Live from the Open at Turnberry- July 17

Golf writer Andy Reistetter is on site at the Open at Turnberry and is providing daily reports covering both inside and outside the ropes. Here are his notes from Friday 7/17/09.

Well today makes four days in a row that I can't seem to catch a ride on the bus to get to the golf course. Today I met a new friend at the bus stop. He is a greenskeeper from Italy here helping out the retiring greens keeper here at Turnberry. It was late and the bus was almost coming so I put out my thumb.  Sure enough a guy named Harry stopped and gave us both a ride to the golf course. Two new friends where usually I only meet one!

I have to admit my legs were a little tired after only six hours of sleep and walking more than 36 holes yesterday. Though once I arrived at Turnberry I felt find and haven't thought about how tired I am until now.

Open weather showed up at the Open today. The wind was constant all day out of the north. At least a 1-2 club wind more when it was gusty. This made holes Nos. 4 through 11 extremely difficult. Plus the rain came for a couple of holes and the temperatures cooled off a bit. As Tom Watson said in his interview in the evening "Lady Turnberry took off her gloves today."

Steve Marino was off the first tee at 7:03 a.m. with Sandy Lyle and shot a 2-under par 68 to post 5-under at the midway point of the 2009 Open Championship. I caught his post-round interview and the moderator noted it may very well hold up for the rest of the day. It did with only Tom Watson reaching that mark by shooting a 32 on the back nine and an even par 70 to go with his opening 65.

Oh I mentioned Sandy Lyle. His row with Colin Montgomerie is still quite the tiff over here. Both missed the cut with Colin besting Sandy by three strokes. Maybe they will have that pint together now since they have the time. One lady characterized the situation to me as "pathetic, tell them to sort it out." Captain Montgomerie and Major Champion Lyle—sort it out as the lady says.

Marino though he hasn't won on the PGA TOUR has been quite successful since getting through Q School and winning over a $1MM in his 2007 rookie season. Last year he won over $2 million and is currently No. 27 on the Money List YTD with almost $1.5MM. The single 29-year old is ranked No. 77 in the world.

Confident and playing well is how I would describe Marino. This is his first Open and exposure to true links golf. There was a slight "deer in the headlights" look to him but he reminded me of Lucas Glover's demeanor and how he played a difficult course and won the U.S. Open only four weeks ago.

I watched some of the Furyk-Ogilvy-Harrington game. Ogilvy tanked and missed the cut by nine strokes as did Ian Poulter (eight strokes) and Hunter Mahan (7 strokes). Furyk always the gutsy competitor drained a 25-footer for deuce on the difficult par-3 15^th hole. He is still in the hunt only four strokes back of Watson-Marino along with not Euro Martin Kaymer, Masters Champion Angel Cabrera, the "best player to never have won a Major" Sergio Garcia, Ryder Cupper Boo Weekley and "watch out if he gets hot" Camilo Villegas.

My main assignment today was the game of Vijay Singh, Bubba Watson and Northern Ireleand's Graeme "G-Mac" McDowell. Vijay the 2008 Fed Ex Cup Champion obviously had a great year last year but has fought through injury and resurrected his game with a T9 finish at THE PLAYERS. He has followed that up with two Top 10s in his last five tournaments.

Singh almost aced the par-3 4^th hole tapping in for deuce to get it to 4-under par. He double bogeyed the next par-3 6^thhole with a wayward right 3-wood and then a mo jo killing three putt missing a short one that I had recorded as already in the hole.

The 46-year old came right back with a birdie at the par-5 7^th but then 3-jacked the 8^th and bogeyed the 10^thfrom the hay greenside. He birdied 14 and 16 and eagled the par-5 17^th hole sinking a 30-footer just when you thought he could not putt anymore. He salvaged a round of par 70 and is only two back of the leaders.

Bubba with his pink shafted driver was hitting a nice low ball off the tees and it was running forever. He just had to pay the piper too many times as evidenced by his play on par-4 No. 3-driver left, failed to extract it completely from the hay, got it out short of the green, long chip-putt of 80 feet and then solid 8-footer for a solid bogey.

He reached the 7^th in two swings and two putted for birdie but was long on the par-3 11^thwith 7-iron into the wind. He chipped out of the hay and the ball rolled through the green into the front bunker for a quick double bogey five. The golfer with "the most talent though winless of the PGA TOUR" missed the cut by four strokes.

