Morikawa praises followers after second spherical 64 at The Open
Comply with all of the motion reside from the third spherical as The Open 2021 continues at Royal St George’s.
Louis Oosthuizen takes a two-shot lead into the third spherical after breaking the Open scoring file on the midway stage with rounds of 64 and 65, however a bunched subject stays in shut pursuit. That pack is led by Collin Morikawa, who posted a shocking 64 himself on Friday, whereas 2017 champion Jordan Spieth is one additional again as he goals to win his fifth main. A number of different high-profile gamers made large strikes on Friday, too, with world No 1 Dustin Johnson beginning solely 4 photographs again, whereas Brooks Koepka’s race is hardly run both, with six photographs separating him from the highest of the leaderboard.
Andy Sullivan and Paul Casey stay in rivalry, even when the percentages of an finish to England’s 52-year await a winner on dwelling soil appears prone to proceed. Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy are among the many earliest starters after disappointing performances. The climate over Sandwich is gloriously sunny and it guarantees to be one other day of low scoring. Comply with all of the motion reside beneath:
THE OPEN 2021: STREELMAN MAKES EARLY MOVE
Just one participant has made a transfer onto the highest web page of the leaderboard this afternoon, and it’s 42-year-old Kevin Streelman, who earned his first top-10 main end on the PGA Championship earlier this yr. The American is four-under-par by way of 17 holes.
In the meantime, Rahm has instantly bounced again after that dreadful putt on the first gap with a birdie on the third.
There’s no luck for Koepka on the second, although, whose chip runs well past the outlet and results in a bogey.
Tom Kershaw17 July 2021 15:28
THE OPEN 2021: TOUGH START FOR CASEY
Paul Casey began his day at -5 however was instantly staring down the barrel of a double bogey on the opening gap. The Englishman despatched his drive off the primary tee huge proper and into the lengthy tough. His second barely went 20 yards, earlier than he caught his third flush and it flew to the opposite facet of the golf green.
Casey recovered from there with a formidable up and down from the tough to flee with a bogey. Not the beginning he would have needed, nevertheless it might have been even worse.
Jamie Braidwood17 July 2021 15:17
THE OPEN 2021: OPENING BOGEY FOR RAHM
John Rahm will get off to a horror begin as he misses a par putt on the opening gap from a few ft. The Spaniard drops right down to -4, which isn’t how he would have needed to start out transferring day – however there’s nonetheless loads of time to make up for it.
Brooks Koepka is the newest large title to get his spherical underway as he leaves a prolonged birdie putt a few ft brief on the first inexperienced.
Jamie Braidwood17 July 2021 15:06
THE OPEN 2021: MCILROY COMPLETES ROUND OF 69
Rory McIlroy faucets in for par on the 18th to card a spherical of 69, which strikes him to -1 general for the week. It’s a narrative of what might have been for the Northern Irishman, nevertheless, after he lit up the morning and early afternoon at St George’s with some eye-catching photographs and clutch putts.
After making 5 birdies in a formidable entrance 9 of 31, McIlroy’s accuracy from the tee faltered and a few missed putts noticed him drop three photographs following the flip. What might have been a spherical to place himself in rivalry didn’t materialise. He’ll be again tomorrow however any hopes of profitable his second Claret Jug disappeared over the again 9 right now.
Jamie Braidwood17 July 2021 14:57
THE OPEN 2021: SMITH, HARMAN OFF TO FAST STARTS
Cameron Smith has made birdie on the opening gap of his spherical whereas Brian Harman chips in on the 2nd to additionally file birdie. Each gamers have moved to -5, whereas Tony Finau appears to be in an excellent place on the opening inexperienced after getting his spherical underway.
Jamie Braidwood17 July 2021 14:43
THE OPEN 2021: HORROR FOR MCILROY
Oh no… that is really turning out to be a spherical of two halves for McIlroy. He makes one other bogey at 15 after his par putt from just some ft lips out. He’s again to -1 after making it to the flip at -4. McIlroy then finds one other bunker together with his tee shot on the par-three sixteenth.
Justin Rose will get off to an excellent begin with a birdie on the par-three third, whereas Lee Westwood hits a shocking strategy into the inexperienced on the eighth to arrange a sure birdie.
Jamie Braidwood17 July 2021 14:29
THE OPEN 2021: LEADER TEE TIMES AHEAD OF ROUND 3
Listed below are the important thing tee-off occasions forward of the afternoon, with plenty of large names in rivalry at Royal St George’s.
14:35 Tony Finau (US), Ryan Fox (NZ)
14:45 Jon Rahm (Spn), Cameron Tringale (US)
14:55 Brooks Koepka (US), Mackenzie Hughes (Can)
15:05 Justin Harding (SA), Paul Casey (Eng)
15:15 Marcel Siem (Ger), Andy Sullivan (Eng)
15:25 Daniel Van Tonder (SA), Emiliano Grillo (Arg)
15:35 Dustin Johnson (US), Scottie Scheffler (US)
15:45 Jordan Spieth (US), Dylan Frittelli (SA)
15:55 Louis Oosthuizen (SA), Collin Morikawa (US)
Jamie Braidwood17 July 2021 14:24
THE OPEN 2021: MACINTYRE RECORDS ROUND OF 65
Robert MacIntyre rattles in an enormous 50-foot birdie putt from the fringes of the 18th inexperienced to card a spherical of 65 and transfer to -4 general. The Scot finishes his spherical with back-to-back birdies to set the bottom rating of the day to date.
Defending champion Shane Lowry will get his spherical underway on the 1st, as Rory McIlroy finds himself within the bunker once more on the 14th. He performs one other fantastic shot from the sand to rise up and down in two, nevertheless it’s solely adequate for par at his ultimate par 5 of the day.
Jamie Braidwood17 July 2021 14:14
THE OPEN 2021: LEADER OOSTHUIZEN NOT GETTING CARRIED AWAY
Louis Oosthuizen has a two-shot lead after setting a brand new Open file with a midway rating of 129 at St George’s, however the 2010 champion insisted he’ll take his third spherical one step at a time as he appears to win the second main of his profession.
“You strive not to think about [winning] till you’ve gotten completed it,” Oosthuizen mentioned. “On this golf course, a number of issues might occur and on a hyperlinks course you do not need to consider it till the 18th when hopefully you’ve gotten a lead.
“It’s a actually good leaderboard and I should play good golf this weekend if I need to come out first.”
Jamie Braidwood17 July 2021 14:09
THE OPEN 2021: ANOTHER DROPPED SHOT FOR MCILROY
After his sensational entrance 9, the again 9 is popping out to a little bit of a scrap for McIlroy. At 13, he despatched his drive left into the tough and it was uphill from there. A ten-foot par putt trickles huge because the Northern Irishman drops to -2.
The par-five 14th represents an opportunity to make up misplaced floor for McIlroy.
Jamie Braidwood17 July 2021 13:58