RORY McILROY SAYS HE FELT BRAIN DEAD AS HE CARDED A 79

  FROM THE BBC SPORT WEBSITE

World number two Rory McIlroy felt "unconscious" and "brain dead" as he carded an eight-over-par 79 on day one of the Open at Muirfield.

The 24-year-old Northern Irishman has yet to win a tournament this season, after switching to Nike equipment in a multi-million dollar deal in January.
"It's not technique, it's not that I need to concentrate," said McIlroy, a two-time major winner.

Before the start of the Open, Sir Nick Faldo urged McIlroy to focus on his game

"But sometimes I feel like I'm walking around out there a bit unconscious."
Mcllroy won his second major by a record eight shots at last summer's US PGA and topped the money list on both sides of the Atlantic to end the year as world number one.
But the 2011 US Open champion admits he is struggling with the mental side of his game.
McIlroy, who is tied 134th and 13 shots off the lead, pointed to a putt he hit across the 12th green on Thursday that went into a bunker on the other side on the way to a double-bogey 6.
"I've got to try to think a bit more, I'm trying to concentrate. I can't really fathom it at the minute," he said.
"It's so brain dead. I feel like I've been walking around like that for the last month. It's being fully focused on each and every thing. It's something I've never experienced before."
McIlroy dropped shots at the fourth and fifth but made amends with a birdie at the short seventh to go out in 37 on a firm and fast-running Muirfield set-up.

He leaked two further bogeys immediately after the turn, but hit back from his double at 12 with a birdie at the short 13th. Another double bogey followed at 15 and he finished with two more bogeys to match the 79 he carded in the third round of the Masters in April.

"I wish I could say what's wrong or what I need to do to make it right," said McIlroy, who admitted he might need to consult a golf psychologist such as Dr Bob Rotella to address his current plight.
"I feel like I've got the shots, it's just matter of going through the right thought processes.
"I'm definitely under-thinking on the golf course. Maybe over-thinking about it off the course."
In the build-up to the Open, three-time winner Sir Nick Faldo urged McIlroy to focus on golf and avoid outside distractions, to which he replied: "Nick has to remember how hard this game can be at times."
But Faldo sought to clarify his comments on Thursday, saying he and McIlroy were friends and he was just giving some "grandfatherly" guidance not to take too much on.
McIlroy, who is in a relationship with former tennis number one Caroline Wozniacki, is splitting from Dublin-based management company Horizon to join Tiger Woods's stable.

KIRKHILL TEENAGER WINS LANARKSHIRE BOYS MATCH-PLAY

GOLF COPY
CREDIT CAL CARSON GOLF AGENCY
QUERIES TO COLIN FARQUHARSON
TEL 01224 869782

Fraser Kane of Kirkhill is the new Lanarkshire boys' match-play golf champion.

He beat Innes Ferguson (Drumpellier), winner earlier in the week of the Lanarkshire boys' stroke-play title by 4 and 3 in the final at Drumpellier Golf Club.
Fraser was one up after nine holes and finished the match in style with birdies at the 14th and 15th holes.

                                 
ends

END OF FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD AT THE OPEN

MUIRFIELD PAR 71

66 Zach Johnson (US).
67 Raphael Cabrera-Bello (Spain), Mark O'Meara (US)
68 Miguel Jimenez (Spain), Dustin Johnson (US), Brandt Snedeker (US), Tom Lehman (US), Shiv Kapur (India).
69 Todd Hamilton (US), Phil Mickelson (US), Angel Cabrera (Argentina), Jordan Spieth (US), Tiger Woods (US), Francesco Molinari (Italy). 
70 Oliver Fisher (England), Bubba Watson (US), Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spain), Ken Duke (US), Martin Laird (Scotland), Henrik Stenson (Sweden).
71 Thomas Aiken (South Africa), Bernd Wiesberger (Austria), Hideki Matsuyama (Japan), Jimmy Mullen (England) (amateur), Gareth Wright (Wales), Adam Scott (Australia).

