INTERNATIONAL FINAL QUALIFYING - ASIA

Teenager Noh wins
-
place at Open

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ASIAN TOUR
Kuala Lumpur: Noh Seung-yul of South Korea completed a sensational run in Malaysia after qualifying for the Open at St Andrews in July with Malaysia ’s Danny Chia, Japanese Hiroyuki Fujita and amateur Eric Chun of South Korea at the International Final Qualifying – Asia today.
Noh, winner of last week’s Maybank Malaysian Open, claimed one of the four tickets to the world’s oldest Major after closing with a four-under-par 68 in the tournament that was won by Fujita who signed off with a 66 for a two-day total of 11-under-par 133 at the Saujana Golf and Country Club.
Chia shot a 68 to finish in tied second position alongside Noh on 134 and will make his third appearance in the Open. Chun, who finished second at the inaugural Asian Amateur Championship in China last year, birdied his last hole to join the trio at St Andrews in July.
“I’m really happy but honestly it hasn’t settled in yet. It has been a great two weeks for me but I’m not going to let it get to my head,” said the 18-year-old Noh.
Noh romped home with two birdies on his last two holes and was delighted with his round except for a bogey on the 16th hole and is now relishing the opportunity to play in his first Major.
“I’m more experienced now after last week and that has certainly carried over to this week. I treat every tournament the same and I’m looking forward to playing against the world’s best,” added the South Korean.
Chia got off to a bright start with an eagle 2 on the fourth hole when his drive landed 15 feet from the pin. He last played in the Open in 2005, which was also held at St Andrews and in 2008.
He said that he felt confident going into the final three holes. “The thrill of returning to The Open started with three more holes to go. I always want to show my fans that I’m not going to crack at the pressure point and kept telling myself to keep calm and focus,” said Chia who has won once on the Asian Tour.
“A lot of things were going through my mind yesterday. I found it hard to sleep! I always try to prove myself in front of the home crowd that Malaysian professionals can make it into the next level in golf and I did that today,” added the Malaysian who mixed his round with an eagle, four birdies and two bogeys.
Fujita, the highest ranked player at 80th in the world, who also featured in the Open in 2005 where he played in all four rounds, was delighted to top the qualifier courtesy of a flawless round highlighted by six birdies.
“My ball striking wasn’t really good but my putting helped a lot this week. There was a lot of good players here and I didn’t expect to win so I’m glad to be able to win it and of course to play in a Major again,” said the two-time Asian Tour winner.
Chun, who was on five-under alongside three other players going into the final hole, held his nerve to sink his birdie putt from four feet to claim the last place at St Andrews.
“I have never been so nervous in my life and I’m just happy it worked out well. I was really patient today and that was the key for me. Every putt I had out here these two days were as important as my last putt. All these other good putts led me to this opportunity.
“I haven’t played at St Andrews before or let alone been anywhere near there! So I’m looking forward to it. I’ve only seen it on television and heard about it so to play there is amazing,” said Chun who turned 20 on Monday.
The Open will celebrate its 150th anniversary at the Old Course, St Andrews from July 15-18 this year.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS


Par 144 (2x72)
133 Hiroyuki FUJITA (JPN) 67-66
134 NOH Seung-Yul (KOR) 66-68, Danny CHIA (MAS) 66-68
138 Eric CHUN (A) (KOR) 67-71
Top-four above qualify for The Open.
139 KIM Dae-Hyun KOR 73-66, Keith HORNE (RSA) 73-66, Andrew DODT (AUS) 74-65
140 HIDETO Tanihara (JPN) 72-68, Guido VAN DER VALK (HOL) 71-69
141 Tetsuji HIRATSUKA (JPN) 73-68, HAN Chang-Won (A) (KOR) 73-68
142 LAM Chih-Bing (SIN) 73-69, Thaworn WIRATCHANT (THA) 69-73, David GLEESON (AUS) 74-68
143 M.Sasidaran (MAS) 72-71, Miles TUNNICLIFF (ENG) 71-72
144 Airil Rizman ZAHARI (MAS) 73-71, Mars PUCAY (PHI) 72-72, Yoshinobu TSUKADA (JPN) 72-72, LEE Sung (KOR) 70-74

NOH AND CHIA SET THE PACE AT OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
INTERNATIONAL FINAL QUALIFYING - ASIA

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE ASIAN TOUR
Kuala Lumpur: Korea’s rising star Noh Seung-yul maintained his red-hot form to share the
opening-round lead with Danny Chia of Malaysia on six-under-par 66 at the Open Championship International Final Qualifying – Asia today.
The 18-year-old Noh, winner of the Maybank Malaysian Open on Sunday, shot an eagle and seven birdies against a bogey and a double bogey at the Saujana Golf and Country Club to put himself in prime position for one of four tickets available to the Open at St Andrews in July.
Chia, who has won once on the Asian Tour, carded a flawless round highlighted by six birdies to boost his hopes of a third appearance in the world’s oldest Major.
Hiroyuki Fujita of Japan , the highest ranked player in the 72-man field at 80th in the world and Korean amateur Eric Chun, runner-up at the inaugural Asian Amateur Championship in China last year, shot matching 67s to lie in tied third position.
A further shot back are Wu Ashun of China and Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand , who carded identical 69s.
Starting from the 10th tee, Noh bounced back superbly from a double bogey on the 12th hole when he sank a 15-foot eagle on the 13th hole. From there on, the talented Korean peppered the flags for his birdies to give himself a chance of earning a maiden Major appearance.
“It was a mixed round for me but overall I’m glad to shoot what I did on this tough course. My putting worked very well and you need that especially on these greens,” said Noh.
Noh rued a missed eagle chance from five feet on the seventh hole but was confident of getting the job done tomorrow in the 36-hole qualifier.
“It was a very tough putt because it was very sloppy but I’m still feeling confident of my chances for tomorrow,” added Noh.
Chia holed a brilliant 25 foot birdie putt on his second hole to kickstart his round and was delighted with his ball striking.
“Today was one of my best ball striking rounds of the year! I have to thank (Lam) Chih Bing and Unho (Park) for giving me some tips on my swing yesterday. That gave me some confidence plus I’m playing in Saujana and I have a lot of good memories on this golf course,” said Chia who qualified for the British O pen in 2005 and was the halfway leader at last year’s Maybank Malaysian O pen , both times at Saujana.
Fujita, who featured at the 2005 British O pen at St Andrews , posted seven birdies against two bogeys and credited a hot putter for his superb start. “The greens were very tough and my putting helped with my performance. I won’t complain with my score and I hope to maintain my form going into tomorrow’s round,” said the 40-year-old.
“There are four tickets available here but I’m here to try and win it to ensure that I earn a spot in the Open ,” added the two-time Asian Tour winner.
Starting from the back nine, the 20-year-old Chun, who grew up playing golf in Malaysia , provided the talk of the clubhouse with his round which included seven birdies against two dropped shots.
“I had a lot of good breaks. I shot good distances to the hole so it was good for me to take advantage of those,” said Chun, who turned 20 on Monday.
“I can’t compare myself with the professionals after one round. They do this every day. They just played last week and some of them are exhausted so I have an advantage. I’m just going out there tomorrow to play the golf course. I’m not trying to outplay the other guys. If I stick to the game plan, I should be fine,” added Chun.
China ’s Wu, aiming for his first Major appearance, fired six birdies against three bogeys and knows he needs to continue to wield a hot putter to keep himself in contention. “Putting will be the key for tomorrow. The greens are tough but luckily I managed to hit it close. I will aim to do the same and hopefully break into the top four.”
For the first time in the IFQ, the leaders will play together in the second round, with Chia and Noh slated to tee off at 9.25am.
LEADING FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 72
66 Danny CHIA (MAS), NOH Seung-Yul (KOR)
67 Hiroyuki FUJITA (JPN), Eric CHUN (A) (KOR)
69 WU Ashun (CHN), Thaworn WIRATCHANT (THA)
70 Rahil GANGJEE ( IND ), Tony CAROLAN (AUS), LEE Sung (KOR)
71 Guido VAN DER VALK (HOL), Miles TUNNICLIFF (ENG)
72 Mardan MAMAT (SIN), HIDETO Tanihara (JPN), Tomohiro KONDO (JPN), Yoshinobu TSUKADA (JPN), KIM Young-jin (KOR), M.Sasidaran (MAS), Mars PUCAY (PHI), Marcus BOTH (AUS), Kodaai ICHIHARA (JPN), Unho PARK (AUS)

