British Open 2013 Leaderboard: Top Day 2 Storylines and Live Updates

The golfers are on the course at Muirfield on Friday, and that means the second round of the 2013 British Open is underway in Scotland. 

As you can see in this tweet from the tournament's official Twitter account, it's a beautiful day on the links. The golfers, fans and Open officials really couldn't ask for much more:

Day 1 leader Zach Johnson will try to improve upon his Thursday score of 66 (-5) by playing Muirfield well for a second straight day, but it's not a forgone conclusion that anyone will play consistent golf at the links this week. 

While Johnson will carry the heaviest expectations on Friday, there's no shortage of golfers who merit consideration in the "contender" category. Among them are Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Brandt Snedeker and Lee Westwood, and that's just the tip of the iceberg right now.  

Woods finished at even par on Friday, and he'll enter the weekend at the Open at two-under. 

As the action continues at Europe's greatest golf championship, here's an updated look at the live leaderboard and some storylines to follow as you keep pace with the field on Friday. 

*For a complete look at the 2013 British Open leaderboard, visit TheOpen.com. 

Day 2 Storylines to Follow

They Forgot About Lee

In 1995 and every year since, Lee Westwood has been in the British Open field. With four top-10 finishes, a slew of disappointing showings and several missed cuts, the Englishman has failed to win a major championship despite seemingly knocking on the door each year. 

In fact, if you know Westwood's player history, you know he consistently breaches top 10s at major championships yet does not have a win to show for it. 

As you can see in this tweet from ESPN's Justin Ray, Westwood is approaching unchartered territory in search of his first Open Championship win:

Still looking for his first taste of golf glory at any major, Westwood had a strong showing on Friday. 

Birdieing five of his first nine holes and adding another birdie on No. 12, Westwood actually had a share of the lead with Johnson at one point during his round. He limped to the finish line by posting three bogeys in his last three holes, but he still finished with one of the best scores (68) of the morning. 

PGA Tour's official Twitter account had Westwood's information as he wrapped up on No. 18:

As the 40-year-old tries to erase the second-place finish from 2010 and reach the top of the podium for the first time, his play on Friday is begging you not to forget about his name when listing golfers who will be in the mix on Sunday. 

Day 1 Means Nothing

Shiv Kapur, Mark O'Meara and Tom Lehman were all near the top of the leaderboard as Thursday's opening round ended. 

Where are they on Friday, you might ask?

Kapur shot a six-over 77, while O'Meara (+7) and Lehman (+6) struggled to continue their torrid pace set by strong opening rounds. 

2004 Open champion Todd Hamilton, who also posted a strong score on Thursday, was six-over through 12 holes. Simply put, it's extremely hard to shoot back-to-back rounds of impressive scores at the British Open, especially if you go from a late Thursday tee time to an early one on Friday. 

We raved about the the No. 210 player in the world (Kapur) and the elder statesman in the field on Thursday. But as you can see, Day 1 really means nothing when it comes to deciphering which golfers have what it takes to keep pace at the top of the leaderboard. 

McIlroy Under Fire

One thing is for sure when it comes to Rory McIlroy: Nick Faldo isn't going to stop giving the young star advice when he feels there's something he could pass to the next generation.

This tweet from The New York Times confirms:

Faldo has been critical of McIlroy's focus and activities other than golf in recent weeks. As noted by James Corrigan of The Telegraph, McIlroy's switch to Nike, relationship with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki and lack of focus on the PGA Tour have all drawn Faldo's ire. 

McIlroy's eight-over 79 on Thursday did little to support those who think Faldo should give the Northern Irishman a break. 

From just a golf perspective, McIlroy needs a strong showing on Friday. Heck, if you look as this tweet from ESPN's Stats & Info, several Europeans need a strong showing on Friday:

Not only is McIlroy in danger of slipping out of second place on the World Golf Rankings, but he's also in danger of losing a grip on his game all together. 

A disappointing 2013 season can either get a little bit better or crater into the depths of horror depending on which McIlroy shows up on Friday. Maybe more than any other golfer in the field, McIlroy will have the most pressure to perform well in Round 2. 

Follow Bleacher Report's Ethan Grant (@DowntownEG) on Twitter.