147th Open leaderboard https://www.theopen.com/Leaderboard#!/traditional
I must say I'm surprised considering the calm conditions the late wave played in from about 3pm onwards last night at Carnoustie, that the scores posted in the morning rain by leaders Zach Johnson (67 -6) and Kevin Kisner (70 -6), then Tommy Fleetwood (65 -5), Rory McIlroy (69 -4), held up going into this Saturday.. moving day.
Guys like Pat Perez (68 -5) Tony Finau (71 -4) Erik van Rooyan (71 -4), Zander Lombard (71 -4) all certainly moved into contention, but had a glorious chance to do much more. With relatively flat, slow greens to putt on ( easy greens in the words of Johnny Miller) I thought 65 or 64 was on the cards, the course record is 63, held by Fleetwood. It really is a tribute to the tough 4 closing holes including the famous par 4,18th with the Barrie burn.
All of that means the leaderboard is tightly bunched, there are nearly 50 golfers within 6 shots of the lead, the weather today is absolutely benign, and the scores in the early wave are reflecting that. England's Chris Wood is -6 through 11 holes, Justin Rose -5 through 15, Patrick Reed -4 through 15 for example.
Buoyed by an eagle 3 on the 14th and a birdie 3 on the tough 17th Adam Hadwin came back in 33 shots, and a -1 70 to make the cut which fell at +3.
Four former winners, all six shots back are right back in contention at E, T35, Louis Oosthuizen, Stewart Cink, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods.
Jordan Spieth who won last year at Royal Birkdale is right in it at -3.
With the wind set to blow for the late wave tomorrow, you'd better keep pace today. It's a real horse race, with no clear cut favourite, yet...
Bryan Angus
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