Royal Liverpool will

host Open in 2014

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE R&A
The R&A has announced that Royal Liverpool Golf Club will host The Open Championship in 2014. It will be the 12th time the Hoylake links has hosted golf’s oldest Major.
The venue has witnessed a string of unique Open Champions: in 1907, Arnaud Massy became the only Frenchman to have won the title; Fred Daly became the first Irishman to do so, in 1947; and Argentine golfer Roberto De Vicenzo became the first South American to win a Major when he lifted the Claret Jug in 1967.
When The Open returned to Hoylake in 2006 after a 39-year absence, Tiger Woods became the first back-to-back Open Champion since Tom Watson in 1983 in front of 230,000 people, a record attendance for the Championship in England.
Two of the three amateurs to have won The Open were Royal Liverpool members: Hoylake-born John Ball junior, the first Englishman to win The Open, lifted the Claret Jug at Prestwick in 1890; and Harold Hilton, who, on his home course in 1897, won his second title at the first Open Championship to be staged in the north west of England.
The only other amateur winner is Bobby Jones, who won his third Open at Hoylake in 1930: the second of four steps to his unprecedented and unmatched Grand Slam.
In 1885, Hoylake hosted the inaugural Amateur Championship – the first of 17 to date – and, in 1921, it staged the first international match between Great Britain and the USA, a contest which would later become the Walker Cup Match.
“We are delighted that The Open is returning to Royal Liverpool after a relatively short period of time,” said David Hill, The R&A’s Director of Championships. “In 2006, Hoylake showcased links golf at its best and players, spectators and officials were united in their praise for the course, and for the venue as a whole.
“We would like to thank the Club’s officials for their unfailing co-operation, which has enabled the Championship to come back to Royal Liverpool, a Club whose history is interwoven with both The Open and The R&A.”
Paul Cassidy, Captain of Royal Liverpool Golf Club added, “we are very proud of our Club’s rich heritage and the many memorable golfing moments staged at Hoylake since our founding in 1869 and are extremely thrilled to be again invited to host The Open Championship in 2014. We are thoroughly looking forward to working with both The R&A and Wirral Council in the planning, organisation and staging of another successful Major championship.”
With The Open Championship estimated to boost the local economy by £70m each time it is played in the northwest of England, the news has also been welcomed by Councillor Steve Foulkes, Leader of Wirral Council.
“This is fantastic news for Wirral. We look forward to getting ready to welcome new visitors to the Peninsula as well as returning golf fans who enjoyed themselves so much with us four years ago,” said Councillor Foulkes.
“The return of one of the world’s biggest sporting events to Royal Liverpool Golf Club is not only great for Wirral, but the whole of the North West. We are absolutely committed to ensuring local residents, businesses and golf fans alike benefit from this fantastic opportunity once more.”
Previous winners at Royal Liverpool
1897 - Harold Hilton (ENG) (am). 1936 - Alf Padgham (ENG)
1902 - Sandy Herd (SCO) 1947 - Fred Daly (NIR)
1907 - Arnaud Massy (FRA) 1956 - Peter Thomson (AUS)
1913 - J H Taylor (ENG) 1967 - Roberto De Vicenzo (ARG)
1924 - Walter Hagen (USA) 2006 - Tiger Woods (USA)
1930 - Bobby Jones (USA) (am)

Hugo, Fichardt and Cunliffe claim

Johannesburg places at St Andrew

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE R&A

Jean Hugo, Darren Fichardt and Josh Cunliffe have qualified for the 2010 Open after taking the top three positions at International Final Qualifying – Africa at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club in Johannesburg, South Africa, today.

The South African trio will now look forward to taking their places at the 150th Anniversary Open Championship from July 15 to 18 at St Andrews.

With play having resumed on Friday after heavy rain had caused Thursday’s play to be abandoned, first-round leader Jean Hugo, 34, recovered from three consecutive bogeys at the start of his second round to post a level-par 71 and finish tied-first on six under par.
Seven-time Sunshine Tour winner Hugo will now look forward to making his third Open Championship appearance – the first two coming in 1999 at Carnoustie and in 2001 at Royal Lytham & St Annes.
Joining him on six under was Darren Fichardt, who qualified for his fifth Open Championship with rounds of 67 and 69. 34-year-old Fichardt made three consecutive birdies on the seventh, eighth and ninth holes to claim the outright lead and, despite dropped shots on 10 and 11, he earned his Open chance in relative comfort, two strokes ahead of the field.
Fichardt, two-time winner on the European Tour, will return to St Andrews 10 years after making his Major Championship debut there in the 2000 – he subsequently played in 2002, 2004 and in 2008, when he qualified through IFQ – Africa at the same venue.
The final Open Championship berth was decided by a play-off between Cunliffe, fellow South African Oliver Bekker and the Netherlands’ Joost Luiten.

Cunliffe, who, like Fichardt, qualified for Royal Birkdale through IFQ – Africa in 2008, emerged with the place. He holed a 20ft putt for eagle on the fourth extra hole, the 18th, after all three players made par, birdie, par on the first three.
The next International Final Qualifying event for The Open Championship, IFQ – Asia, will take place at Saujana Golf and Country Club near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on March 10 and 11.
The 2010 Open Championship will be held at St Andrews on 15-18 July.
Full hole-by-hole scores from IFQ – Africa are available on www.opengolf.com.

Hugo leads Open International Qualifying in South Africa

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE R&A
South Africa’s Jean Hugo is two strokes clear of the field at the halfway stage of International Final Qualifying – Africa, taking place at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club. Tomorrow, three players will win their place in the 150th Anniversary Open Championship at St Andrews this July.
After overnight storms delayed today’s start by four hours, Hugo signed for a bogey-free, six-under-par 65 around the par-71 East Course.
The 34-year-old, who has won seven times on the Sunshine Tour and once on the Challenge Tour (a 2000 victory in the Volvo Finnish Open), is bidding to play in his third Open Championship after competing at Carnoustie in 1999 and again in 2001 at Royal Lytham & St Annes.
Having missed the cut at both the Africa Open and last week’s Joburg Open, it was a welcome, and timely, return to form with the putter: “I made a big putt on 10 where I started today – about 30 feet and I didn’t make anything the whole week last week, so it was ironic,” he said.
“Tomorrow, I’ve got to do the same thing. It’s one of those good things to do, especially at St Andrews – so that’s a big incentive.”
Currently occupying the other two Open Championship places available are South Africans Oliver Bekker and Darren Fichardt.
Fichardt qualified for The Open through IFQ - Africa in 2008, making his fourth Championship appearance after playing in 2000, 2002 and 2004. The 25-year-old Bekker, however, is attempting to make his first trip to The Open and is, at present, enjoying a solid run of form in South Africa, having shared 35th at the Africa Open and 30th in the Joburg Open.
Joost Luiten of the Netherlands and South Africans Warren Abery, Alan Michell and Douglas McGuigan are a further two back on two-under.
With four more on one-under and a further nine on level-par, the three coveted Open places are still within reach of a large number of players.
A field of 52 players is contesting the 36 holes of International Final Qualifying at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club with the top three after tomorrow’s second round earning a place at the 150th Anniversary Open Championship at St Andrews on 15 – 18 July.
Full first-round hole-by-hole scores can be found on www.opengolf.com.

Time running out to get cheaper

tickets for St Andrews Open

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE R&A

St Andrews: For those who wish to witness every moment of the 150th Anniversary Open Championship at St Andrews, there are only 11 days left to purchase Season Tickets at the discounted price of £200. Entry with a Season Ticket for all eight days of play works out at a cost of £25 per day, representing a saving of over 40% on full-price admission for the same period.
“Discounted season tickets always represent excellent value and, with The Open Champions Challenge and the 150th Anniversary, this year more than ever,” said David Hill, The R&A’s Director of Championships.

“Sales have been strong and we look forward to welcoming large and enthusiastic galleries to St Andrews to celebrate this historic Championship.”
The Open Champions Challenge will take place on the Wednesday evening before the Championship gets underway. All 32 living Open Champions have been invited to compete in this four-hole competition over the first, second, 17th and 18th holes of the Old Course.
Greenside Club tickets have sold out but ‘Railway Club at the 17th Tee’ tickets are still available. The ticket gives a full week’s access to a reserved stand by the new 17th tee, which also overlooks the 16th and second green, as well as access to the Railway Club Marquee, in which complimentary tea, coffee and newspapers, plus a range of other catering to purchase, can be enjoyed.
During the four days of the Championship, a daily ticket will cost £60 and concessionary tickets are available. Under-16s will continue to be admitted free of charge.
Ticket enquiries should be directed through www.opengolf.com or +44 (0) 1334 460010.

Open International Qualifying for Australasia

Barnes, Porter, Senior win places at St Andrews

Kurt Barnes shot a second-round 64 at Kingston Heath, Melbourne today to win this year's Open at St Andrews' 36-hole International Qualifying Australasian tournament.
Barnes, who had a two-round total of 10-under 134, will be joined in Scotland from July 15-18 by fellow Australians Ewan Porter and Peter Senior from the 44-man qualifying field.
Porter, who led after 18 holes, finished two strokes behind Barnes after a second-round 68. Senior shot 70 to finish five strokes off the lead.
Steve Jones (69) and Aaron Townsend (72) of Australia were the best of the non-qualifiers, finishing two shots out of a play-off for the final qualifying spot.
Porter has twice previously qualified through the Australasian tournament, both times at his home club at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney in 2007 and 2008. Senior will be playing the Open for the 18th time – he last competed in 2000 at St. Andrews.
Other Open International Qualifying tournaments are scheduled for January 20-21 in South Africa, an Asian qualifying tournament at a date to be announced, May 24 at Gleneagles Country Club in Plano, Texas, and the European qualifier June 7 at Sunningdale Golf Club, Surrey.

AMENDMENTS MADE TO ENTRY

CRITERIA AHEAD OF

2010 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE R&A
November 16, 2009, St Andrews: The R&A has announced changes to the entry criteria ahead of The Open Championship’s 150th Anniversary, to be played at St Andrews from July 11-18, 2010.
A new exemption category has been introduced for the 2010 Open. Condition F(4) exempts from qualifying any past Open Champions who finished in the top 10 and ties in any of the previous five Open Championships, thus effectively providing them with a five year exemption into the Championship.
“We have introduced this exemption as a direct response to seeing two of our great Open Champions, both in their fifties, challenging to win our championship these last two years,” explained Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A.
“We rightly reduced the age of exemption for past champions from 65 to 60 two years ago and our intention was never to remove players still at the top of their game from competing in The Open.”
Competitors at The Open Championship; International Final Qualifying - Australasia, Asia, America and Europe; and at Local Final Qualifying will be subject to the new clubface groove regulations as per Decision 4-1/1 of Decisions on the Rules of Golf.