SELECTED OTHER SCORES
72 Marc Warren (Scotland), Ian Poulter (England), Darren Clarke (Northern Ireland), Lee Westwood (England) (T27)
73 Grant Forrest (Scotland) (amateur), Padraig Harrington (Ireland (T47)
75 Justin Rose (England), Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland) (T77)
76 Sandy Lyle (Scotland), Richie Ramsay (Scotland), Stephen Gallacher (Scotland), George Murray (Scotland) (T92).
79 Lloyd Saltman (Scotland), Sir Nick Faldo (England), Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) (T134)
80 Luke Donald (England), Scott Jamieson (Scotland) (T143)
81 Paul Lawrie (Scotland) (149th). 

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE  

TO CHECK OUT THE PLAYERS' SCORECARDS ON THIS 
LINK, CLICK ON THE PLAYERS' NAMES

WHERE THE BIG NAMES CAME TO GRIEF AT MUIRFIELD

Par: 
OUT: 4-4-4-3-5-4-5-4-5 = 36
    IN: 4-4-4-3-4-4-3-5-4 = 35

PAUL LAWRIE - 81 (10 over par)

OUT: 6-4-4-3-4-4-7-5-5 = 42
    IN: 4-5-5-3-5-5-3-5-4 = 39
*quadruple bogey 7 at the short eighth
*double bogey 6 at the first
*bogeys at the eighth, 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th
 *birdie at fifth

LUKE DONALD - 80 (nine over par)

OUT: 5-4-4-3-6-4-3-5-5 = 39
   IN: 3-4-6-3-7-5-4-4-5 = 41
*triple bogey 7 at the 14th.
*double bogey 6 at 12th
*bogeys at the first, fifth, eighth, 15th, 16th and 18th.
*birdies at 10th and 17th

RORY McILROY - 79 (eight over par)

OUT: 4-4-4-4-6-4-2-4-5 = 37
    IN: 5-5-6-2-4-6-3-6-5 = 42

*double bogeys at the 12th and 15th
*bogeys at the fourth, fifth, 10th, 11th, 17th and 18th
*birdies at the seventh and 13th. 

JUSTIN ROSE - 75 (four over par)

OUT: 4-4-4-3-5-5-3-4-6 = 38
   IN: 4-4-4-3-5-6-3-4-4 = 37

GRAEME McDOWELL - 75 (four over par)

OUT: 4-4-4-3-4-5-3-3-7 = 37
   IN: 4-4-4-3-4-6-3-5-5 = 38
 

IN CONTRAST ... THE LEADER

ZACH JOHNSON - 66 (five under par)

OUT: 4-4-3-3-3-3-2-4-5 = 31
    IN: 4-4-3-3-5-4-3-5-4 = 35
*eagle 3 at the fifth
*birdies at the third, sixth, seventh and 12th
 *bogey at the 14th

POULTER AND MICKELSON CRITICISE FIRST-DAY PIN POSITIONS

FROM THE BBC SPORT WEBSITE

By ROB HODGETTS

Ian Poulter and Phil Mickelson have criticised the R and A - the Open organisers - for making Muirfield almost "unplayable".

The East Lothian links, already firm from the recent warm spell, was playing even faster in the hot sun and drying wind of today's first round.

Poulter, who carded a one-over 72, said some of the pin positions were a "joke" and the 18th needed a "windmill and a clown face", like a crazy golf course.
Mickelson hopes the R&A "let go of their ego" after he shot a 69.
But Lee Westwood laughed off his fellow Englishman's comments, saying: "He's always moaning, 'Poults', you can't pay too much attention to him."

Analysis from Mark James, former European Ryder Cup captain and BBC Sports summariser

"Phil Mickelson made his comments on the state of the course from a position of strength because, apart from being one of the best players in the world, he was out there and shot a good score so there was no temper involved after posting a bad round. 

"I think they (the R and A) got the course set-up right today, but only just. I think the greenkeepers will publicly say that they will put the same amount of water on the course tonight but will more than likely give the greens an extra swoosh with a hosepipe. 

"I don't think Muirfield is a patch on the US Open last month where I thought some of the greens at Merion were farcical to play on."

And Peter Dawson, chief executive of the R and A, said the course was difficult but not impossible.

