ST. ANDREWS: Heavy rain and cold conditions hit early starters in the second round of the British Open here Friday with overnight leader Rory McIlroy not due out till the afternoon.
The 21-year-old boy wonder from Northern Ireland’s nine-under par 63 on Thursday was the lowest first-round score in the 150-year history of the championship and matched the best score ever recorded in a major.
Yet it could have been even better were it not for a botched five-footer on the 17th, the Road Hole.
McIlroy was one of 45 players in the field of 156 to better 70, although that was five fewer than at Turnberry last year, when conditions toughened considerably over the weekend.
The early starters on Friday were once again greeted by benign seaside conditions and little wind to trouble their progress around a near defenseless Old Course.
But that changed dramatically after about an hour’s play as heavy rain began to fall and temperatures plummeted.
McIlroy, looking to make it back-to-back major wins for Ulstermen following close friend Graeme McDowell’s breakthrough win in the US Open at Pebble Beach last month, said he was hoping for more testing conditions.
"I wouldn’t mind the wind to blow a bit, just so long as it stays dry," he said after recording his best ever score at St Andrews.
"It’s very special this year being at St Andrews, 150 years and everything. I think it deserves a bit of good weather. I don’t mind a bit of wind, but as long as it stays dry."
Out early and hoping to overtake the Irishman at nine under was South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen, who ended a run of three missed cuts at the British Open to post a second-best seven-under 65.
He parred the first four holes before grabbing a birdie at the fifth to stand one shot off the lead.
Tied on six-under were five players, including born-again John Daly, who lit up the opening day at the Home of Golf with his best display in years and the kaleidescopic nature of his trousers.
Daly was due out around midday, with tournament favorite Tiger Woods not in action until 2:20 p.m.
Woods was contented with his opening effort of 67, which included just the one bogey, again at the Road Hole.
"I’m getting better every week. I’m hitting shots that I haven’t hit in a long time. It’s building," was his assessment of his current form.
The fallen American superstar is aiming to become the first player to win the Open at St Andrews three times in a row and he is also looking to record his 15th win in a major and close in on the record 18 titles held by Jack Nicklaus.
Also out early Friday was European number one Lee Westwood, who defied a torn calf muscle to record a five-under 67, and world number two Phil Mickelson, in a battle to make the cut following a disappointing opening 74.
