Retief Goosen came close to matching his course record at Loch Lomond, settling for an 8-under 63 Friday to build a two-shot lead over Adam Scott midway through the second round of the Scottish Open.
Goosen set the course record of 62 in 1997, although he would be far more interested in matching his 2001 performance when he followed his first U.S. Open title with a victory at Loch Lomond.
He was at 11-under 131 as the late starters made their way along the shores of Loch Lomond on a spectacular summer day.
”The first nine holes, you felt like you could do something, but for six holes, I didn’t do much,” Goosen said.
He built momentum with birdies on the 16th and 18th, a pair of par 4s protected by water, then took off on the front nine, including an eagle on the par-5 third with a 4-iron into 20 feet.
Scott continued his resurgence, and even more pleasant than the weather was the sight of his name on a leaderboard. The 29-year-old Australian has been in miserable form this year until going off by himself to Queenwood Golf Club in London to sort out his game.
After opening with a 66, Scott didn’t let a bad break that led to double bogey get in his way.
He was in the lead at 8 under until hitting into a bunker on the par-3 fifth, unaware that a small rock was behind his ball. The shot tumbled over the green and into deep rough, and he failed to get up-and-down.
Scott answered with three birdies over his final four holes for a 67.
”Two rounds in the 60s in a row, pretty good for me,” Scott said. ”It feels really good the way my game is at the moment.
”Coming back well after that fifth hole to finish strong was important in the scheme of the tournament. I’m very happy with the
day.”
Martin Kaymer (65) and Marcus Fraser (66) were at 8-under 134, followed by Nick Watney, one of several Americans who have come to Loch Lomond a week before the British Open at Turnberry. Watney had a 68.
”From what I hear, we have lucked out with the weather,” said Watney, making his first trip to this course north of Glasgow.
Not so lucky was John Daly, who missed another cut in Europe.
Daly opened with a 69 and was holding on until he took double bogey on both par 5s on the front nine, shot 75 and finished at 2-over 144.
Daly said the rib injury he suffered in France was not a big issue, and actually is feeling better.
”I play better when I’m hurt,” he said.
What hurt him was landing in a divot on the third, and another on the 12th.
”Nothing is going right,” he said. ”I’m used to it.”
Camilo Villegas had a bogey-free 67 and got within five shots of the lead, while Ernie Els didn’t take full advantage of the pristine conditions, posting only a 69 that left him seven behind.
For all his birdies — and eagle — Goosen might not be in the lead without a few pars.
He topped his 3-wood so badly off the 10th tee when he began his round that he couldn’t clear the creek and had a 7-iron for his third shot. Goosen saved par with a 25-foot putt, then missed his target on the par-3 11th by some 40 yards, hitting a beautiful pitch-and-run to 4 feet to escape with par again.
”A bit of a weird start,” he said.
As always, he kept a quiet sense of humor about it.
Asked the last time he hit a tee shot that went only 180 yards, Goosen said, ”When I hit a 6-iron off the tee.”
He hit his 3-wood again on his next full tee shot, the par-4 12th, and hit this one clean. Turning to Geoff Ogilvy and Oliver Wilson, he explained why he that one so well.
”That was a better lie I had on the tee,” he said.
Among the late starters were Rory McIlroy, the 20-year-old from Northern Ireland who opened with a 68; and Lee Westwood, who said it was ”stupid” to play on Thursday with such a severe chest infection. He must have recovered nicely, because he opened with three straight birdies. — Sapa, AP