British Open Golf 2011: Breaking Down Day 2 Pairings

Like the fog that slowly lifts above Sandwich, England, there is a moment in every major championship when the picture becomes vividly clear.  Day one was a red-number blitz that left the Royal St. George’s course defenseless.  The wind and the rain failed to defend the sizzling iron shots and the course was simply too short.  Thirty-five players broke par and the big hitters had their way with the receptive fairways and the rough, which reduced the 7,211 layout par-70 layout.

On Day 2...

And as typical with the Open Championship, the weather has afforded the late tee times Thursday and the early tee times Friday—a friendly British nod of an advantage. 

As the leaderboard funnels into a cut-line, there are several early pairings to watch.   The guys with facial hair seem to be boding well at the 2011 Open Championship.   Fresh off the tractor in Illinois, Kyle Stanley was runner-up at the John Deere Classic last week.  Both Stanley and Lucas Glover are red-hot bearded Americans to watch early in Round 2. Stanley shot an opening round 68 on Thursday.  His only miscues in Round 1 were bookend bogeys on holes one and 18.  He plays with Mark Wilson and Raphael Jacquelin, both turned in four-over par 74s in Round 1.

Glover managed to birdie the last three holes on Thursday.  He will likely be anxious to get to the course on Friday, and his early tee time will mean that he will be the pace setter.

And so, both beards will be rocking the Sandwich early on Friday.  

The Day 2 pairings to watch:

All times eastern 

EARLY 

Weather report (sunshine, 62 degrees and light winds 9 mph/SW)

3:42 a.m.

Graeme McDowell, Jason Day and Charl Schwartzel

Which of these players can make a move north on the leaderboard?

4:20 a.m.

Louis Oosthuizen, Martin Kaymer and Phil Mickelson

Kaymer and Mickelson have a chance to charge.  

4:31 a.m.

Henrik Stenson, Tom Lewis and Tom Watson

Can the kid hang on? Old Tom, young Tom; the amateur Lewis is making the fascinated fandom of Rory Mcllroy forget, for the time being, of the much older (22) Mcllroy.  Will this change today?

5:04 a.m.

Webb Simpson, Robert Rock and Alejandro Canizares

Simpson is quietly going about his business.  The young man conjures memories of a kid from Ohio in 2003 named Ben Curtis.  He has made 15 cuts, five top 10s and a couple of runner-up efforts. 

LATE BREAKFAST SANDWICH TEE TIMES

Weather report (sunshine, 66 degrees and light winds 13 mph/SW, 15 percent chance of rain)

7:26 a.m.

Thomas Bjorn, Simon Dyson and Gary Woodland

The 40-year-old Dane, Bjorn, has to prove he is not a one-round story. Can he add to his red number 65?  By the time he tees off he will surely have company.

7:59 a.m.

Geoff Ogilvy, Peter Uihlein and Miguel Angel Jimenez

Can the 47-year-old Jimenez string another round together?  It was probably a good thing he teed off late on Friday.  After all, he shot 66 Thursday—time to celebrate.

8:43 a.m.

Yuta Ikeda, Ian Poulter and Dustin Johnson 

If the weather doesn't worsen, this could be the pairing to watch. When the calm conditions swept over Sandwich late Thursday, Pouter said, "Who turned off the fans?"

9:10 a.m.

Ernie Els, Rory Mcllroy and Rickie Fowler

This could be the fireworks pairing on Friday.  Which 22-year-old will rise on the leaderboard?

9:21 a.m.

Luke Donald, Ryo Ishikawa and Sergio Garcia

Donald missed a few chances on Thursday and Garcia stumbled into the house.  Will the weather affect their late tee time on Friday?

Friday is scoring and separation day at Sandwich.  It appears the weather is going to make the morning tee times have a walk in the park.  Will the true weather show up later in the day and make it gnarly for the later tee times?