Veteran BBC commentator Peter Alliss accused Poulter of "childish" comments.
"It's not what anybody wants to hear," he said. "I think they are very foolish to express their views like that. They all talk about links golf and how wonderful it is to come here and play on the course.
"Mickelson went round in 69 and is very much in the hunt and Poulter is only one over. You could say it is better to criticise when you have made a good score than it is when you have done a bad score.
"Poulter's remarks are just childish. You can't say stuff about windmills and clown's faces. It's just ridiculous. I never heard Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer come out with comments like that.
"A lot of others give up before they even get going. (The Open) It's a PhD not an O-level."
Mickelson, among the morning starters with Poulter, signed for a two-under-par round but said: "Hopefully they (the R and A) will let go of their ego and set it up reasonable, but you just never know."
Dawson responded: "We're conscious of player comments and have taken note as we plan how to set up the greens [on Friday].
"I do understand some players get frustrated. Ian Poulter bogeyed four of the last five holes - he was bound to get frustrated. It's a very testing, tough Open championship. It is far from unplayable."
=========================

Muirfield Open winners since World War II

• 1948: Henry Cotton level par
• 1959: Gary Player level par
• 1966: Jack Nicklaus two under par
• 1972: Lee Trevino six under par
• 1980: Tom Watson 13 under par
• 1987: Nick Faldo five under par
• 1992: Nick Faldo 12 under par
• 2002: Ernie Els six under par

===========================

Four-time major winner Mickelson claimed the later starters would face an impossible task because of the conditions.

"I got very lucky to play early today because as the day wore on and we got to the back nine, about a third of every green started to die and became brown," said the American, who is yet to win the Open but was second in 2011 and won last weekend's Scottish Open at Castle Stuart, another links course.
"The pins were very edgy too, on slopes and what. The guys that played early had a huge, huge break because even without any wind here it's beyond difficult.
"Playing early gave us a fighting chance. I love the fact I shot under par because it's a very challenging course. I don't expect anyone to beat the lead from the morning wave, I just don't think it's possible."
Speaking before the tournament, Tony Jacklin, the 1969 Open champion, said the key is to be patient and deal with adversity.
"You can get the worst of the weather or the best of it," he told BBC Sport. "Many championships have been won and lost like that. You have to accept your lot. If it's windy in the afternoon after being calm all morning when the course was four shots easier, you've got to suck it up. You're not going to get anywhere feeling sorry for yourself."
Late starter Shiv Kapur of India appeared ready to prove Mickelson's theory wrong when he moved ahead of clubhouse leader Zach Johnson to reach six under after seven early in the evening.
And American veteran Mark O'Meara, the 1998 champion, denied conditions were unfair after returning a 67 in the afternoon. "You have to be cautious on the greens and be aggressive, but not too aggressive," he said.
"I don't think the pin positions are unfair. If the wind had got up to 30mph then fair enough, but the wind wasn't blowing that hard. I've played in 25-plus Open championships and I've seen conditions far worse."

 

ZACH JOHNSON SETS OPEN PACE WITH A FIVE-UNDER 66

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Former Masters Tournament champion Zach Johnson began the 142nd Open Championship in the same imperious style as he did the 141st.
The American Ryder Cup player carded a five under 66 to lead by one from Spain's Rafael Cabrera-Bello and 1998 champion Mark O'Meara, with 1996 winner Tom Lehman a shot behind alongside fellow Americans Dustin Johnson and Brandt Snedeker and Spain's Miguel Angel Jiménez.
The 37 year old Johnson, who opened with a 65 at Lytham 12 months ago and eventually finished ninth, stormed to the turn in 31, thanks to an eagle and three birdies and reached six under before his only bogey of the day on the 14th.
Johnson, beaten in a five-hole play-off by 19 year old Jordan Spieth at the John Deere Classic on Sunday, said: "I think this game demands resilience. If anything, what I've embraced from last week is the fact that I'm playing great and I can put that into play, and I'm certainly somewhat confident in what I'm doing, confident in my routines."
O’Meara, whose Open victory came at Royal Birkdale, will return to the venue next week to contest the Senior Open, when he hopes to be going for a unique double.
He said: "Do I think I can (win)? When I play like I did today, yeah, I think I can.
"I didn't feel like I was 56 years old out there, I felt like I was 32.
"I know I haven't won a lot in the last 10, 11 years of my career, but I've been close a lot.
"And I know that sometimes if you just keep getting close, sooner or later they're going to open the door."
Defending champion Ernie Els, also the winner the last time The Open was staged at Muirfield in 2002, carded a 74.
Playing partner and US Open champion Justin Rose, who returned a 75, said: "I have done my best to come here and be as prepared as possible, it was just a round that did not go my way. I am happy to have got it out of the way and I can get on with tomorrow and the rest of the year."
Shiv Kapur was the only late starter threatening to overhaul the leaders, the Indian chipping in twice to card six birdies in his first seven holes, while Tiger Woods was battling back after a poor start.
The World Number One, without a Major win since 2008, hooked his tee shot on the first into thick rough and played a provisional ball before his original was found.
After a penalty drop and third shot into a greenside bunker he escaped with a bogey five and was still one over at the turn, before birdies at the tenth and 11th took him into red figures.

