Open Golf: News in brief on day two at Muirfield
News in brief on the second day at the Open
- Royal North Devon amateur Jimmy Mullen secured a spot for the weekend on the 18th green. He hit a brilliant approach to within four feet and made birdie to sneak in just under the cut line at +7.
- Brandt Snedeker endured a hellish half hour on the back nine. Sitting pretty at two-under, the American bogeyed 13 and 14 before making 7 at the par-four 15th. Went from possible leader to possible cut-misser.
- Nick Faldo takes his time to make six at the par-four 11th. He had to hit backwards out of a bunker by the green.
- Scottish Amateur champion Grant Forrest had only two pars in a second-round 86, to follow his promising 73 on Thursday. The Craigielaw youngster had two birdies, three doubles and 12 bogeys.
- Three players who started yesterday will not contest the second day. South African Louis Oosthuizen withdrew with a neck injury, while Swedes Peter Hanson and Alexander Noren also pulled out.
- Yesterday’s attendance was logged at 23,393. Over 7,000 less than the first day in 2002, when 30,620 came through the gates. Not that you’d have guessed that from the noise.
- The greenkeepers watered the greens by hand last night and they have been double cut this morning. It is expected that they will get quicker as the day goes on, but not to the dramatic extent that they did yesterday.
- After birdies at the 3rd, 4th and 5th, Darren Clarke carded a snowman at the par-four 6th. Took him three goes to get out of the greenside bunker.
- Darren won’t be buoyed by the fact that the fifth yielded 78 birdies and six eagles yesterday – more birdies than any other hole. Only two players double-bogeyed the hole all day.
- The 14th played toughest yesterday, with 61 players making bogey and only 8 making birdie.
- Leader Zach Johnson only hit nine fairways yesterday but still managed to card five-under. It’s the same story this morning: all the shots are being lost on and around the greens.
