landing in an awkward spot in a greenside bunker.

With one leg in the bunker and one perched precariously outside it on the steep bank, Jimenez almost missed the ball entirely and moved it only a matter of inches, leading to another bogey in five holes.

After finally hitting his first green in regulation on the eighth, Jimenez rolled in his first birdie of the day before promptly dropping another shot on the ninth to be out in 39.

That was at least three shots better than 2003 winner Ben Curtis managed, the American briefly reaching six under with a birdie on the first but then dropping eight shots in the next eight holes.

Playing partner Mike Weir also took 42 to reach the turn, most of the damage done by an eight on the par-five seventh, which had been the easiest hole on the course yesterday.

Ian Poulter, sensibly dressed less garishly after an opening 75, was out in 41 with a double bogey and triple bogey on his card – last year’s runner-up now 11 over par and one behind his Ryder Cup captain, Sir Nick Faldo.

Defending champion Padraig Harrington, looking to win a third successive title, was one over through nine holes but Colin Montgomerie was five over after 12 holes and Rory McIlroy four over after 11.