MURRAY NAYSMITH TOP SCOT IN McGREGOR TROPHY FOR U16s

ENGLISH UNDER-16 BOYS' OPEN STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Seacroft GC, Skegness, Lincolnshire
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71) CSS 73 74 73 74
283 Marco Penge (Worthing) 70 73 67 73
286 Billy Spooner (Boston) 77 70 70 69, Bradley Moore (Kedleston Park) 70 72 70 74

SCOTS' SCORES
291 Murray Naysmith (Marriott Dalmahoy) 72 76 72 71 (T6)
296 Glen Burrett (Haggs Castle) 70 75 79 72 (T19)
299 Calum Fyfe (Cawder) 76 74 74 75 (T28)
308 Rory Franssen (Inverness) 75 73 78 82 (T41)

For Immediate Release Friday 19th July 2013 Penge doubles up in the Lincolnshire sunshine Marco Penge extended his remarkable season by becoming the English boys' Under-16 and Under-15 champion in the heat of Seacroft Golf Club on the Lincolnshire coast. Final day rounds of 67 and 73 gave the Sussex youngster a 72-hole aggregate of 283, one under par, and a three- stroke winning margin from his England colleague Bradley Moore and Lincolnshire’s own Billy Spooner. Taking both titles meant Penge (image copyright Leaderboard Photography) has collected four titles this year but the most significant to date is the under 16 McGregor Trophy as it means he is a national champion and joins an illustrious Roll of Honour that includes the likes of Justin Rose and several other who have gone on to be tour professionals. “It’s been a great year for me so far,” said Penge. “But this is big. It’s a national title and follows my win in the Fairhaven. “But I didn’t play great this week. I wasn’t good off the tee, I was just trying to get it down the fairway but my short game was good. “Perhaps I was a bit rusty as I’ve played a lot of golf recently. I had a lesson on Saturday with Ryan Fenwick at Goodwood after last week’s European boys team championship and I’m off to Germany on Sunday for the European Young Masters.” Penge began the day one shot off the lead but a morning 67 took him ahead and despite a few wobbles in his 73, he managed to stay there. “I got off to a good start and was two under after three holes this afternoon,” he added. “But I bogeyed the fourth and sixth holes to be out in 36. But then I found a trap off the 11th tee and made another bogey followed by another dropped shot at the 13th but I managed to par in from there.” Moore, one of four players sharing the lead before the final two rounds, shot a morning 70 to lie one behind Penge but a closing 74, which included two double bogeys on the front nine and another at the tenth, left him disappointed. “I knew after 14 holes that I was two behind but it was my putting that let me down,” said the lad from Derbyshire. “I just couldn’t hole anything again and that has been my problem this week.” But for an opening 77, Spooner would have taken the title back to Lincolnshire for the first time since Jim Payne in 1987. But the Boston lad played the last three rounds in four under par, the best of the 45 players that made the cut. He deserves his joint second place for that alone. His closing 69 meant he caught Moore over the final stretch. Ireland’s Peter Kerr moved up the leaderboard with a morning 70 before a closing 73 earned him a share of fourth place on 288 with Essex-based Louis Lazarus, who also returned a closing 69. But the best round of the afternoon, a 68, was posted by John Axelsen, the young Dane who set a course record 66 in round one. He followed that with a disastrous 82 in the wind of day two but the 68 restored a smile to the young man’s face as he finished in a share of sixth place on 291. Press Office England Golf pr@englandgolf.org 01526 354500