Watson and Norman have influenced R&A's rethink

FROM THE GUARDIAN.CO.UK WEBSITE
Tom Watson, who was 59 at last year's Open, came within a shot of being the oldest winner of a major by 11 years.
Now, thanks to the R&A changing their championship criteria, Watson will be able to go on playing in the Open beyond next year's championship at St Andrews.
The American was one putt away from lifting a record-equalling sixth Claret Jug at Turnberry in July – and at 59 would have been the oldest major winner of all time by a staggering 11 years.
Now 60, Watson would have lost his past champions' exemption next summer under the old rules, but the Royal & Ancient Club has responded not just to his performance, but also that of 54-year-old Greg Norman, who at Birkdale last year led with nine holes to play before eventually finishing third.
A new entry category has been introduced for the 2010 Open which exempts from qualifying any past champion who finished in the top 10 and ties in any of the previous five Opens, thus effectively providing them with a five-year exemption.
"We have introduced this as a direct response to seeing two of our great Open champions, both in their fifties, challenging to win our championship these last two years," explained Peter Dawson, the R&A chief executive.
"We rightly reduced the age of exemption for past champions from 65 to 60 in 2007 and our intention was never to remove players still at the top of their game from competing in the Open."
Watson needed to par the last hole in July, but went just over the green, putted nine feet past and missed the return.
The bogey sent him into a four-hole play-off with his compatriot Stewart Cink, who won it comfortably by six strokes.
The drama came on the same course where Watson beat Jack Nicklaus for the second of his five titles in 1977.

If only Alfie Fyles had been there to put

a nine-iron in Tom Watson's hand

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
By Frank DeFord
This is one more last story about Tom Watson and Turnberry . . . and about caddies.
Almost a decade after he beat Jack Nicklaus in the famous Open there in 1977, I did a retrospective piece for Sports Illustrated. The responses of the two golfers were fascinating.
Nicklaus simply didn't want to talk about it. "I couldn't even take you around that course," he snapped. No, Jack Nicklaus had lost at Turnberry and wanted to forget it.
Watson, on the other hand, had no trouble remembering it all. Keep in mind now now, it was nine years later, but twice tears came to his eyes merely in talking again about that magnificent victory.
Then I hunted down one other important person, and, at Turnberry — or Tonbree, which is more how they say it over there — we walked the course together.
His name was Alfie Fyles. He was Watson's British caddie. Nicklaus had brought his regular caddie over from the States. Alfie had first had Watson's bag two years before, at Carnoustie, when Watson had won his first Grand Slam championship.
Caddying in Britain was much more of a profession then. Men like Alfie did it for a life's work. They spoke in that Cockney argot, where you use code rhymes for key words. A Vera Lynn meant a shot of gin, for instance, sizzle and strife was your missus.
After Carnoustie, Alfie threw the Gregory Peck — the check — that Watson gave him on the floor, insulted by how small he thought it was. Caddies like Alfie believed that they could truly improve their golfer. But even then the craft was dying out.
"All you got left is bag-carriers," Alfie groused. "All they can do is give a golfer a weather report, not the right club."
So it was, that on the 72nd hole, with a one-stroke lead over Nicklaus, Watson faced a second shot of about 180 yards. Alfie fingered a seven-iron. Watson stared at him. "You know I can only carry 160/165 with a six," he said. A seven iron is even less club. "Ah," said Alfie, "but the way your adrenalin's pumpin', Tom."
Watson took the seven and hit it 30 inches from the cup, sank the putt and beat Nicklaus by a stroke.
So, on Sunday, as I watched on television, here came Watson down the final fairway at Turnberry . . . one up, exactly like back in '77. His tee-shot was straight. I couldn't tell how far away he was, but I remembered Alfie. I knew Tom's adrenalin was pumpin' again. To myself, I thought: whatever club you'd normally use, go one less.
He hit a beautiful shot, straight at the flag, but it was too strong and it went over the back of the green. He bogied and lost the lead and then the tournament.
Almost the first thing Watson said afterwards was that he'd used an eight iron for that second shot on 18. Yeah, he'd considered a nine, but an eight was normally right for the distance.
I thought of old Alfie again, and what an irony.
Tom Watson didn't lose the Open because he was 59 years old. He lost because he was 59 years old, but playing like the 26-year-old he was back in 1977 — only he didn't have that old-fashioned caddie to remind him how good and strong he was again.

Open Championship Attendance Figures

Practice days : 19,500.
Thursday : 23,500.
Friday: 28,000.
Saturday: 27,500.
Sunday : 24,500.
Total : 123,000.

'It tears your gut - it's not easy to take,'

says Tom Watson, 'but it's not a funeral'

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Tom Watson is furious with himself for not giving this year's Open Championship at Turnberry the incredible climax it deserved.
All the 59-year-old had to do to claim victory was hit a nine iron onto the green from the middle of the 72nd fairway and two-putt for the most astonishing victory the game has ever seen. But he decided on an eight iron, sent it just off the back edge and from there raced his first putt eight feet past and missed the return before capitulating in the play-off with Stewart Cink.
"It tears at your gut, as it always has torn at my gut - it's not easy to take," he said.
Eleven years older than Julius Boros was when he set the record for oldest major winner at the 1968 US PGA, Watson now moves on to Sunningdale for the Senior British Open starting on Thursday.
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More News
Cink full of admiration for Watson
The Open Championship's official website
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But nothing he does there can grab the attention of the sporting world in the way he did right from his opening 65 last Thursday.
Back on the course where his "Duel in the Sun" with Jack Nicklaus took place in 1977 - he matched his great rival's closing birdie to win by one then - Watson dominated the week.
"It would have been a hell of a story, wouldn't it," he said to reporters after first of all breaking the silence by commenting: "This ain't a funeral, you know.
"I just didn't do it and the play-off was one bad shot after another, but the crowds were just wonderful to me all week.
"It was almost. Almost. The dream almost came true."
Asked for the most abiding memory of his adventure Watson thought and answered: "I think coming up the 18th hole again. Those memories are hard to forget. Coming up in the amphitheatre and having the crowd cheering you on like they do here for me. The feeling is mutual and that makes you feel human. It makes you feel so good."

Paul Lawrie tastes instant success

with some help from Bob Torrance

FROM THE SPORT.SCOTSMAN.COM WEBSITE
By MIKE AITKEN
Paul Lawrie, the Open champion ten years ago at Carnoustie, has turned to Bob Torrance, the Scot who tutored Padraig Harrington to victory at Carnoustie in 2007 and Royal Birkdale last year, in a bid to sort out his own swing and help him contend at the highest level again.
If the first fruits of the fledgling partnership between this illustrious pair are anything to go by – the Aberdonian signed for 68 and 288 in the final round of the Open which included an albatross 2 on the par-5 seventh – then the future for the former Ryder Cup player looks bright.
Although nine Scots qualified to play in the 138th Open, only Lawrie and David Drysdale, 73 for 290 on his debut, played all 72 holes. The abiding recollection of this championship from the home of golf's perspective was the mud-slinging between Sandy Lyle and Colin Montgomerie which overshadowed the build-up to the Open.
Once a tee was placed in the ground, there were no headline-makers with club-in-hand to match Lyle's foot-in-mouth talent for generating stories. That said, after carding 76 in the third round and playing "awful" golf, Lawrie signed off on a high.
"I saw Bob on the range last night for an hour-and-a-half," said the highest-placed Scot. "I saw him again this morning and quite liked what he had to say. It was very simple and he gave me a couple of things to work on. We're going to have a whole day on it at Largs on Tuesday and I'll make a decision then (about working together].
"He said to move off it a little bit more on the backswing and get back to the rhythm that I used to have when I was with Adam (Hunter, Lawrie's former coach]. I did a little of that today and hit it really good. I've always wanted to hear what he (Bob) had to say. He's one of those boys that you respect so much. I was going well with Adam for a long time and I never really had the chance (to work with Bob]. But on Saturday I played awful and thought I had nothing to lose."
Given that making an albatross in major championship golf is as rare as finding a book of Penny Blacks in a Post Office, it was the first occasion Lawrie had ever made a 2 on a par 5.
"I had 213 yards to the pin, a little off the left and I hit a three-quarters 4-iron. I saw it go in, too, which was kind of nice. It was the perfect distance really. I hit driver off the tee over the corner, a big high drive over the left-hand bunker."
While it didn't have quite the resonance of Gene Sarazen's 4-wood to the 15th at Augusta in 1935, the shot heard around Maidens was encouraging enough to make the Aberdonian feel more positive about what the rest of the season holds for him.
The 1999 champion joins the following list of players who are confirmed to have achieved an albatross in the course of an Open championship:
'Young' Tom Morris: Prestwick 1870, 1st hole, 1st round (three on 578-yard par six).
Johnny Miller: Muirfield 1980, 5th hole, 2nd round.
Bill Rogers: Royal Birkdale 1983, 17th hole, 1st round.
Manny Zerman: St Andrews 2000, 5th hole 2nd round.
Jeff Maggert: Royal Lytham 2001, 6th hole, 2nd round.
Greg Owen: Royal Lytham, 2001, 11th hole 3rd round.
Gary Evans: Royal Troon 2004, 4th hole, 1st round.
*The full article contains 655 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper today.

