OPEN DIGEST

Compiled by Philip Reid.

Wood chips in Rose style

DEJA VU? Ten years ago, a teenage Justin Rose chipped into the 18th hole en route to a finishing position of fourth . . . yesterday, English amateur Chris Wood - a 20-year-old from Bristol, who is the sixth-ranked amateur in the world - holed out from a similar position, to post a 70 for 145 that ensured he would be around for the weekend.

"The first target was obviously to make the cut, and then to win the silver medal, but now I feel I could go on an do really well. I'm just trying not to get overawed by the whole experience."

• SPECTATORS are banned from bringing phones on to the course and US Masters champion Trevor Immelman didn't have too far to look when a mobile phone rang on the 17th tee just as he prepared to take his drive . . . his caddie, Neil Wallace, went to the player's bag, opened a pocket and switched off the offending phone!

Choi has faith in his caddie

KJ CHOI has never led at the halfway stage of a major before, and the 37-year-old Korean - winner of the Sony Open in Hawaii on the US Tour earlier this season - hopes his veteran caddie Andy Prodger will be of assistance. Prodger, an Englishman, caddied for Nick Faldo at the 1987 British Open and also the 1989 US Masters. "Andy is like my big brother, or like an uncle at times," said Choi. "He just makes me feel relaxed and comfortable out there. We make good team-work."

Careless Garcia falls short

IF Sergio Garcia fails to lift the Claret Jug by a single shot he will have only himself to blame. It will be no use complaining the fates are against him as he did last year, or insisting again he is one of golf's unluckiest players. Not after the way he missed an 18-inch tiddler on the final green at Royal Birkdale for a second round 73 which left him on five over par. The charismatic Spaniard inexplicably faltered after initially rolling a 30-foot approach putt serenely up to the hole.

• RORY Sabbatini might have a solid position in the world's top-20, but his miserable record at the British Open - where he has a best finish of tied-26th at Hoylake in 2006 - continued at Birkdale where he missed the cut for the third time in seven appearances. Sabbatini also included a "fresh air" in his round yesterday when he missed the ball as he went to use the tip of his putter to tap the ball into the hole.

By the numbers

6 -For the second day running, the par four sixth hole of 499 yards proved to be the hardest hole on the course with an average score of 4.66: there were just two birdies in yesterday's second round - by Ernie Els and Shintaro Kai - along with 65 pars, 73 bogeys, 12 double bogeys and three triple bogeys.

44,500 -Yesterday's attendance of 44,500 brought the total so far at the championship to 121,500, an increase of 4,500 on the figures for the 1998 British Open.