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BORSHEIM COVERS OUTWARD HALF IN 28 BEFORE STORMS HALT PLAY

CHALLENGE TOUR REPORT
FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Norway’s Knut Borsheim shot a Challenge Tour season-low outward half of 28 to seize a narrow lead before thunderstorms forced abandonment in the first day of the Mugello Tuscany Open in Italy.

Borsheim came flying out of the blocks at the UNA Poggio dei Medici Golf Club as six birdies and an eagle saw the 26 year old Bergen native reach the turn on eight under par. 

The former American college star added a further birdie at the second and a first drop of the day at the following hole to lead by one overnight as play was suspended for the day at 1811 when turbulent weather rolled in.

One shot back following a sublime 64 was Italian Andrea Rota, while South Korea’s Jin Jeong, South African Dylan Fritelli and French debutant Adrien Saddier were tied for third on six under par.

On what was a sweltering, breathless Thursday in Florence, Borsheim’s heroics in the afternoon had been preceded by a putting masterclass from home favourite Rota, who found six birdies and a valuable eagle at the par five last en route to a splendid opening total of seven under par in the morning session. 

The Bergamo man holed countless putts from ten to 12 feet, while a 32-foot effort for birdie at the 12^th was  trumped by a 50-foot monster for eagle at the 568-yard 18^th.

“The greens are very pure here and my putting was very nice today,” said Rota. “I also didn’t make any mistakes from the tee and with the perfect weather everything felt easy today. 

“I was solid all round without doing anything too crazy good. Obviously those two big putts at the 12^th and for the eagle at the 18^th helped turn a good day into a great one score-wise.”

The 2013 campaign has proved a mixed affair thus far for Bergamo born Rota, having mixed two top five finishes – including a third place at the Montecchia Golf Open presented by POLAROID in his native Italy – with six missed cuts but he says the margins of top-level golf are narrow.

He continued: “I’ve actually been playing really well this season. When I’ve missed the cut this year it has only been by one or two shots so I have never felt like I have been playing that badly. 

“I know that when I really get going I can shoot a lot under par but you need that bit of luck too. I concentrated well today and it’s a good start so hopefully that can continue tomorrow.”

Saddier, who only days ago turned professional after helping his French side to a bronze medal finish at the European Amateur Team Championship in Denmark last week, made a dream start to his embryonic career dropping just one shot en route to a fine 65.

Five birdies were complemented by an eagle at the long 18^th, after Saddier hit a superb three-wood to ten feet. 

“I hit the ball very well and found 17 greens today,” said the 21 year old. “The eagle at 18 made it a good game and a great start to my life as a professional.

“My aim is to play on The European Tour but this is just the beginning so I won’t put too much pressure on myself and will play to learn.”

Round one will re-start at 0800 local time on Friday with a one hour delay on all round two tee times.

 

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

SCOTTISH SENIORS CHAMPIONSHIP DOWN TO LAST FOUR AT ALYTH

The Scottish senior men's open amateur match-play championship is down to the last four at Alyth after some great matches on another warm day at the Perthshire venue.
In the first semi-final at 9am Friday it will be Bill Erskine (Kilsyth Lennox) versus Jim Watt (Edzell).
Erskine qualified 16th of 32 while Watt was No 12.
In the second semi-final at 9.15am, Lindsay Blair (Grangemouth), the No 2 seed, will play Alan O'Neill (West Lothian), the 14th qualifier.
Two of the quarter-finals went down the 19th. Watt beat Lindsay Gordon (Turnhouse) at the first extra hole. In his morning match, Gordon had gone to the 21st to beat James T Johnston (Northumberland.
Blair won at the 19th in his afternoon tie against Richard T Gray (Irvine).
The final will tee off at 2pm Friday.