NOW THE OPEN INQUESTS BEGIN

Lee Westwood's three

bogeys over last four

holes cost him title

FROM THE BBC.COM WEBSITE
Lee Westwood admitted feeling let down by his short game after the final-hole bogey that left him one shot adrift of a play-off for the Open title.
A superb bunker shot had the Englishman on the green in two but he saw his attempts for birdie and par slide past.
"I'm feeling fairly low now having three-putted on the last," he said.
"The 18th is not an easy hole, but if you hit the fairway the pin is very accessible. I figured that I would need a birdie there to beat Tom (Watson)."
Westwood, pictured above, finished with three bogeys over the final four holes and was left wondering what might have been after seeing Watson and eventual champion Stewart Cink progress to a four-hole shoot-out with tournament scores of two under.
"I got myself into a great position, hit some great putts on my way in, but just couldn't make one," he added.
There are some good things from this week. I'm sure I'll think what they are after I've left here.
"I thought I had made an eagle at 17 and thought I had made the putt at 16 too. I hit a good shot at 15 which just went too far into the back trap."
Chris Wood, 21, was tied for third with Westwood after he too bogeyed the last.
Earlier in his round an eagle at seven followed by birdies at eight and ten had given the Englishman a share of the lead.
But dropped shots at 13 and 14 meant his failure to rescue a heavy approach to the 18th saw him finish just short of the leaders.
Ross Fisher, who started the day one shot behind Watson, suddenly found himself in a three-shot lead after birdies on the 1st and 2nd coincided with dropped shots from the American veteran.
But the 28-year-old, who finished fifth in the US Open earlier this year, was catapulted back into the chasing pack by a disastrous quadruple-bogey 8 on the par-4 5.
Fisher dropped another two shots over holes 7 and 8 and a run of ten consecutive pars saw him finish tied in 13th on two over.
But despite his rapid reversal of fortunes Fisher insists that he had held out hope of victory after taking eight strokes on the par-four fifth.
"You just have to carry on. I was only back to level par. I still had 13 holes to go so I still felt I was very much in it," he said.
"I felt if I could stay in it to the last few holes I knew 16, 17 and 18 had been very kind to me.
England's Luke Donald signed off with a final-round 67 to take him to level par for the Turnberry event.
The 31-year-old briefly established himself as clubhouse leader after his consistent golf produced five birdies peppered throughout his round.
"I played great, really controlled today, and gave myself a chance so I'm happy with my game. I did not have a good record in this tournament so I am pleased," he said.
Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke finished nine over after bowing out with a one-under 69.
Clarke's score represented a dramatic improvement on Saturday's eight-over round and he was three under after 10 before bogeys on 14 and 15 blemished his card.
Paul Lawrie ended eight over par after a two-under round of 68 which featured an albatross at the par-5 seventh
England's Paul Casey also enjoyed a better day in Ayrshire to remain unmoved on eight over.
In an even-par round he picked up birdies at 11 and 12 between dropping shots at 4 and 17, but the world number three blamed his form earlier in the event for his failure to get amongst the contenders.
"This week's been very disappointing. It is a great but challenging golf course and I didn't play well enough," he said.
"Friday was extremely difficult and a case of hanging on and trying not to post a big number, so six over was not a good enough job of hanging on. I failed to limit the damage.
"I've played some great golf intermittently but I just didn't put it all together in consistent rounds and made too many errors. There are some good things from this week. I'm sure I'll think what they are after I've left."
England's Oliver Wilson also made it home in a regulation 70 in a final round that featured birdies on 7 and 14.


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Gutted for Westy, I think at the end he was concentrating more on winning outright, rather than focus on a play off


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Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy, who finished as the top amateur at the 2007 Open at Carnoustie, wrapped up his campaign with a 71 which left him eight over overall.
Justin Rose, who clinched the silver medal as a 17-year-old in 1998, finished with a par round to end tied for 13th on two over.
McIlroy's countryman Graeme McDowell recovered from a double-bogey 6 on the 8th with a battling back nine in which he matched three bogeys with three birdies.
He ended three over for the day and five over for the tournament.
David Howell shot his worst round of the competition to return to the clubhouse in 76 and stray to nine over.
A double bogey on 15 came amid dropped shots on 13, 14 and 16 before a birdie on the penultimate hole helped limit the damage.
Nick Dougherty also failed to press on as he made four bogeys, including one on the tricky 5th, on his way to a three-over 73 for the day. He finished on a six-over total of 286.
An opening-round 68 had Anthony Wall just four shots off the lead, but he continued to drift out towards the backmarkers with a last-day 72.
After reaching the turn one under, four successive bogeys between 13 and 16 saw the Englishman settle on seven over for the tournament.
David Drysdale, who along with Lawrie was the only Scot to survive into the weekend, picked up three birdies over the final seven holes to post a 73.
His final total of 10 over was largely down to a slow start that saw him shoot five bogeys over the front nine.
Paul Broadhurst struggled to find form as he finished with a 74 that left him 10 over for the tournament.
Fellow Englishman Graeme Storm's solid round burst into life over the final five holes, where a run of bogeys was only interrupted by an eagle on 17.
He signed for a one-over 71 for a score of nine over for the four days.

Stewart Cink beats tiring Tom Watson in

four-hole play-off for Open title

FROM THE R&A WEBSITE
American Ryder Cup player Stewart Cink is the new Open champion, snatching the title from the hands of compatriot Tom Watson in a four-hole play off after they tied on a two-under-par total of 278 at Turnberry this evening.
Watson, who had turned the clock back all week, ran out of time in his bid to win his sixth Open over the same course where he won his second in 1977. The dream ended in anti-climatic fashion as the 59-year-old five-time champion wearied over the extra holes and destroyed his chances when he took two shots to force himself clear of the thick rough to the left of the 17th fairway. As they walked off that green he trailed 36-year-old Cink by four shots.
The final hole was a formality. Watson blocked his tee shot into the crowd and was in rough short of the green in two. Cink hit two perfect shots to less then three feet and tapped in the winning putt. Watson, sadly, trailed by six shots.
Unfortunately for the talented Cink, who has earned his place in the higher echelons of the game, he was cast in the role of villain.
Playing in his 50th major championship, Cink created his shot at the title with a closing round of 69, making up three shots on Watson over the final 18 holes. He has won five tournaments on the US PGA Tour over the past 12 years and has played in 11 Opens with a previous best of tied for sixth at Carnoustie in 2007.
He took up the game when his parents, both single handicap players, left him at the driving range before he was old enough to go on the course.
“I grew up watching Tom Watson on television and hoped I could one day follow in his footsteps,” said Cink. “I never expected to be playing against him. It has been a surreal experience on one of my favourite courses in this wonderful championship.”
Ross Fisher started his last round birdie-birdie to take the lead but ran up a catastrophic quadruple bogey 8 a few holes later and his chance had gone.
Lee Westwood was in the leading pair on and off after that but dropped crucial shots over the last few holes and he too finished with an anti-climax of three putts on the 18th to fall out of joint second place.
Chris Wood, the Englishman who won the silver medal as leading amateur at Royal Birkdale 12 months ago, did amazingly well as a rookie pro to tie for third place with Westwood on 279.

ANOTHER LOOK AT TURNBERRY'S FINAL DAY
... FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Stewart Cink claimed his first major title as Tom Watson squandered the chance to create history in a dramatic Open Championship at Turnberry.
Watson just needed to par the final 72nd hole to claim his sixth Open title - a remarkable 34 years after his first - and become the oldest major winner by 11 years. But the 59-year-old hit his approach through the green and then three-putted from the back fringe, his putt for victory from eight feet never threatening the hole.
And Cink then won an anti-climactic four-hole play-off for the Claret Jug and a first cash prize of £750,000 by six shots, playing the fifth, sixth, 17th and 18th in two under par as Watson stumbled to four over. Watson's monetary reward was £459,000.
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The American pair had finished tied on two under par, Cink making a birdie on the last for a round of 69 and Watson, who led by one at the start of the day, returning a 72 after three-putting from off the back of the 18th green.
England's Lee Westwood and Chris Wood missed out on the play-off by a single shot after both bogeyed the 72nd hole, Westwood three-putting from long range and Wood failing to get up and down from the back of the green.
Compatriot Ross Fisher led by two shots after birdies at the first two holes, but took a quadruple bogey 8 at the fifth and eventually finished tied for 13th.
Speaking after receiving the Claret Jug on the 18th green, Cink added: "I stand here a little bit intimidated by this piece of hardware I have in my hands.
"There are a lot of emotions running through my mind and my heart and I'm so proud to be here with this.
"I don't even know what to say. My hat's off to Tom. He turned back the clock and did a great job and it was fun watching you all week Tom."
+Paul Lawrie remains the last British player to win an Open - 10 years after he did it at Carnoustie. Paul had the best outward half of 31 today, perehaps the best outward half of the tournament. He had an albatross 2 at the long seventh after a birdie at the third to turn in four-under-par 35. He ran up a triple bogey 7 at the 12th and dropped another shot at the 14th but finished on a high for a 68 with birdies at the short 15th and 18th (a finish that would have made all the difference if Tom Watson, Chris Wood or Lee Westwood had been able to produce the same figures a couple of hours later than Lawrie!). Paul finished on seven-over-par 287 and picked up a cheque for £13,750, and David Drysdale, the only other Scot to make the cut, totalled 290, to earn himself £10,500.


FUTURE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP VENUES
2010 ST ANDREWS, Fife
2011 ROYAL ST GEORGE'S, Kent.
2012 ROYAL LYTHAM & ST ANNE'S, Lancashire.
2103 MUIRFIELD, East Lothian.

