Goosen shoots 63 to take lead in Scottish Open
July 10, 2009
LUSS, Scotland (AP)—Retief Goosen came close to matching his course record atLoch Lomond, settling for an 8-under 63 Friday to build a two-shot lead overAdam Scott midway through the second round of the Scottish Open.
Goosen set the course record of 62 in 1997, although he would be far moreinterested in matching his performance from 2001, when he followed his firstU.S. Open title with a victory at Loch Lomond.
He was at 11-under 131 as the late starters made their way along the shoresof Loch Lomond on a spectacular summer day.
“The first nine holes, you felt like you could do something, but for sixholes, I didn’t do much,” Goosen said.
He built momentum with birdies on the 16th and 18th, a pair of par 4sprotected by water, then took off on the front nine, including an eagle on thepar-5 third with a 4-iron into 20 feet.
Scott continued his resurgence, and even more pleasant than the weather wasthe sight of his name on a leaderboard. The 29-year-old Australian has been inmiserable form this year until going off by himself to Queenwood Golf Club inLondon to sort out his game.
After opening with a 66, Scott didn’t let a bad break that led to doublebogey get in his way.
He was in the lead at 8 under until hitting into a bunker on the par-3fifth, unaware that a small rock was behind his ball. The shot tumbled over thegreen and into deep rough, and he failed to get up-and-down.
Scott answered with three birdies over his final four holes for a 67.
“Two rounds in the 60s in a row, pretty good for me,” Scott said. “Itfeels really good the way my game is at the moment. Coming back well after thatfifth hole to finish strong was important in the scheme of the tournament. I’mvery happy with the day.”
Martin Kaymer (65) and Marcus Fraser (66) were at 8-under 134, followed byNick Watney, one of several Americans who have come to Loch Lomond a week beforethe British Open at Turnberry. Watney had a 68.
“From what I hear, we have lucked out with the weather,” said Watney,making his first trip to this course north of Glasgow.
Not so lucky was John Daly, who missed another cut in Europe. Daly openedwith a 69 and was holding on until he took double bogey on both par 5s on thefront nine, shot 75 and finished at 2-over 144.
Daly said the rib injury he suffered in France was not a big issue, andactually is feeling better.
“I play better when I’m hurt,” he said.
What hurt him was landing in a divot on the third, and another on the 12th.
“Nothing is going right,” he said. “I’m used to it.”
Camilo Villegas had a bogey-free 67 and got within five shots of the lead,while Ernie Els didn’t take full advantage of the pristine conditions, postingonly a 69 that left him seven behind.
For all his birdies—and eagle—Goosen might not be in the lead without afew pars.
He topped his 3-wood so badly off the 10th tee when he began his round thathe couldn’t clear the creek and had a 7-iron for his third shot. Goosen savedpar with a 25-foot putt, then missed his target on the par-3 11th by some 40yards, hitting a beautiful pitch-and-run to 4 feet to escape with par again.
England's Graeme Storm pla… AP – Jul 9, 9:11 am EDT
“A bit of a weird start,” he said.
As always, he kept a quiet sense of humor about it.
Asked the last time he hit a tee shot that went only 180 yards, Goosen said,“When I hit a 6-iron off the tee.”
He hit his 3-wood again on his next full tee shot, the par-4 12th, and hitthis one clean. Turning to Geoff Ogilvy and Oliver Wilson, he explained why hethat one so well.
“That was a better lie I had on the tee,” he said.
Among the late starters were Rory McIlroy, the 20-year-old from NorthernIreland who opened with a 68; and Lee Westwood, who said it was “stupid” toplay on Thursday with such a severe chest infection. He must have recoverednicely, because he opened with three straight birdies.
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