"G-Mac" has game and was interesting to watch. He made a mess out of the par-5 7^th hole with a wayward left second shot. Opting to not to drop out of the hay onto a nearby path he reversed that decision after swinging and not advancing the ball much if at all.

He recorded a double bogey that should have been bogey at worse. Hopefully not a stroke that comes back to haunt him on Sunday afternoon. Though hopefully it will mean "first loser" is better than 3^rd place which is better than 4^th place and so on.

After a 73 McDowell made the cut by two strokes and is at 1-over par six strokes back with the likes of Ernie Els and PLAYERS Champion Henrik "I will strip if I have to in front of my female caddie Fanny" Stenson.

While on the 17^th fairway we heard the roar from the 18^th green knowing immediately five time Open Champion Tom Watson had birdied to tie Marino for the 36-hole lead.

I managed to catch Watson's rather lengthy interview in the media center as I did the other co-leader earlier in the day. All I can say is that he is remarkably calm and to me it felt like an extended Ben Crenshaw "I got a feeling" Ryder Cup moment turned into a 15 to 20 minute discussion.

It seems pre-destined to me if only his body can hold up for the remaining two rounds. With little if no rain here the last couple of weeks the ground is hard and I am sure his legs and body is aching too. Though the flip side is the golf course is becoming hard and fast and his experience with the ground game and Lady Turnberry could mean a few strokes a round.

When asked to compare his much experience with Steve Marino's little or no experience he wisely commented on his first Open experience at Carnoustie in 1975 which he won. He humbly attested to the fact that "that one worked out pretty well for me."

It is "kind of spiritual" for my dear Watson. It has to be at age 59 and the love of the links so profuse he stated he will be back playing with friends and his sons for a long time after his competitive days are over and before "they plant me in the ground."

His heart speaks out of his love for the game which is "a game of a lifetime."

If only he could play with Sergio Garcia and 16-year old amateur Matteo Manassero the final two rounds as the chemistry and mo-jo within the threesome was evident throughout the first two days. "Come on old man" was Sergio's urgent request to Watson coming up the 17^th fairway. The three respected each other's role in this Open as the young, the old and the yet to be ordained as they approached the 18^th green.

My day on the links ended in a memorable though unexpected manner as I watched the Tiger Woods-Lee Westwood- Ryo Ishikawa threesome play the home hole. Tiger paid the price of wayward drives and missed the cut in a Major for only the second time in his professional career (other time was the 2006 U.S. Open).

Woods' streak of 38 cuts made as well as Charley Hoffman (26) and hot Hunter Mahan (22) were broken this week at Turnberry. Tiger stood in front of the media and answer their questions as the stand up guy that he is.   

Other second round scoring notes:

1989 Open winner at Troon and 49-year old Mark Calcavecchia with 67-69 is solo third place 4-under par one stroke back.

Steve Stricker winner last week at the John Deere Classic followed his Thursday 66 with a Friday 77 but still made the cut and will play the weekend.

John Daly is hanging around shooting 68-72 and at even par is only five strokes back though with 21 players in front of him with 36 holes to play.

World No. 3 Paul Casey shot 68-76 and made the cut on the number.

David Duval shot 71-76 and missed the cut by three strokes.

PLAYERS Champion Henrik Stenson shot 71-70 and is six strokes behind the leaders.

Youth does count well sort of: 16-year old Matteo Manassero, an amateur shot 71-70 and old timer 20-year old Rory McIlroy shot 69-74 both making the cut.

Japan's 17-year old Ryo Ishikawa shot 68-78 and missed the cut along with his playing partner Tiger Woods.

Watch out for Retief Goosen (-3) and Lee Westwood (-2).

That's a wrap. Time for bed.

I wonder who will be picking me up at the bus stop in the morning and if I am still dream the night after the first round?

Tom Watson leading the Open again?

Andy Reistetter is a freelance golf writer. He follows the PGA TOUR volunteering for the tournaments and working part time for NBC Sports, CBS Sports, and The Golf Channel. He resides in Jacksonville Beach, Florida near the PGA TOUR headquarters and home of The PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach. He enjoys pursuing his passion for the game of golf and everything associated with it. He can be reached through his website www.MrHickoryGolf.net or by e-mailing him to [e-mail]