STEWART CINK (United States) bt TOM WATSON (United States) in a four-hole play-off for the title after they had tied at two-under-par 278 for four rounds

Open Championship Scoreboard

FINAL TOTALS
Par 280 (4x70)
278 Stewart Cink (US) 66 72 71 69, Tom Watson (US) 65 70 71 72 (Cink won £750,000; Watson £400,000).
279 Chris Wood (England) 70 70 72 67, Lee Westwood (England) 68 70 70 71 (£290,000 each).
280 Luke Donald (England) 71 72 70 67, Retief Goosen (SAF) 67 70 71 72, Mathew Goggin (Tasmania) 66 72 69 73 (£180,000 each).
281 Soren Hansen (Denmark) 68 72 74 67, Justin Leonard (US) 70 70 73 68, Ernie Els (SAf) 69 72 72 68, Thonas Aiken (SAF) 71 72 69 69, Richard S Johnson (Sweden) 70 72 69 70 (£112,000 each).
282 Jeff Overton (US) 70 69 76 67, Andres Romero (Argentina) 68 74 73 67, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain) 64 73 76 69, Matteo Manassero (Italy) (am) 71 70 72 69, Camilo Villegas (Colombia) 66 73 73 70, Justin Rose (England) 69 72 71 70, Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 71 70 71 70, Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand) 69 72 69 72, Boo Weekley (US) 67 72 72 71, Ross Fisher (England) 69 68 70 75 (£67,500 each, with exception of amateur Manassero).
283 Peter Hanson (Swe) 70 71 72 70, Oliver Wilson (England) 72 70 71 70, Angel Cabrera (Argentina) 69 70 72 72 (£36,250 each).
284 Davis Love (US) 69 73 73 69, Soren Kieldsen (Denmark) 68 76 71 69, Nick Watney (US) 71 72 71 70, Mark Calcavecchia (US) 67 69 77 71, Kenichi Kuboya (Japan) 65 72 75 72, James Kingston (SAf) 67 71 74 72, John Daly (US) 68 72 72 72 (£31,500 each).
285 Richard Sterne (SAf) 67 73 75 70, Martin Kaymer (Germany) 69 70 74 72, Jim Furyk (United States) 67 72 70 76 (£24,000 each).
286 Sergio Garcia (Spain) 70 69 76 71, Thomas Levet (France) 71 73 71 71, Nick Doughery (England) 70 70 73 73, Vijay Singh (Fini) 67 70 75 74, Steve Marino (United States) 67 68 76 75 (£20,000 each).
287 Anthony Wall (England) 68 72 75 72, Branden Grace (SAf) 67 72 73 75, Bryce Molder (United States) 70 73 67 77, Paul McGinley (Ireland) 71 71 70 75 (£16,000 each).
288 Paul Lawrie (Sco) 71 73 76 68, Zach Johnson (US) 70 71 77 70, Paul Casey (Eng) 68 76 74 70, Rory McIlroy (NIr) 69 74 74 71, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spain) 69 72 73 74 (£13,750 each).
289 Darren Clarke (NIr) 71 71 78 69, Kenny Perry (Us) 71 72 75 71, Graeme Storm (Eng) 72 72 74 71, Robert Allenby (Australia) 70 74 73 72, Johan Edfors (Sweden) 71 73 72 73, Billy Mayfair (US) 69 73 73 74, Steve Stricker (US) 66 77 70 76, David Howell (England) 68 73 72 76 (£11,750 each)..
290 David Drysdale (Sco) 69 73 75 73, Tom Lehman (US) 70 72 74 74, Paul Broadhurst (Eng) 70 72 74 74, Kevin Sutherland (US) 69 73 73 75 (£10,500 each).
291 Ryuji Imada (Janap) 74 69 79 69 (£10,100).
292 Fredrik Andersson Hed (Sweden) 71 70 76 73, Padraig Harrngton (Ireland) 69 74 76 73, Stuart Appleby (Australia) 71 72 76 73, Sean O'Hair (US) 68 75 75 74 (£10,000 each).
293 J B Holmes (US) 68 70 75 80 (£9,600).
295 Mark O'Meara (US) 67 77 77 74, Fredrick Jacobson (Sweden) 70 72 77 76 (£9,500 each).
303 Paul Goydos (US) 72 72 77 82 (£3,200).
304 Daniel Gaunt (Australia) 76 67 79 82 (£3,200).
Selected other payments:
Colin Montgomerie £3,200, Tiger Woods £3,200, Martin Laird £2,650, Elliot Saltman £2,650, Sandy Lyle £2,375, Gary Orr £2,375, Sir Nick Faldo £2,100, Lloyd Saltman £2,100, Gary Norman £2,100.

Tom Watson feels 'serene .... it would be something

special if I do what I intend to do on Sunday'

FROM THE TELEGRAPH.CO.UK WEBSITE
By MARK REASON
For much of the third round at Turnberry today, Tom Watson showed the whippersnappers how to hit a golf ball off the pinched seaside turf. He shaped his shots with the precision of Rodin knocking a few chips out of a block of marble. Watson has been telling us all week that he can win this darned thing and we are finally starting to believe him.
We thought TW might win the Open this year, but we did not think TW would turn out to be Tom Watson. He said: “This old geezer might have a chance to win the tournament. It’s like Greg Norman last year. I know that my friend Jack [Nicklaus] is watching. It would be something special if I do what I intend to do.”
Watson revealed that as he walked up the 18th fairway he told his caddie: “Bruce is with us today.” Bruce is Watson’s former caddie Bruce Edwards, who died of Lou Gehrig’s disease a few years ago. It was a wonder that Watson could still two-putt through the tears.
Asked if he would be nervous going into the final round, Watson said: “I didn’t feel real nervous out there today. I guess serene is the right word for it. It ended on a real good note again. I feel like my nerves are too well fried to feel [any more]. Let’s just go with what I got.”
Watson will play with Australian Mathew Goggin in Sunday’s final round. He could scarcely wish for a better partner. Goggin, who played with Watson in the third round of the 2003 Open at St George’s, said: “That was probably the highlight of the Open for me. He’s such a great player and such a great champion, especially at the Open. It was shocking just how good he was. I’m thinking he’s getting on in years and not playing so much and he’s just smashing it around.”
Watson can triumph, but this is now the open Open. There are still more than 20 players who could win and the English must be in with their best chance of a major since Nick Faldo last shined his golf shoes as a realistic contender.
There are four Englishmen inside the top 20 and even the likes of Luke Donald, David Howell and Oliver Wilson are not entirely out of it at three over par.
Fisher and Lee Westwood have as good a shot as anyone on the leaderboard. From tee to green they were the best players on the course in the third round. Both men have contended at US Opens over the previous two years. They know what it feels like at the warm end of a major.
Westwood and Fisher hit so many good iron shots throughout the third round, but how often have we twisted our bodies in anguish as another putt slips by the edge of the hole. When the Brits are in contention at a major we need a chiropractor by the end of the week. Our necks and spines are like spaghetti junction.
It is agony. Why have there not been any great British putters down the years? Willie Park Jnr said the man who can putt is a match for anyone. The trouble is that he won the Open back in 1889. It feels that we have been waiting that long for another decent putter to come along.
Why are all the great putters in history from overseas? Is it something to do with orange juice and sunshine?
Lloyd Mangrum used to say of the South African Bobby Locke: “That son of a bitch was able to hole a putt over 60 feet of peanut brittle.” The Brits do not seem to be able to hole a putt down the spout of a funnel.
Fisher’s only bogey on the front nine came when he missed a tiddler on the fifth green. There was an inevitability about it. Fisher looked like a man who wanted to get it over with. The 28 year-old had a great chance to win the US Open but he putted like a man whose fingers were set in concrete.
Fisher, the bookies’ favourite, does not talk about winning a major, he talks about winning majors. That is good to hear, but he will have to hole the putts on Sunday. Fisher has the long game, but does he have the touch and the unblinking belief to hole the clutch putts?
The same is true of Westwood. Asked how he holed so many putts, the great American potter Billy Casper said: “How does a seagull fly, how does a centipede get all those legs working at once?”
Westwood would love to know the answer to those questions, but he also knows it is about hanging around and not making the big mistakes.
Fisher is just hoping that his wife, Jo, who was due on Tuesday, does not go into labour during today’s final round. Asked if he would walk off the course if the call came through, Fisher decided to duck the question.
It may well come down to a choice between paternity and eternity – Fisher will be a father for the rest of his life, but he may have only one chance to become a part of history.
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OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

It's the Wonder of Watson - but

can Old Tom keep it going

another day?

