British Open 2015: Biggest Questions Entering Moving Day
Ladies and gentlemen, we're halfway home. Well, almost halfway.
Friday weather woes at the 2015 British Open, taking place in St. Andrews, Scotland, not only wreaked havoc on the scheduled second round of play, but they also could have a rippling impact on the remainder of the tournament.
Several players with afternoon tee times Friday were unable to complete their rounds before darkness arrived, meaning they'll arise early to complete those holes Saturday before heading off to play their third-round 18-hole complement.
Avoiding the weather-induced logjam, Englishman Danny Willett was an early bird into the St. Andrews clubhouse at nine under par just before noon Eastern time on Friday, followed closely by Scotsman Marc Warren and American Zach Johnson, each of whom were two shots behind at seven under.
Celebrated American Jordan Spieth, aiming for the first Grand Slam in modern golf history, teed off later in the day and finished 13 holes, meaning he'll be among those finishing the second round and forging ahead with the third on Saturday. He won the Masters in April and the U.S. Open last month.
Only one man—Ben Hogan in 1953—has won those two and the British Open in the same year.
Put it all together and it's a third round not lacking for talking points. And with that said, here are the biggest questions leading into Saturday at the 144th British Open.
Can Jordan Spieth Make History…Again?
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The answer after Friday's partial round is a resounding "maybe."
Texan Jordan Spieth was a wire-to-wire winner at the Masters in April and a recipient of good 18th-hole fortune to capture the U.S. Open in June, but he'll have to travel a unique road to make it 3-of-3 in golf's majors this weekend in Scotland.
The 21-year-old was two shots off the British Open pace entering Friday's second round and then completed only 13 holes before darkness fell. He'll have to complete five holes on Saturday morning before taking a break and returning to play 18 more third-round holes later in the day.
The fact that he's now been at or near the lead for nearly 10 full major-championship rounds this year gives no reason to believe he'll suddenly falter. Instead, whether or not he has the lead Sunday evening (U.S. time) is likely to have a lot more to do with how others hold up, rather than how he does.
The guess here is that, whether he wins or not, he'll certainly be a crunch-time contender.
Is Dustin Johnson's Psyche Up to the Weekend Task?
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If there's anyone out there who saw Dustin Johnson's 18th-hole trials in June at Chambers Bay and thought he'd hold a solo lead near the midpoint of the British Open, go ahead and take your bow.
As for the rest of us, it seems a pretty remarkable—and unexpected—feat so far.
Johnson established himself with a first-round 65 on Thursday and then was three under through 13 holes on Friday before darkness prevented him from completing the full route.
The fact that Johnson's playing alongside Spieth, the guy who benefited from the U.S. Open demise, is intriguing, and the idea that they could be paired again coming down the stretch on Sunday is tantalizing as well.
It's his major to lose after his first 31 holes. Problem is, history shows he's capable of doing so.
Is Danny Willett as Legitimate as He Looks?
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If Englishman Danny Willett were a stock, he'd be a red-hot buy these days.
The 27-year-old was an anonymous 80-1 Odds Shark selection to win the British Open prior to the start of play Thursday, but after a first-round 66 and a Friday 69 that gave him the clubhouse lead among those who were able to finish their second rounds, he's been trimmed down to a 22-1 proposition.
He was the first player in the 2015 field to get to double digits under par, before bogeys at the 15th and 17th holes cost him two shots. He finished the day well, however, with a birdie on the par-four 18th that got him back to nine under.
This is the fourth British Open appearance for Willett, who's missed two cuts and tied for 15th in three previous outings. He has two European Tour wins to his career's name, including a four-stroke triumph at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa last December.
The initial analysis says this kid's not ready for the weekend, but he'll be an interesting study.
Which Major Champion (Not Named Jordan) Is Most Dangerous?
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Here's a hint, it's not Tiger Woods.
But it is a guy who's played with him a lot lately.
South African Louis Oosthuizen endured an agonizing two rounds with Woods and Rickie Fowler before getting his game on track at the U.S. Open last month—eventually tying for second—and then was paired again with Woods (and Jason Day) while shooting a five-under 67 at St. Andrews on Thursday.
Oosthuizen birdied the fifth, seventh and ninth holes on Friday before the trio was halted by darkness after completing 11 holes, which left him three shots off the pace set by Dustin Johnson (who was halted after 13 holes) just short of the tournament's midway point.
Now 32 years old, Oosthuizen was a winner the last time the Open was played at St. Andrews, dropping all the way to 16-under par to beat Lee Westwood by seven strokes.
