Americans surge in the second round of Open Championship – Part 1
For those who thought that Americans would fare badly on the Links-style course at the Open Championship at Royal St. George’s, time to redo your calculations. A major chunk of the American brigade has not only survived the halfway cut but some of them have
managed to stay on top of the leaderboard for the moment. Among all the 59 players who made the cut, no less than 28 of them are Americans.
Lucas Glover is leading the pack from the top and is sharing the top slot alongside Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland. Glover has shot first round of four-under, 66 and posted an even-par on the second day to stay in contention for the summit. He dropped
two shots in his second round to lose the two extra points he had carded owing to his birdies. He opened up his back nine with a bogey and decided to stay complacent with an even-par for the rest of the round. His defensive strategy, apparently, worked well
for him.
“You know, it is what it is. I've become comfortable. Originally I wasn't. I'd get mad if one rolled into a bunker or bounced off the green when I hit an average shot, but if you don't hit the shot you're supposed to here you get penalized,” said Glover.
Chad Campbell pulled in four birdies in his second round and dropped two shots en route to a joint third through the halfway mark. Campbell posted a round of two-under, 68 to strengthen his first round score of one-under, 69. He dropped a shot on the last
hole to trail the leaders by one shot.
Another three American players are tied for the seventh place including Tom Lehman, Dustin Johnson and Davis Love lll. The trio posted second rounds of 67, 68, 68 respectively to consolidate their first round scores and will be hoping to break into the lead
on the third day of the event.
Johnson, who had a whirlwind first round the previous day, switched over to a more defensive style to stay more consistent in his putting and overall performance. He had pulled in three birdies and a stunning eagle in the first round only to watch his lead
vanishing with five disastrous bogeys. He posted second round score of two-under, 68 with three birdies and just one bogey to climb up the leaderboard.
Lehman, the 1996 Open winner, seems to be steadily up the leaderboard after his not-so-impressive first round score of one-over, 71. The 52-year-old American had dropped four shots against three birdies in the opening round and regrouped himself to post
four birdies in the second round, dropping just one shot on par-four, 8th.
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