SECOND ROUND
Bill Erskine (Kilsyth Lennox) bt Dougal Chalmers (Panmure) 4 and 2.
Keith Bruce (Edzell) bt Ian Taylor (Royal Burgess) 1 hole.
Lindsay Gordon (Turnhouse) bt James T Johnston (Northumberland) at 21st
Jim Watt (Edzell) bt Ian Brotherston (Dumfries and Co) 2 and1
Lindsay Blair (Grangemouth) bt Brian Smith (Kilmacolm) 4 and3
Richard T Gray (Irvine) bt Bob Stewart (Tulliallan) 2 and1
Alan O'Neill (West Lothian) bt Gordon Thomson (Bearsden) 2 and 1.
David Imrie (Thornton) bt George Rodaks (Pitreavie) 2 and 1
QUARTER-FINALS
Erskine bt Bruce 1 hole
Watt bt Gordon at 19th
Blair bt Gray at 19th
O'Neill bt Imrie 2 and 1. 

EDITOR'S NOTE: Many thanks to Alyth GC professional Tom Melville for providing all the results.

HAMILTON, THE FORGOTTEN OPEN WINNER, BACK IN SPOTLIGHT

FROM THE REUTERS WEBSITE
American Todd Hamilton, shock winner of the 2004 Open, was briefly the clubhouse leader of this year's tournament after shooting a first-round two-under-par 69 today.

Playing in the second group out, the 47-year-old showed glimpses of the form that brought him the Claret Jug nine years ago with four birdies around the Muirfield links.
It was a rare moment in the spotlight for the unassuming Hamilton who has never won again on the US or European Tours since beating Ernie Els in a playoff to claim the Open title at Troon.
"I definitely thought my golfing career would have been better after that than it was," he told reporters.
"(It has been) terrible," added Hamilton. "I try not to reflect on it. It's been trying, I guess. There's been days where I didn't want to play."
Hamilton was a prolific winner on the Japanese circuit before earning his PGA Tour card at the eighth attempt in 2003.
He won the Open and the US Tour's Honda Classic in 2004 but was unable to maintain his form and has had only three top-10 finishes on his home circuit since.
"Looking back I had done a lot of good things overseas at places that people probably wouldn't know that golf even exists," Hamilton said.
"I played a lot in Japan, I played a lot in Asia. So when I won the Open I was kind of at the end. I think I was 38, so I was kind of close to the end of the decent career," he added.
"I thought it was decent, I just didn't do it on the European Tour or US Tour."
Hamilton never achieved celebrity status in the United States, even in his sleepy former home town of Oquawka, Illinois.
"I think I get recognised more over here than I do in my home country which is kind of an oddity," he said.
"I walk down the street, had dinner the other night, and we were sitting outside of a little fish and chip place. The owner knew who I was."
Hamilton felt comfortable on the Muirfield links, even though he has only twice made the cut in eight Open appearances since Troon.
"I enjoyed it," he said. "I do enjoy this style of golf. I think it takes a person that is very happy with not only their game but themselves.
"You've got to be very confident and do stuff that you feel you can do, otherwise you try to chase the game. And on courses like this it is very difficult. "

LLOYD SALTMAN TEES OFF WITH TWO BALLS OUT OF BOUNDS AT MUIRFIELD

Lloyd Saltman was relieved just to break 80 after suffering the worst possible start to his Open Championship campaign at Muirfield.

