Open day two: the wrap-up
It was all too easy at the Old Course for Rory McIlroy on Thursday, but this afternoon the Northern Irishman saw his place at the top of the Open Championship leaderboard freefall from nine-under to one-under and counting, as a wind-lashed St Andrews bared its teeth, gifting Louis Oosthuizen the top slot with nary a competitor in sight.
Oosthuizen has played well to find himself on 12-under-par after the opening two rounds, but luck has nonetheless played some role in the South African's lead over the pack. Oosthuizen, who shot a round of five-under-par today, completed his round earlier in the morning while the rain poured but the winds were at least manageable.
The 27-year-old sits five strokes clear of second placed Mark Calcavecchia, the 50-year-old American who won this tournament some 21 years ago. Like Oosthuizen, the veteran played his round earlier today, before conditions really began to bite.
Several big name players were of course involved this morning, with the likes of Lee Westwood and Phil Mickelson unable to make the most of conditions that - however improbably - turned out to be accommodating, at least compared to what was to come. Mickelson was one-under for the round to stay on level par for the tournament, while Westwood found only one birdie throughout his entire round - so that was enough to see him tied for third place on six-under.
Paul Casey would have overtaken Calcavecchia for second place, had he not carded a seven on the Road Hole after a promising start; the Englishman is currently tied for third place, having shot six birdies, but undone some of that good work with the treble bogey on the 17th.
Tiger Woods has struggled manfully to keep a gentlemanly demeanour on the course in his infrequent trips to the golf course this year, but the world No. 1 couldn't contain his disgust on the fifth as his approach shot went awry, swerving away from the fairway to land next to a buggy - which, when moved, ironically gifted Woods with a perfect lie, from which he hit the green and very nearly the flagstick. But Woods has done well to keep to level par for the day up 'til the 12th, leaving him five-under for the tournament.
The vicious conditions meant the carnage continued into the evening, Tim Clark on nine-over by the 14th, eight under for the tournament. Padraig Harrington was four-over after the 11th, Tom Watson was two-over after finishing the same hole, and Ernie Els is five over having played to the 13th. All three men look certain to miss the cut.
In the circumstances, Ian Poulter's one-over looked like a victory, with one birdie and just two bogeys up to the 14th. Justin Rose was three-over up 'til the 12th, one-over for the tournament. McIlroy himself has just bogeyed the 15th and on eight over for the day, one-under for the tournament, still has the rigours of the Road Hole to suffer; at this point the youngster must scarcely be able to contemplate such a reversal of fortune.
Anyway, while play continues now, and the wind drops, that's it for us on this second day from the Open. We'll catch up tomorrow, by which stage hopefully the embattled McIlroy will have forgotten about today's nightmare and be ready to shoot another nine-under...
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