Former world primary Dustin Johnson, who lately defected to the breakaway LIV collection, shot a 67 to grab the clubhouse lead at 9 beneath par on the second day of the one hundred and fiftieth British Open on Friday however an emotional Tiger Woods bowed out after his struggles continued on the Old Course.
Johnson, the two-time main winner who give up the PGA Tour final month to affix the controversial Saudi-backed collection, adopted his opening four-under-par 68 with a bogey on the first.
However, the American rapidly recovered from that with no extra bogeys and 6 birdies, together with one on the final which noticed him transfer clear atop the leaderboard.
Johnson can be hoping to keep away from any repeat of the final Open at St Andrews in 2015, when he led on the midway stage on 10-under however a third-round 75 ended his hopes of victory.
“To be honest, I don’t even remember the third round from seven years ago. I’ve played a lot of golf since then, and that was a long time ago,” he insisted earlier than claiming he was oblivious to criticism of the LIV rebels.
“I don’t read anything. So I wouldn’t know what you were saying or if there was anything negative being said. I don’t pay attention to it.”
American Cameron Young, who led by two strokes in a single day after an eight-under-par 64 on Thursday, didn’t tee off in his second spherical till late Friday.
Meanwhile, after sitting at five-under in a single day, Australia’s Cameron Smith birdied 5 of his first 9 holes on Friday to lead on the course at 10-under.
World primary Scottie Scheffler and England’s Tyrrell Hatton, who went out collectively, each moved onto eight-under on the midway stage.
Masters champion Scheffler recorded a second consecutive 68 whereas Hatton loved a bogey-free 66 on Friday.
Tears for Tiger
The final participant to win the Masters and British Open in the identical yr was Woods in 2005.
That was the yr of his second Open triumph in St Andrews and the 46-year-old was decided to be current this week as he recovers from struggling extreme leg accidents in a automotive crash final yr.
However, he shot a six-over-par 78 in a grim first spherical that started with him going into the Swilcan Burn on the first gap.
A 75 on Friday, that includes a double-bogey on the sixteenth, represented an enchancment, however at nine-over he won’t be returning for the weekend, and probably to not one other Open right here.
The emotion bought to Woods, who appeared to wipe away tears as he saluted adoring crowds on his stroll up the 18th fairway.
“I’ve been lucky enough and fortunate enough to have won this twice here, and it felt very emotional, just because I just don’t know what my health is going to be like,” Woods mentioned.
“I feel like I will be able to play future British Opens, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to play that long enough (until) it comes back around here.”
‘Caught a lot of flak’
Johnson was not the one LIV collection participant to impress on Friday.
There was additionally Talor Gooch, who shot a 69 to maneuver to seven-under total, degree with Australian former Masters champion Adam Scott and Patrick Cantlay.
“We’ve caught a lot of flak for what we’ve done here recently,” mentioned American Gooch when requested concerning the performances of his fellow LIV gamers.
“I think one thing that cannot be questioned is the quality of players that are there.”
Playing with Johnson, Scott shot an excellent second-round 65, the bottom spherical up to now of a day that started moist and overcast earlier than the skies cleared late within the morning.
There are 24 gamers from the LIV collection in St Andrews this week, and the landmark staging of the world’s oldest golf event has to some extent been overshadowed by the brand new tour, which R&A chief govt Martin Slumbers blasted for being “entirely driven by money”.
LIV presents prize cash of $25 million for every 54-hole occasion, in comparison with a $14 million prize pot for this week’s Open.
Rory McIlroy, who got here into the week as the favorite, sat in second place in a single day after a gap 66.
The Northern Irishman, Open champion at Hoylake in 2014, began his second spherical at 3pm SA time on Friday.
US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, taking part in with Woods, shot a 66 to maneuver to six-under total.