Hard and fast rules as players struggle at British Open

Two players seeking a first major title and one searching for his 15th were today enjoying — in every sense of the word — the clubhouse lead in the British Open. Henrik Stenson, third at Birkdale in 2008 and at St Andrews in 2010, carded a second consecutive 70 at a fiery Muirfield to post a target of two under par that was matched 30 minutes later by Lee Westwood.

Another 40 minutes later they were joined by world number one Tiger Woods, who birdied the 18th to return a 71 that boosts his hopes of ending a five-year winless streak in major championships. And all three players were then happy to sit back and watch the afternoon starters attempt to beat their totals as the course dried out by the minute.

Westwood had reached five under when he raced to the turn in 31 and then birdied the 12th, but even dropping three shots in his last six holes could not dampen the 40-year-old’s mood after a 68.

“It’s a major and I love playing the Open Championship,” said Westwood, who recently enlisted the help of Woods’ coach Sean Foley on his long game and 1991 British Open champion Ian Baker-Finch on his putting. “It’s the biggest event of the year for me. Why not enjoy it out there? It’s tough for everybody so smile your way through it.

“I thought one over would be right in contention so to be two under is a real bonus and it could be leading at the end of the day. The greens were a little softer this morning. I repaired a pitch mark on the second and third but that was about it as far as that was concerned. They started to firm up pretty quickly.

“I was pleased to be six under through 12. I was playing some great stuff and it was just getting harder as the holes progressed. The golf course got really difficult and the finish is tough as 16, 17 and 18 are playing hard. I’ll kick back this afternoon on the couch and watch some struggles and the cricket.”

Woods, whose last major title came in the 2008 US Open, carded two birdies in his first five holes but then had to wait until the last for another after dropping shots at the eighth and 11th. “I’m in a good spot. I’m tied for the clubhouse lead,” the 37-year-old said.

“I’ve just got to continue plodding along, continue just being patient, putting the ball in the right spots. We’re not going to get a lot of opportunities out there but when I have I’ve been able to capitalise and hopefully I can continue doing that.”

Stenson won his maiden European Tour title in 2001 but then went through the first of two career slumps, the second coming in 2011 and leaving him 230th in the world rankings at the start of last year. Now back up to 30th, the former Ryder Cup player took a two-shot lead into the final round of the Scottish Open last week — only to finish third after a closing 73.

“I’m up here and playing in a big tournament again,” he said. “I think I’ve got the experience to do well in these championships. Tough conditions is something that I enjoy and suits my game, as well.

“I might still look for a bit more confidence and a bit more trust in my long game. I feel like I’ve been a bit wishy-washy these two days. But at times I’ve hit some nice ones and committed to some good shots as well.

“Obviously I would like to be the first Swede or Scandinavian to win a major. We’ve got some work to do before we talk about that. I’d rather talk about how that feels on Sunday, if it happens.”

Overnight leader Zach Johnson began his second round with a bogey on the first, but birdied the fourth to get back to five under, one ahead of Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez who had gone to the turn in 36 and then birdied the 11th. Compatriot Rafael Cabrera-Bello was a shot behind alongside former Masters champion Angel Cabrera, who lost a play-off to Adam Scott at Augusta in April.

Darren Clarke continues to lead the Irish challenge despite a potentially fatal quadruple bogey during his round. Clarke put together a run of three successive birdies from the third to take him into red figures at two under.

However, he threw away all that momentum with a disastrous quadruple-bogey eight at the 461-yard sixth after taking three to get out of a greenside bunker having found rough off the tee and hacking out on to the fairway.

To his credit, Clarke refused to throw in the towel and further birdies at the ninth and 12th got him back to level par before a final blemish on the last saw him finish on one over and well in contention. Graeme McDowell as next best on four over, with Shane Lowry (five over) and Padraig Harrington (six over) both likely to survive the halfway cut.

Not so Rory McIlroy, however, who had dropped another two shots to move back to nine over while Gareth Maybin (12 over) will also miss out at the halfway stage.