- Wind caused chaos at the British Open
- Day finished the round inside the top 10
- It was worse news for other Australians.
Jason Day took the flag for Australian men’s golf after an otherwise disastrous day at the Royal Troon Links ended with the rest of the green and gold challenge at the British Open destroyed.
Both top-40 players Min Woo Lee and Adam Scott suffered in the gusty winds on Friday afternoon as their promising overnight positions evaporated, while Cameron Smith was left reflecting on his two most miserable days at the Open just a couple of years after he lifted the Claret Jug.
However, with only Scott of the six strong Australians able to join Day in making the weekend cut, there was substantial consolation in last year’s runner-up moving into contention for another shot at the title with his excellent early morning round of three-under 68.
At one under par, Day is tied for seventh, six behind Irish leader Shane Lowry, four behind the English pair of Dan Brown and former US Open champion Justin Rose, but just one behind world No. 1s Scottie Scheffler, Billy Horschel and Dean Burmester.
This has put the 36-year-old in a tough spot once again after his effort at Royal Hoylake in appalling, rainy conditions last year, and the world number 31 was not shy about admitting he got the best of the weather in his round which started at 8.14am.
“I think we got lucky with the draw,” said Day, happy to be back in the clubhouse before the afternoon wind picked up.
‘This morning, although it was still a little windy, it calmed down for us during the first 12 holes.’
Jason Day is in the top 10 and is aiming to improve his performance at the British Open compared to last year
Cameron Smith had an Open he will want to forget just two years after winning the tournament
Day, who shot 73 in his first round, started his early morning follow-up with a 30-foot birdie putt on the second.
Another six-foot putt on the next propelled him back to level and a 25-foot birdie on the 13th, after he had struggled off the tee, put him in the red.
Day, who has finished second in each of the major tournaments, now hopes to make a big push over the weekend to add to the PGA Championship crown he won nine years ago.
“Just try to be as consistent as I was today,” he said of his potential approach on Saturday’s moving day.
“I played very well today. I would like to play like this for the next two days, but I have to take it step by step.
“So I’ll just try to get into contention, and then something will happen on Sunday.”
Smith’s championship is one he’ll want to quickly forget.
A bunker problem at Postage Stamp cost Australian Adam Scott a double bogey
His first 80 (his worst score in a major) was followed by a 74 that left him at 12 over par for the two days, 19 shots behind playing partner Lowry.
Scott, fresh from his runner-up finish at the Scottish Open, had started at one under par but after a couple of early bogeys he suffered a double on the eighth ‘Postage Stamp’ hole, where he failed to get out of a greenside bunker and missed a short putt.
The minor 120-yard horror may have spooked him as he headed home with three more bogeys in a row, but with a lost weekend looming, the tough 44-year-old holed a 31-foot birdie putt on the penultimate hole to ensure his 77 was enough at five-over par to make his 19th Open cut in 24 attempts.
Lee fared even worse, falling from his overnight par to nine-over with an 80 that included a double bogey and seven bogeys.
Amateur Jasper Stubbs posted a truly creditable 72 for a 10-over par total that bested Smith’s total by two, while Elvis Smylie finished his major debut with a 75, finishing at nine-over par.