ASKS COLIN FARQUHARSON
Can the Wonder of Watson last just one more day - the final day of the 2009 Open championship at his beloved Turnberry where he scored arguably the most memorable - until now - of his five wins in 1977.
Tom Watson, now 59 but apart from the odd wrinkle, much the same man with much the same cheery smile and much the same crisp swing and gait, will start Sunday with a one-shot lead to protect or increase over the last 18 holes as he chases a would-you-believe-it? sixth Open victory.
Four of the five previous Open wins have been on Scottish links - Carnoustie (1975), Turnberry (1977), Royal Troon (1980) and Muirfield (1982).
Just when you think "Old Tom" has shot his bolt and he will now start to subside down the field, up he comes with birdies at two of the final three holes today for a third-round 71 and a 54-hole tally of four-under-par 206.
Forget about the one-time Kid from Kansas - there are those of us who can remember when Tom first came to the fore in the early 1970s, he was labelled as "choker" because he had a history of losing tournaments he should have won, which seems such nonsense with the benefit of hindsight.
But, as I say, if you stand back from the "Wow" factor of Watson this week, you have potentially one of the most "anyone-can-win" last days in the recent Open championship history. If this is what happens when Tiger Woods does not survive the halfway cut, it may be a disaster for him but it sure makes life very interesting for the rest of us.
For Aberdonians, it brings back memories of 1999 at Carnoustie when Paul Lawrie started the final day well off the pace after rounds of 73, 74 and 76 but shot a brilliant last round of 67 (seven better than Tiger Woods' last round) to force himself into a play-off with Justin Leonard and Jean Van de Velde before eventually winning it.
Lawrie, after a disappointing third-round 76, starts the final day at Turnberry on 220, some 14 shots behind Watson.
With Padraig Harrington 13 shots off the pace after a 76 for 219 and his dream of a hat-trick of Open titles now gone, the leading player from this side of the Atlantic is Englishman Ross Fisher whose pregnant wife might go into labour at any minute with all the excitement her husband is causing.
Fisher put together a fine par-matching 70 in conditions that were not so easy as Thursday but not so difficult as Friday, a cross wind testing the judgement of all the players.
Fisher and one of the lesser-known Australians, Mathew Goggin who had a 67 for 27, share second place, one shot behind Watson.
England's Lee Westwood and South African Retief Goosen are sitting two strokes off the lead.
American duo Jim Furyk and Stewart Cink are just behind on one under and are the only other players under par after another blustery day made low scoring difficult.
Only five players managed to card an under-par round and with the wind set to increase on Sunday, another unpredictable day is in prospect.
But Watson, who collected the last of his eight majors at the Open in 1984, has displayed a mastery of the conditions all week and on Sunday will draw on a wealth of links experience in his quest for a remarkable win.
Tom Watson's playing partner and compatriot Steve Marino salvaged a 76 when he looked at one stage as if he were heading for an 86.
The 29-year-old lesser light from the US PGA Tour dropped five strokes to par over his first five holes. His ball plugged in the side of a hill and the hole, a short one, cost him a triple bogey 6.
He missed a whole series of putts from within the 10ft mark that he had knocked in nonchalantly over the first two days in a 67-68 start.
But don't get the idea that Marino is there under false pretences. They guy can play. He had an eagle, nearly made another and closed with a birdie-birdie finish that kept him on the fringe of contention.
"Right now, I'm a little bit bummed out because I really hung in there in the middle of the round," said Marino whose six-over 76 included only seven pars. "It's amazing how fast you can let a pretty good round get away from you."
Padraig Harrington's chances of winning a third consecutive Open Championship were blown firmly off course in the third round.
Harrington, seeking to emulate Peter Thomson's Open hat-trick of 1954-56, made the cut by a single shot, the Irishman lying eight strokes off the pace on three over par following rounds of 69 and 74.
The 37-year-old got off to the perfect start in his third round with a birdie on the first from 10ft, but he then missed from similar range on the second, three-putted the third for bogey and dropped another stroke at the par-5 seventh.
A double bogey on the eighth took Harrington out in 38, and further bogeys on the 12th and 14th meant the three-time major winner was eight over par and 13 shots off the lead.
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Harrington, of course, came from six shots back going into the final round of his first Open triumph at Carnoustie in 2007.
There are only seven players under the 54-hole par of 210 - and any one of them can win it: Watson, Goggin, Fisher, Westwood, Goosen, Furyk or Goosen.
And the incentive for the next 20 players on 211 and 212 is that they too have the chance to do a Paul Lawrie or even a Johnny Miller, who shot a very low score on the last day to come out of the pack and win the 1973 Open at Oakmont.
One thing is certain before a ball is struck in the fourth round, 16-year-old Italian Matteo Manassero, who became the youngest ever winner of the British amateur title last month at Formby, will win the silver medal as the leading amateur in the Open.
TURNBERRY, Scotland (Reuters) - Sixteen-year-old Italian Matteo Manassero will finish school before turning professional despite winning the silver medal as leading amateur at the British Open.
He is the only amateur still standing and with a three-round total of 213, he has done a lot better than quite a few professionals in the Turnberry field.
The best news is that he is going to complete his education, maybe even at a US college where he would have the pick of the best if he wants to.
"No, I do not want to turn professional (now), in three years when I finish school," Manassero said today after carding a two-over 72 in the third round.
Other winners of the silver medal, like world number 22 Rory McIlroy two years ago, and Scotland's Lloyd Saltman before that have turned professional after achieving success as amateurs at the Open.
"I must finish school, it is important to me," said Manassero.

HOW THEY STAND AFTER THREE ROUNDS
Par 210 (3x70)
206 Tom Watson (United States) 65 70 71.
207 Mathew Goggin (Australia) 66 72 69, Ross Fisher (England) 69 68 70.
208 Lee Westwood (England) 68 70 70, Retief Goosen (South Africa) 67 70 71.
209 Jim Furyk (United States) 67 72 70, Stewart Cink (United States) 66 72 71.
211 Bryce Molder (United States) 70 73 67, Richard S Johnson (Sweden) 70 72 69, Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand) 69 72 69, Boo Weekley (United States) 67 72 72, Angel Cabrera (Argentina) 69 70 72, Steve Marino (United States) 67 68 76.
212 Thomas Aiken (South Africa) 71 72 69, Paul McGinley (Ireland) 71 71 70, GraemeMcDowell (Northern Ireland) 68 73 71, Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 71 70 71, Francesco Molinari (Italy) 71 70 71, Justin Rose (England) 69 72 71, Chris Wood (England) 70 70 72, John Daly (United States) 68 72 72, Branden Grace (South Africa) 67 72 73, Camilo Villegas (Colombia) 66 73 73, James Kingston (South Africa) 67 71 74, Vijay Singh (Fiji) 67 70 73, Kenichi Kuboya (Japan) 65 72 75.
213 Justin Leonard (United States) 70 70 73, Nick Dougherty (England) 70 7 73, Martin Kaymer (Germany) 69 70 74, J B Holmes (United States) 68 70 75, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain) 64 73 76, Mark Calcavecchia (United States) 67 69 77, Luke Donald (England) 71 70 70, Steve Stricker (United States) 66 77 70, Oliver Wilson (England) 72 70 71, David Howell (England) 68 73 72, Peter Hanson (Sweden) 70 71 72, Matteo Manassero (Italy) (amateur) 71 70 72, Ernie Els (South Africa) 69 72 72. .
214 Nick Watney (United States) 71 72 71, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spain) 69 72 73, Soren Hansen (Denmark).
215 Thomas Levet (France) 71 73 71, Soren Kjeldsen (Denmark) 68 76 71, Billy Mayfair (United States) 69 73 73, Kevin Sutherland (United States) 69 73 73, Davis Love (United States) 69 73 73, Andres Romero (Argentina) 68 74 73, Anthony Wall (England) 68 72 75, Richard Sterne (South Africa) 67 73 75, Sergio Garcia (Spain) 70 69 76, Jeff Overton (United States) 70 69 76.
216 Johann Edfors (Sweden) 71 73 72, Paul Broadhurst (England) 70 72 74, Tom Lehman (United States) 68 74 74.
217 Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) 69 74 74, David Drysdale (Scotland), 69 73 75, Robert Allenby (Australia) 69 74 74.
218 Graeme Storm (England) 72 72 784, Paul Casey (England) 68 76 74, Sean O'Hair (United States) 68 75 75, Kenny Perry (United States) 71 72 75, Zach Johnson (United States) 70 71 77.
219 Stuart Appleby 71 72 76, Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 69 74 76, Fredrik Jacobson (Sweden) 70 72 77, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Sweden) 71 70 78.
220 Paul Lawrie (Scotland) 71 73 76, Darren Clarke (Northern Ireland) 71 71 78.
221 Mark O'Meara (United States) 67 77 77 , Paul Goydos (United States) 73 72 77.
222 Ryuji Imada (Japan) 74 69 79, Daniel Gaunt (Australia) 76 67 69.

If Monty was upset by Lyle,

how's he going to cope

with pressure of Ryder

Cup week captaincy?

FROM THE SPORT.SCOTSMAN.COM WEBSITE
By Alan Pattullo
While he has hammed up the wounded animal act, Colin Montgomerie perhaps has cause to thank Sandy Lyle if they ever do manage to have that pint together.
The Jakarta-gate row with Lyle has overshadowed not only Montgomerie's poor play, but also the rather brutal possibility that this might be his last Open. Indeed, his Open career could already be over after a four-over-par 74 meant he missed the cut for the third time in his last four appearances in the tournament.
Living up to the 'drama queen' reputation resurrected by Lyle earlier this week, Montgomerie kept everyone hanging on. The projected cut hovered around four-over-par for much of the day; he finished on five.
His performance here continued his recent trend of (comparative) mediocrity on the golf course. He deserves some sympathy for having been catapulted into the media spotlight this week due to loose words elsewhere.
But if Monty's Turnberry performance was affected by Lyle's taunts, then what will happen when pitched into the real pressure-cooker environment that is the Ryder Cup?
Asked directly whether the brouhaha had impacted on his two rounds at Turnberry, Montgomerie seized on the opportunity to lay the blame somewhere other than on his own doorstep:
"Very much so, yes," he said.
Few will be fooled by this. Neither will they be surprised by Montgomerie's eagerness to deflect from his shortcomings. As he waited to tee off at the 17th during yesterday's round, he noted to his caddie that the wind had now died down.
What he was implying seemed obvious to those present: 'Jeez, that's just typical, the guys behind me are going to have it easy compared to put-upon me.'
Monty's greatest gripe this week has been with Lyle. But he was not standing over his shoulder and whispering 'cheat' into his ear when he failed to distinguish himself at Loch Lomond last week. Nor was his nemesis to blame at the European Open, when he finished tied for 55th, or at the BMW international Open, when he limped in at 66th on the leaderboard.
Montgomerie's 13th finish at the French Open is his best result of the year. With or without Lyle, Colin's talent is on the wane, regrettably, as he grows older.
In Japanese custom it is normal for those reaching the end of their days to return to their place of birth to die. His native Ayrshire could be a fitting location for his Open career to be given the last rites.
The clapping which was heard as he trudged up fairways resembled that which salutes a funeral cortege as it passes. It was slow, respectful and shot through with sadness. The Scottish golf galleries have long been recognised as knowledgeable. They were aware of the significance of the moment.
Even the wind in the wires above seemed to moan out a lament for Montgomerie, who had chosen a dark blue jersey for what could prove his farewell to the competition. It is hard to credit. The Scot finished runner-up to Tiger Woods at St Andrews just four years ago but could now reap the bleak harvest of having failed to clinch an Open title in 20 attempts.
While Paul Lawrie can look forward to competing in every Open until he is 60, thanks to his victory at Carnoustie 10 years ago, Monty is staring down the barrel of it all being over, aged just 46.
The Scot was actually lucky to qualify for this year's Open. Only a helpful change in the rules saw him join the other 155 competitors on Thursday morning. Instead of the top 20 on last season's European money list being rewarded with places it became the top 30. Montgomerie finished 27th.
Judging by his current form, he could struggle to feature in the top 30 next year. While he has been given an exemption at next month's US PGA championship due to his Ryder Cup captaincy, the Royal and Ancient club do not tend to issue invitations for this reason.
As for the Masters, Montgomerie did not qualify this year, and could struggle to do so again. The US Open, which always seemed his most likely route to major success and where he finished second on three occasions, will also require the Scot to play himself into the tournament.
Where now for Monty? He returned to his home in Perthshire last night with much thinking to do, although one thing is now firm in his mind: fellow-Perthshire resident Lyle will not be joining him on his Ryder Cup team next year.
This contest with the United States only runs for three days, but will occupy much of his time in the weeks and months ahead. While it won't necessarily affect his game, his commitments ahead of the Celtic Manor event are hardly going to help it.
Indeed, yesterday seemed to accurately represent where Montgomerie is now. He just cannot seem to take any strides forward. His last six birdies were all followed immediately by bogeys. "You can't do that and unfortunately I am going to miss out here," he said.
If it's frustrating for the fans, then what must the torment be like in Monty's mind? A rapturously received birdie at the 13th hole, where he had to recover after hitting his second into a bunker, was followed by a messy bogey at the next.
Bunker and hay were visited on his way to a 5 and his mood darkened again. His slouched demeanour was permitted in the circumstances. He still commands support. It has been more notable this week due to him having also attracted the sympathy vote.
Many here felt Lyle's comments were below the belt, and uncalled for. These are Monty's ain (Ayrshire) folk, after all.
One shout of "Well played Monty!" seemed intended to gee him up but having just pocketed a double bogey, the Scot understandably interpreted it as sarcasm. He stopped in his tracks. "Well played? I have just shot a double bogey!"
He felt the warmth of the crowd when a marshall shouted, "Will you stand still!" to spectators just as he was addressing the ball at the 17th. Monty glared at the gentleman in question, and just shook his head.
"C'mon Monty, you can still do it!" came another shout.The Scot would swap all this empathy for a place among the contenders again. It was all rather mundane as he came down the last fairway at just after 1pm. It felt as though the flags on the stands should all have been at half-mast. Applause rippled in the galleries but was drowned out by the reception for Tom Watson at the first tee nearby.
Montgomerie really needed at least a par to leave him with a chance of weekend involvement. He shot a bogey, having found another bunker with his tee shot. This wasn't the way anyone wanted him to go – not even Sandy Lyle.

