Louis Oosthuizen sets 36-hole British Open record, stellar cast behind him
South Africa s Louis Oosthuizen acknowledges the crowd after putting an eagle on the 14th green during the second round of the British Open Golf Championship at Royal St George s golf course Sandwich, England, Friday, July 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) Peter Morrison
South Africa s Louis Oosthuizen hits his tee shot on the 16th hole during the second round of the British Open Golf Championship at Royal St George s golf course Sandwich, England, Friday, July 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) Peter Morrison
United States Collin Morikawa hits his tee shot on the 16th hole during the second round of the British Open Golf Championship at Royal St George s golf course Sandwich, England, Friday, July 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) Peter Morrison
Still, Oosthuizen is already in the record books. His 129 shots – 64, 65 – beats the previous best over the first 36 holes of this championship by one. It is within one of the finest Friday night score in any major. It is just that things looked as if they could be so much better for Oosthuizen as he eagled the 14th to move to 12 under par. He instead closed one stroke shy of that mark on account of a bogey at the 16th, his only scorecard blemish of this Open so far.
“I’m in a good position,” said Oosthuizen with typical understatement. “The game is good, but I know it’s a really good leaderboard. I have to play good golf this weekend if I want to come out first. Around this golf course, a lot of things can happen. I don’t think you want to think too much about winning on a links course until you get to that 18th green, and hopefully you have a lead.”
SANDWICH: Phil Mickelson of the US plays out of a bunker on the first hole during the second round of the British Open at Royal St George’s on Friday. AP
SANDWICH: Collin Morikawa showed no sign of inexperience when surging into the lead on his British Open debut at nine under par after a second round score of 64 on Friday.
The American is making his first appearance at the Open Championship and played for the first time on British soil last week at the Scottish Open where he finished in a tie for 71st.
“I wouldn’t be here through these two rounds if I hadn’t played last week at the Scottish,” said Morikawa.
Louis Oosthuizen sets 36-hole British Open record, stellar cast behind him >South Africa s Louis Oosthuizen acknowledges the crowd after putting an eagle on the 14th green during the second round of the British Open Golf Championship at Royal St George s golf course Sandwich, England, Friday, July 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) Peter Morrison >South Africa s Louis Oosthuizen hits his tee shot on the 16th hole during the second round of the British Open Golf Championship at Royal St George s golf course Sandwich, England, Friday, July 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) Peter Morrison >United States Collin Morikawa hits his tee shot on the 16th hole during the second round of the British Open Golf Championship at Royal St George s golf course Sandwich, England, Friday, July 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) Peter Morrison
Oosthuizen, looking as calm as the conditions, was at 11-under 129, breaking the 36-hole Open record first set by Nick Faldo in 1992 at Muirfield and matched by Brandt Snedeker in 2012 at Royal Lytham & St. Annes.
This will be the fifth time in the last nine rounds at a major that Oosthuizen, the 2010 Open champion at St. Andrews, has had at least a share of the lead. He was runner-up at the last two majors, to Phil Mickelson at the the PGA Championship in May and to Jon Rahm the U.S. Open last month. I m not really going to think about the second spots, said Oosthuizen, when asked what he ll do differently this time. I know my game is in a good place.