The Scot, playing in the first group out with Peter Senior and Oliver Fisher, carved his first two tee shots into the hospitality area to the right of the fairway.
The 27-year-old Lothians man, playing in his own neck of the woods,  managed to get his third ball in play, but after finding the green and two putting he signed for a quadruple-bogey 8.
The 2005 Open's leading amateur recovered with birdies at the third and fourth, but he dropped four shots in a row from the seventh and two further bogeys coming in added up to an eight-over 79.
"I knew it was going to be a battle from the start," said Saltman. "You can't miss it big here, you have to get it in play and I didn't do that today.
"After that it was keep going down or try to fight back. I am not pleased with the score but I am always pleased with the way I try and play; I'm never going to give up and I am happy to break 80."
Asked if he had ever hit his first two shots out of bounds before, Saltman added: "No, but it's not the first time I've hit three tee shots on the same hole in the Open.
"I hit three on the 17th tee at St Andrews (in 2005) but thankfully found the first one."
Aussie veteran Senior had struck the opening blow of the 142nd Open Championship, and he admitted afterwards he had less than an hour's sleep becuase of jet lag.
The 53-year-old got the tournament under way at 6:32am and completed a creditable three-over 74 before revealing how his hectic schedule had caught up with him.
"I only went to sleep at 3:33," he said. "It was hard to get to sleep with the jet-lag. I played the US Senior Open last week and had a hard time getting out of there.
"I had to fly to Chicago on Monday, then to London and then here. I got here Tuesday and played a practice round on Wednesday. I was pretty happy with how I hit the ball but I putted awful, the worst I have putted all year.
"I feel pretty good but come the middle of the afternoon I think I will crash. There will be a lot more sleep tonight."

SPANIARDS RIDING HIGH ON MUIRFIELD LEADERBOARD

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Twenty five years after the late Seve Ballesteros won the last of his three Open Championship titles, fellow Spaniards Rafael Cabrera-Bello and Miguel Angel Jiménez were today riding high on the leaderboard at Muirfield.

Jiménez, vice-captain to Ballesteros in the 1997 Ryder Cup at Valderrama, carded a three under par 68 that was surpassed minutes later by Cabrera-Bello in the group behind with a 67.
"It's only the first day, I have not even thought about winning," Cabrera-Bello said when reminded about the anniversary of Ballesteros' Lytham triumph in 1988.
"It would be a huge dream but it's not something that I am thinking about or have set as a goal at the minute."
The 29 year old was quick to praise the influence of 49 year old compatriot Jimenez, who broke his leg in a skiing accident last winter, shortly after becoming the oldest winner in European Tour history in Hong Kong at the age of 48 and 318 days.
"Miguel is one of the players that has influenced my game a lot," Cabrera-Bello added. "He has a great attitude, a different but admirable way that he plays golf.
"Physically I look a little different to Miguel. Not saying that I look better, I'm just saying different! But what I admire about Miguel - and it's something that I have tried to copy - is that every time Miguel goes to any tournament he's given himself everything he needs to feel comfortable.
"And whether that is his wines or that is his cigars, whatever he needs he just gives them to himself and that way he tees up completely enjoying every part of the week and giving himself the best chance to perform as good as we all know he can.
"There is very good camaraderie between all the Spanish guys. It's something that makes our life very enjoyable on Tour. Not necessarily that Miguel is the captain, because we call José María Olazábal captain. But he's definitely a very big part of the team or the Spanish Armada, or however you want to catalogue it."
Jiménez had already lived up to Cabrera-Bello's description, telling a post-round press conference: "It would be great if one of the Spanish win the tournament, especially if myself, even better. I would love to have a Major in my career, but you never know what's going to happen.
"The only thing you have to do is to enjoy yourself. Don't think about to win or not to win. The more important thing is enjoy yourself and be happy on the golf course, be happy with what you're doing. And that's it. Simple."

THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP SCOREBOARD

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MUIRFIELD WILL PRODUCE A GREAT OPEN CHAMPION - IT ALWAYS DOES

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By COLIN MONTGOMERIE
The greats win at Muirfield, or so the theory goes. But my suspicion is that the benign weather will make this an open Open.

That is not a bad thing. It will be great golf on a great links in a great spectacle. Yes, Muirfield has a habit of favouring the legends. But to my mind, it has a more notable habit of producing exciting championships.

Ernie Els won that four-hole play-off, Sir Nick Faldo defied the Americans to win twice at the East Lothian links, Lee Trevino chipped in on the 17th to deny poor old Tony Jacklin ... all these classic finishes were testament to a classic course. It is the stand-   out layout on the Open rota.

A quick scan down the list of Open winners at Muirfield will alert one to the fact that, as well as Arnold Palmer, there is another rather famous name missing from this parade of golfing superstars. How aptly Tiger Woods would fit on the roll of honour alongside the likes of Nicklaus, Player and Watson.