IT'S 7-1 THE FIELD NOW THAT TIGER'S GONE
The shock and totally unexpected departure of Tiger Woods at the halfway stage of the Open has left punters racking their brains to find the next winner of the Claret Jug, with some generous prices reflecting the nature of a closely-packed field.
LATEST ODDS
L Westwood 7-1
R Goosen 7-1
R Fisher 10-1
S Garcia 10-1
S Marino 14-1
V Singh 14-1
J Furyk 16-1
C Villegas 20-1
M Kaymer 20-1
M A Jiménez 20-1
A Cabrera 25-1
S Cink 25-1
J B Holmes 33-1
M Calcavecchia 33-1
T Watson 33-1
Others 50-1 and upwards
•Source: Ladrokes.com

DAD-TO-BE ROSS WAITS FOR WIFE-IN-LABOUR CALL

Fisher has every chance of bringing

this baby home

FROM THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER GOLF SERVICE
By Andy Farrell at Turnberry
When it comes to holding aloft precious cargo this weekend Ross Fisher could have his hands full, with or without the Claret Jug. There is no guarantee that Fisher, despite being handily placed on the leaderboard, will even complete the 138th Open.
As soon as news arrives that his pregnant wife Jo is going into labour, the 28-year-old Wentworth professional will be on a private plane from Prestwick to Farnborough.
The due date was on Tuesday but after Fisher completed 36 holes in scores of 69 and 68 to be three under par, the fairytale finish would see him holding both the new born and the Open trophy by Monday morning.
Out in the worst of yesterday morning's conditions, Fisher produced a rare sub-par round and after signing his card, rose further up the leaderboard while others still struggled out on the links.
Back home in Cheam, Jo had to leave the television for a doctor's appointment.
Fisher's situation mirrors that of Phil Mickelson at the 1999 US Open when he carried a pager and also vowed to leave the course the moment he was required elsewhere. He contended until the very last hole before losing to Payne Stewart's birdie.
Had he forced a play-off the next day, he could not have stayed for it.
========================================
More Open championship stories. Click on line to read:
Watson of old fills void left by wounded Tiger
A day when Tiger looked mortal and bewildered
Monty overdoes the death stare as his game deserts him
Gary Player: 'In 1955 I slept in the dunes. I wanted to win so badly'
2009 Open diary: Rose gets one over 16th
========================================

"I'd love to be here for all four days but obviously my wife comes first," Fisher said. "If she were to go into labour later this evening or tomorrow I've got no choice. I want to be there. It's going to be a great experience and one that I don't want to miss."
But if the baby were to hang on a couple more days, or to arrive outside of Fisher's weekend tee-times, then an even greater story remains a hope. "Maybe this is an inspiration, perhaps it is driving me on to hopefully win a major championship and then see Jo give birth to our first child. It would be a fairytale but obviously it is out of my hands. Hopefully it will hold off for another couple of days and I can play two more good rounds."
Thoughts of Fisher winning a maiden major are far from fanciful. He may have won only twice on the European Tour but he looked comfortable in his debut at the Masters in April and highly impressive when almost winning the US Open last month.
A fifth-place finish at Bethpage, one ahead of Tiger Woods and three behind the winner Lucas Glover, showed Fisher that his "game is ready to win the biggest and best tournaments". His long game was superb but he did not get rewarded on the greens. Here he has taken command on the closing stretch, birdieing the last three holes on Thursday and the 15th, 16th and 17th holes yesterday.
Two other strongly-fancied English players have not lived up to expectations. Ian Poulter, who at Royal Birkdale last year saw only one person ahead of him on the leaderboard, finished with hardly anybody behind him at 14 over par. "I didn't hit any decent shots," he said. "If you are going to play that badly it doesn't matter where you play. I would have missed the cut on the easiest municipal playing like that. I could have had a set of spades in my bag this week and I still wouldn't have found the middle of the greens."
Meanwhile, Paul Casey, the world No 3, missed an 18-inch tap-in on the fifth and snapped his driver in frustration on the eighth before finishing the day at four over par and just making the cut. "It had lasted four years so it has had a good innings," he said.

Shot of the day
Tom Watson's birdie putt on the 18th. Not quite as long as his 75ft putt on the 16th but far more dramatic. He and his 17-year-old playing partner Matteo Manassero were just off the green almost equidistant from the hole and they jokingly disputed who was furthest away. The young Italian went first but it was Watson's brilliant putt that brought the grandstand to its feet.

Sky presenter Kay Burley accuses TV channel's

sports report of being 'staggeringly sexist'

FROM THE TELEGRAPH.CO.UK WEBSITE
By Matthew Moore
Sky News presenter Kay Burley, 39, criticised sports reporter Nick Powell for suggesting that Jo Fisher should not contact her husband Ross if she went into labour during the championship.
After the first two rounds at the 138th Open at Turnberry, Ross Fisher is two shots off the lead in joint fourth place, with a serious chance of contesting the title.
Reporting on play in a live exchange on Friday, Powell said that the golfer should not be made travel back for the birth if he was in a winning position.
"She [Jo] knows where the bread and butter comes from and an Open title is not to be sniffed at," he said.
"It's not sexist, I only mean that he is the main bread winner I happen to know."
Burley, who anchors the afternoon programme on the rolling news channel, immediately challenged her colleague.
"Staggeringly sexist comments coming from my left here," she said. "She probably brings some money to the table too."
Burley then asked women to call in with their opinions on Powell's statements.
Speaking before the tournament, Ross Fisher, 28, said he would abandon the tournament to attend the birth, which was due on Tuesday.
"I'd love to play for all four days, but my wife comes first. If she were to go into labour later on this evening or tomorrow, I've got no choice," he said.
"I want to be there. It's going to be a great experience and one that I don't want to miss."

Duff of the day
As if Paul Casey did not have enough problems as he fell from two-under to four-over, he really did not need to miss a "tap-in" from 18 inches on the fifth. Casey did not mark it and could not take a proper stance, but he claimed the error did not arise out of frustration. However, the broken driver on the eighth tee most definitely did.

Nightmare of the day
Last year's runner-up Ian Poulter came into the Open as Britain's most fancied contender but in the event crashed out at 14-over. Yesterday's 79 was his worst ever round in the Open. "Horrible, horrible," he said. "The week's finished and thank God. I didn't hit a golf shot for two days. Were the pin positions to blame? Er, no. For me it was the green positions."

World No 1 explains first-time failure to make Open cut

'I just made too many mistakes' - Tiger Woods

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Tiger Woods rued the errors which saw him miss the cut at the Open for the first time at Turnberry.
The world number one crashed to a second-round 74 for a five-over-par total of 145, missing the cut by one despite birdies at the 16th and 17th.
Not since 2004 has Woods has gone through a season without a major, but he knows he will have to play better than he did in Scotland as he said: "I just made too many mistakes. Obviously you can't make mistakes and expect to not only make the cut, but also try and win a championship. You have to play clean rounds of golf and I didn't."
Asked if it was the worst he could remember playing, Woods quickly retorted: "It was pretty bad at Winged Foot."
======================================
More News (click on the Open story you want to read)
Watson enjoying fairytale Open
Cut claims big names
McIlroy draws on experience
Poulter: It was a lost cause
Related Links
The Open Championship's official website
=====================================
That was his one previous major missed cut and in that he had two rounds of 76 for a 12-over-par total that was three strokes too many to survive.
This time he shot 71-74 to miss out by one on five over.
The stretch that cost him came around the turn - tough holes at any time, but in wind and rain all the more demanding. Woods, one under for the day after a superb pitch set up a birdie on the long seventh, bogeyed the next two and then lost his ball off a wild drive down the 456-yard 10th.
That led to a double-bogey 6. He dropped another shot two holes later and then had another double on the 13th.
"I was probably going to have to birdie the last four - that's what I thought," he added, although in that he was wrong. Three would have done it.
"The wind was blowing pretty good and you just had to hit good shots. But I was struggling there for a little bit - I hit two bad three woods in a row."