Another former British champion—Scotsman Paul Lawrie—made it through 12 holes at eight under on Friday, while a pair of Masters winners, Adam Scott (2013) and Zach Johnson (2007), finished their rounds at seven under.
Will the Weather Continue to Look Like British Open Weather?
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Players in knit caps and jackets. Fans in scarves and parkas. Umbrellas everywhere.
It must be July golf in Scotland.
A rain delay of more than three hours put a sopping wet dent in Friday's second round, costing 42 players the chance to complete their 18 holes before the sunlight ran out. Leader Dustin Johnson will resume second-round play on the 14th hole Saturday morning and then return later in the day for his third round.
"It's the worst. It's hard because they've got to get up at five o'clock to get their bodies ready to perform. They've got a tough road," ESPN analyst Paul Azinger said on the cable network's post-round broadcast. "These guys are going to have to be scrappers. We'll see who has the will to win, and who doesn't. Some guys like to play in these conditions. Others don't."
Not to mention, it could be more of the brutal same over the weekend.
The Weather Channel's Saturday forecast calls for a high temperature of 65 degrees, a low of 52 and winds at 26 mph. Come Sunday, the temperature stays the same, and the winds die down to a manageable eight mph, though the chance of precipitation jumps from 10 percent to 80 percent.
Can Marc Warren Bring It Home for Scotland?
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Some looked at Friday's St. Andrews weather and cursed.
But Marc Warren, who was born in Rutherglen, about 80 miles to the southwest, didn't seem to mind.
The 34-year-old was scheduled to begin his second round in blustery conditions early Friday morning, but he caught a break when a deluge flooded the course and postponed his start until things had settled down.
He then went out and fired a three-under par 69, which blended nicely with his first-round 68 and left him at seven under for the tournament—just two shots off Willett's clubhouse lead.
St. Andrews is the site of past success for Warren, who regained his European Tour card with a fifth-place finish at the Dunhill Links tournament in 2011.
"You're literally playing for your job and your livelihood," he recalled from his 2011 experience at St. Andrews, per Iain MacFarlane of the Daily Star. "I feel that if I can come through that and still perform, then I don't see why I'm not able to do that this weekend. This is a situation everyone dreams about playing golf as a kid. To live out at least a part of that dream is pretty cool."
Are Any 40-Plus Players Capable of a Meaningful Run?
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For a three-year stretch earlier in the decade, the British Open was an oasis for the aged.
Forty-somethings Darren Clarke (42), Ernie Els (42) and Phil Mickelson (43) were winners in 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively, showing that patience and durability can occasionally overcome youth and vigor.
The run was interrupted by a 25-year-old Rory McIlroy last year at Royal Liverpool, but the Northern Irishman isn't defending his title due to injury. That means the door is open to restart the veteran mojo.
Conveniently, Paul Lawrie—an unlikely 1999 Open champion after Jean van de Velde blew a three-shot lead on the 72nd hole—is on the cusp of contention again after firing a six-under par 66 on Thursday and getting two more shots under on Friday before darkness stalled his round after 12 holes.
As a result, it'll be a 24-hole Saturday gauntlet for the 46-year-old Scotsman, who could displace Old Tom Morris as the event's oldest champion if he manages to lead the field come Sunday.
OK, Enough Chit-Chat…Who Will Have the Claret Jug Come Sunday Night?
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At 31 years old, Dustin Johnson has already been a top-10 finisher in nine of the 24 majors in which he's played.
Still, not only has he never won one, but his near-misses are also rapidly climbing the charts as some of the most agonizing in golf history.
Case in point, he missed a 12-foot putt that could have won the U.S. Open last month and then missed a follow-up four-footer that would have forced an 18-hole playoff with Jordan Spieth. And as he walked off the Chambers Bay green that Sunday evening, a quick return to contention didn't seem likely to many.
But those people apparently don't know him too well. David Winkle, who's represented Johnson since 2007, told Bob Gillespie of PGA.com that Johnson was anything but shaken by the U.S. Open result:
"He looks at all those collectively as, "I'm good in majors, I know how to play them, I put myself in position to contend." With every one of those, he's more confident he can contend and win. It's a process, learning how to prepare and play majors golf, and he's getting better and better.
He's the most resilient I've ever known. Back at the house, he was the least outwardly gloomy one there. He has such a healthy perspective on life. It's not, 'Am I ever going to win a major?' I think he'll win more than one.
"
Good enough for him, good enough for us. So go ahead and mark it down.
When Sunday's post-event ceremony begins, Johnson will be the guy standing next to Paulina Gretzky. But no, that won't be the only reason he's smiling.
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