I cannot see it, however. Woods is simply not driving the ball straight enough. There is a body of opinion that says he will replicate his game plan from Hoylake and he is certainly capable of showing the discipline and control to pull that off. 
But the Tiger of 2006 was a different proposition in the majors. He is now 21-over for his past 12 weekend rounds in the majors.

Is he pushing too hard for No 15? The doubt nags and is enough to put me off his chances this week; which is staggering really, considering the fact he has won four times already this year. That is where Woods is at the moment.

He will be desperate to win a major in 2013 and, after this, only the US PGA at Rochester is left. if he draws another blank then his pursuit of Jack Nicklaus’s record major haul of 18 will begin to seem unlikely.
 What is definite is that the winner will be one of the players who spends most time on the cut stuff. If Rory McIlroy were showing the same form off the tee as at the end of last year, I would really fancy his challenge. But he is still bedding in with his Nike clubs and, although I am sure it will turn around for him soon, Muirfield is no place to be trying to find your accuracy. 
A lot has been said about McIlroy in the build-up to this event because he is a fantastic talent and all of golf wants to see him do well. But we must remember how young he is. Even the young Tiger had his struggles. 
That is golf for you. McIlroy must stay patient and continue to work hard. At the very least it would be great to see him up there in the fight at the weekend. 
Muirfield is a driver’s course in the sense that position on the fairway is paramount. But it is also a second-shot course because finding those wonderful greens, the best of any links course, is just as vital. 
The putting will be as crucial as always, too. As you can tell, it is a complete test, which examines not only every aspect of the golf game but also of the golf mind. 
I was proud to shoot a course-record 64 in the second round in 2002. It was a simple case of keeping the mistakes to an absolute minimum. That is what Muirfield requires. Clinical ball-striking and execution. It sounds easy, right?
My 84 in the third round shows how quickly it can unravel at Muirfield. It was Armageddon on that Saturday. It is a shame when the conditions have such an influence on the result and if anyone does not believe that squall had an effect then, they need only look to Woods’ 81 as evidence. It remains the only time that he has failed to break 80 in his 17 years as a pro. 
I have had quite a few of those rounds in my time. But that is links golf and there is no point in moaning about it. Only the player can limit the damage of his inevitable bad breaks. 
Remember Ernie playing that great recovery shot from the bunker on the 13th? Those are the shots of champions. So who will it be? Well, if my theory is right and that the great weather brings so many players into the frame, I could name 20 and not have the winner among them. 
I have a sneaking fancy for Henrik Stenson, who showed up well at last week’s Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open and who, like Matt Kuchar, has been very consistent and has served his time, having won the Players and World Golf Championship. 
Brandt Snedeker is another American who appeals to me. He is 32, like Adam Scott and Justin Rose, and having won the FedEx Cup last year could be primed to step up. Snedeker is a fantastic putter who seems to enjoy the challenge of seaside golf. 
Having won the Masters in April, Scott will not suffer any hangover from last year’s disappointment at Lytham, and Muirfield suits the Australian’s all-round qualities. The same applies to Rose. Victory for him would be a wonderful way to rubber-stamp Britain’s second wonderful summer of sport in succession. 
I do not normally go for first-time major winners to go back to back. The history books will confirm how difficult it is to bounce straight back from a life-changing victory. But Justin is the sort of individual who could do it. He is an intelligent lad who has learned to control his emotions. 
He appeared brilliantly composed down those last few holes at Merion. His body language screamed of a professional who was finally ready to cope with the intense pressures of that situation. If you look at his career, you see that Rose tends to hold his form well and he can most certainly contend this week. 
Imagine seeing him coming up the 18th on a victory walk with the home crowd in rapture. Maybe he could even deny Andy Murray the BBC Sports Personality of the Year prize. That is an intoxicating image, but if I could choose one golfer to win, it would be Lee Westwood. 
Over the past two years we have seen professionals in their forties prevail at the Open and glory for Lee would be just as emotional as it was for Darren Clarke and Ernie. We all know how well Lee can strike the ball and his chipping has been transformed since he moved to Florida. 
If his putter would just oblige then we could have the marvellous storyline. But Muirfield will produce one, regardless. It always does.