OPEN SCOREBOARD

QUALIFIERS
Par 140 (2x70).
Qualifying mark: 144 (+4) or better
135 S Marino 67 69, T Watson 65 70.
136 M Calcavecchia 67 69.
137 R Fisher 69 68, R Goosen 67 70, M A Jimenez 64 73, K Kuboya 65 72, V J Singh 67 70.
138 J B Holmes 68 70, J Kingston 67 71, L Westwood 68 70, S Cink 66 72, M Goggin 66 72.
139 M Kaymer 69 70, A Cabrera 69 70, J Furyk 67 72, J Overton 70 69, S Garcia 70 69, C Villegas 66 73, B Weekley 67 72, B Grace 67 72.
140 S Hanson 68 72, J Daly 68 72, R Sterne 67 73, A Wall 68 72, N Dougherty 70 7, J Leonard 70 70, C Wood 70 70.
141 E Els 69 72, J Rose 70 71, Z Johnson 70 71, F Molinari 71 70, F Andersson Hed 71 70, H Stensen 71 70, M Manassero (am) 71 70, P Hanson 70 71, G McDowell 68 73, G Fernandez-Castano 69 72, D Howell 78 73, T Jaidee 69 72.
142 A Romero 68 74, D Love 69 73, P McGinley 71 71, T Lehman 68 74, F Jacobson 70 72, R S Johnson 70 72, K Sutherland 69 73, D Drysdale 69 73, P Broadhurst 70 72, O Wilson 72 70, D Clarke 71 71, B Mayfair 69 73.
143 D Gaunt 76 67, R McIlroy 69 74, R Imada 74 69, P Harrington 69 74, S Appleby 71 72, T Aiken 71 72, N Watney 71 72, K Perry 71 72, S Stricker 66 77, S O'Hair 68 75, L Donald 71 72, B Molder 70 73..
144 S Kjeldsen 68 76, P Casey 68 76, P Lawrie 71 73, P Goydos 72 72, T Levet 71 73, G Storm 72 72, M O'Meara 67 77, R Allenby 70 74, J Edfors 71 73.

+A total of 73 players qualified to play in the last two rounds.

MISSED THE CUT
145 M Weir 67 78, B Curtis 65 80, C Montgomerie 71 74, T Hamilton 75 70, C Hoffman 71 74, P Hedblom 71 74, J Geary 70 75, A Scott 74 74, A Hansen 68 77, T Woods 71 74, D J Trahan 68 77.
146 A Kim 73 73, E Saltman 70 76, J Senden 66 80, R Ishikawa 68 78, A Kim 73 73, T Clark 71 75, L Oosthuizen 70 76, K J Choi 74 72, P Baker 74 72, M Kuchar 70 76, M Laird 74 72, B Crane 71 75.
147 R Davies 73 74, D Toms 72 75, D Duval 71 76, R Sabbatini 74 73, J O'Driscoll 76 71, C Schwartzel 71 76, R Pampling 74 73, R Green 71 76, B Baird 72 75, Y Ikeda 76 71, M Brown 71 76
148 S Lyle 75 73, G Orr 73 75, B Watson 73 75, A Quiros 71 77, C Howell, R Jacquelin 75 73, D Higgins 73 75, G Bhullar 71 77, P Marksaeng 73 75, M Brier 71 77, R Rock 73 75.
149 L Glover 72 77, B Gay 73 76, S Ames 72 77, S Gross (am) 74 75, D Smail 70 79, R Ramsay 77 72, R Echenique 72 77, W-C Liang 77 72, B Snedeker 72 77.
150 C Campbell 73 77, T Kondo 71 79, Timothy Wood 73 77, T Pilkadaris 68 82, S Surry 69 81, K Duke 71 79.
151 Sir N Faldo 78 73, T Stewart 74 77, J Kavanagh 74 77, H Mahan 72 79, C Pettersson 74 77, R Finch 73 78, M Cayeux 75 76.
152 G Norman 77 75.
153 G Ogilvy 75 78, B Vaughan 78 75.
154 I Poulter 75 79, K Oda 76 78, D Johnson 78 76.
155 D Wardrop 75 80.
156 M Wright 77 79.
157 O Fisher 78 78.
160 P Larrazabal 79 81.
161 P Ellebye 77 84.
162 J Ahlers 83 79.

Steve Marino and Tom Watson the unlikely leaders on -5

Tiger Woods (71-74) fails to beat the

cut as bad weather hits Turnberry

Oh, the shame of it! Red-hot favourite Tiger Woods will be absent from the last two rounds of the Open at Turnberry.

Not injured, just not good enough to be among those who have low enough 36-hole totals, i.e. four-over-par 144 or better to qualify for the sharp end of the championship.

Woods lost a ball with yet another wild tee shot, took two double bogeys and was seven over par with five holes left, needing a Houdini-type escape just to return to the first tee on Saturday morning. Strangely subdued, strangely uninspired, Tiger lost his teeth while Turnberry found hers.

At seven over par with three holes to play he looked dead and buried, before birdies at the 16th and 17th holes suddenly suggested that at last Tiger had picked up the scent of the championship. But one more birdie at the final hole was a necessity if he was to be sure of his place in the field after the halfway cut-off.

His second shot to the final hole ran just through the back right edge of the green and his make-or-break pitch pulled up three agonising feet short of the hole.
Woods had previously missed the cut in only one major championship as a professional, the 2006 U.S. Open following the death of his father. He didn't play last year at Royal Birkdale while recovering from knee surgery, but three wins since his return to the US PGA Tour led oddsmakers to make him a 2-1 favorite.
Instead, the leaderboard was topped by little-known American Steve Marino and a very well known compatriot, albeit 60 years old on his next birthday, "Old Tom" Watson.
Marino looked right at home in his first Open appearance, shooting a two-under 68 in windy conditions that made Turnberry the test it was meant to be.

Forty-nine-year-old Mark Calcavecchia - another light of other days you might say - with his wife on the bag, was one shot back after a 67-69 start to the tournament. But most amazing of all: 59-year-old Tom Watson rebounded from a dismal start, rolling in a 75-foot birdie putt, and was tied with Calcavecchia with only the 18th left to play.
``I'm real happy with the way things have gone,'' said Calcavecchia, who won his lone major title 20 years ago, up the road at Royal Troon. ``I'm getting some good bounces, and I'm getting lucky on occasion, which always helps.''
Marino, no better than a journeyman with a very small 'j' on the US Tour, claimed the lead all to himself at 5-under 135, safely in the clubhouse while most everyone else surrendered ground to the breezes whipping off the Firth of Clyde.
All eyes were on Woods, who opened with a disappointing 71 in much better conditions on Thursday. He trudged through the front nine, obviously not enjoying the experience one little bit - but as he said recently he does not play golf for un - showing no signs of making a move, then began to fall apart after the turn.
Woods' tee shot at No. 10 sailed wildly into the tall grass far right of the fairway - a familiar problem both days - and it was clear he was in trouble when he struck a provisional tee shot. Even with dozens of fans helping him look, Woods could only find someone else's ball, took a penalty for a lost ball and wound up with a double-bogey 6.
Then, from the first cut of rough only 159 yards away, Woods shockingly wound up with another double-bogey 6. A ragged approach missed the green, a sloppy chip failed to stay on, and a missed putt from about 5 feet sent him tumbling into an even deeper hole.
Watson followed a bogey-free 65 with bogeys on five of the first seven holes - including four in a row. Just when it seemed he was fading away, the five-time Open champion bounced back with two birdies around the turn. His best shot of all was at No. 16, the 75-footer that dropped right in the middle of the cup.
Watson threw up his arms and pumped his fists while the gallery roared. Can you blame him?
Marino, who struggled for years to earn his PGA Tour card, got in as an alternate though he had to improvise to make it happen.
``I didn't have a passport,'' he said. ``I was playing in the John Deere Classic last week and I had to fly my dad down from Virginia to (my home in) Florida so he could get my passport and FedEx it to me. ... I wasn't even expecting to play in the Open.''
When Shingo Katayama withdrew from the Open last weekend because of an injury, Marino received the spot. The rest as they say, is history. A little bit like the way the cookie crumbled for John Daly a few years back.

First-round leader Miguel Angel Jimenez struggled to a 73 but wasn't too upset about it. The ponytailed, cigar-smoking Spaniard got off to a grisly start - a 4-over 39 on the front - but held it together and joined the pack at 137.
``I'm pleased the way I finished, not very pleased with the way I started,'' Jimenez said. ``You need to put it on the fairways, and I started missing the fairways for a little bit.''
Japan's Kenichi Kuboya had the lead for a while, but lost it - along with his ball - when an errant tee shot at No. 13 led to double bogey.

A 72 kept him in contention among that crowded group at 137, which also included England's Ross Fisher (68) and South Africa's Retief Goosen (70).
John Daly, who won at St. Andrews in 1995, made it to an Open weekend for the first time in four years when a 72 left him at 140.
``It was brutal out there,'' moaned Daly, who might have said the same about his psychedelic green trousers. ``The pin placements were extremely tough. The way the wind was blowing, it was impossible to get at them.
``The course - whether it is calm or blowing - is always dangerous. You are always 5 feet or 5 inches from a disaster.''
Just ask Ben Curtis, like Steve Marino one of the US Tour's lesser mortals until he won the 2003 Open, who missed the cut after an opening 65 had him challenging for the lead. Curtis soared to an 80 in the second round for 145 - the same as Tiger Woods, if that softens the pain.
``I just hit it bad,'' he said. ``I got lucky yesterday with the weather. That helped me keep it in play. Today was different.''
And there's not a dissenting voice to that opinion.