Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open Leaderboard
I mentioned earlier this week that the Renaissance Club was stung by criticism that the course was too easy last year when Bernd Wiesberger won the Scottish Open at -22.
So they lengthened the course, grew the rough, sped up the greens and flipped most of the two nines so the back nine would play along the coast.
Today that paid of in spades, as a rare glorious calm sunny day descended upon Scotland's "Golf Coast", with pictures of the North Sea's blue tide accompanied by whitecaps washing up on the shore at North Berwick beamed around the world.
With them, one of the country's legendary golfers, Paul Lawrie (52) bid goodbye to his 620 tournament European Tour career. From Aberdeen, he will best be remembered for winning the 1999 Open at Carnoustie in a playoff when Jean Van de Velde imploded on the 18th hole.
As he said in his quiet unassuming Scottish brogue, "Ma body's in bits, ma back is botherin' me and too be honest I'm very busy aff the course these days, and I don't have ta day all the travul "
Meanwhile Aussie Lucas Herbert 66 65 -11 has a one shot lead going into the weekend, when the wind is scheduled to blow heavily from the NW moving as the day goes on to NE and 100% chance of rain, so scoring will be at a premium.
Hatless Englishman Robert Rock 65 67 -10 is sandwiched between him and 2 other British legends, Ian Poulter 67 66 -9 and Lee Westwood 62 71 -9.
With heavy weather moving in on Saturday, the cut is set to fall tonight at E par as round 2 winds up. That would eliminate the likes of Graeme McDowell, Thomas Pieters and Danny Willett.
They will be moving on as will the man who this day belongs to, Paul Lawrie from Aberdeen.
Bryan Angus
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