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SPORTSSaturday 18 July 2015
Dustin Johnson still in
control at St. Andrews
United States’ Dustin Johnson looks at the 6th green during the Royal & Ancient clubhouse Johnson was at 10-under play.
second round of the British Open Golf Championship at the Old illuminating the 18th green. par. So much attention has
Course, St. Andrews, Scotland, Friday, July 17, 2015. The five-time champion Spieth three-putted for bo- been on Spieth and Jor-
made bogey. The score gey three times in 11 holes dan, the main characters
Associated Press was irrelevant. to offset three birdies and from the drama that played
“There were no tears,” Wat- was five shots behind John- out at Chambers Bay last
DOUG FERGUSON in the gloaming of St. An- son said. “This is a joyous oc- son, whom he beat by one month. Johnson had a 12-
AP Golf Writer drews when Tom Watson casion. I have a lot of great, shot in the U.S. Open last foot eagle putt on the final
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland said goodbye to the British great memories. And those month to capture the sec- hole to win the U.S. Open,
(AP) — The grand pursuit Open. memories filled me up.” ond leg of the Grand Slam. and three-putted to finish
of Jordan Spieth, redemp- Watson, the most pro- Everything else about this Both were just short on the one shot behind golf’s new
tion for Dustin Johnson, the lific winner of golf’s oldest wet and wild second round par-5 14th hole in two shots golden child.
mystery that has become championship in the last remained unsettled. when they chose to mark The wind was fierce, taxing
Tiger Woods. It all came to century, finished his 129th A heavy downpour at dawn their golf balls and return at shots with every club in the
a momentary halt Friday round with lights from the flooded the Old Course and 7 a.m. Saturday to resume bag down to the putter.
disrupted the start by more the round. Johnson continued to ham-
than three hours. Johnson “I’m in a good spot,” John- mer away with his driver,
and Spieth teed off shortly son said. “Definitely got very setting up birdies, and he
before 6 p.m. and were tricky this afternoon, all day. looked every bit like the
headed in different direc- Even the front side, the wind player to beat. Spieth got
tions when it was too dark was howling and it was in enough trouble off the
to continue. blowing straight left-to-right tee that he often left long-
In swift, shifting weather — pretty much. It played very range putts that led to bo-
umbrellas on one hole, sun- tough all day.” geys instead of birdies.
glasses on the next — John- Danny Willett of England Behind them, a long list of
son made three birdies in had to cope with the wind, players lined up to take
four holes on the front nine too, and he had a 3-under their shot on the weekend.
and built a two-shot lead 69 to walk off the 18th green Jason Day, in contention
before he made his first bo- with his name atop the lea- at Chambers Bay even
gey of the tournament. He derboard at 9-under 135. though he battled symp-
three-putted on the par-3 “Yeah, I think it’s a child- toms of vertigo, was at
11th in wind so severe he hood dream and looking 8-under par through 11
had to back off a 4-foot up there it’s still a little bit holes. Paul Lawrie, the ‘99
putt and wipe his eyes. surreal, but something I’m champion at Carnoustie,
going to have to get used also was at 8 under through
to,” Willett said. “Otherwise, 12 holes. Louis Oosthuizen,
no point in being up there. who won the claret jug the
We’re going to try and rest last time the Open came to
up and then try and go out St. Andrews, was at 7 under
for another good weekend through 11 holes.
and hopefully, we can be Among those who man-
up there in two days’ time.” aged to finish was Adam
Watson wasn’t the only Scott, a former Masters
player to bid farewell to the champion who is starting
Old Course. to feel the void of giving
Nick Faldo, the three-time away the British Open at
Open champion regarded Royal Lytham & St. Annes in
as Britain’s greatest cham- 2012 when he bogeyed the
pion, came out of the TV last four holes. Scott was in
tower to play St. Andrews control in blustery weather,
one last time. He switched flighting his ball low and
into a sweater that he wore judging the bounce to per-
for his first Open title in 1987 fect. He made three bird-
at Muirfield, thrust his arms ies around the loop at the
in the air atop the Swilcan far end of the course and
Bridge, and saved par for a closed with a birdie for a 67.
71. Scott was at 7-under 137,
And then there was Woods, along with Zach Johnson
headed toward the wrong (71), Marc Warren (69) and
kind of history. Barring a Robert Streb (71).
burst of birdies when he re- “The last few years at the
turns Saturday morning — Open has been some of
the kind of form he has not my favorite golf,” Scott said.
shown in two years — he “Getting into contention at
was likely to miss the cut in this championship and hav-
the U.S. Open and the Brit- ing a chance to lift the clar-
ish Open for the first time in et jug is what it’s all about.
the same year. Woods was This is a great position. I’m
5 over with seven holes to excited for my weekend.”q
