IT WAS so blowy at The Renaissance, the Genesis Scottish Open could’ve been sponsored by the Beaufort Scale. For the hardy golfing locals, of course, the wind sweeping over the links would be nonchalantly brushed off as nothing more than a stiff breeze. Some high profile big-hitters of the global game, meanwhile, were blown off course as the exodus in East Lothian featured one or two marquee names. It had been a sair fecht.
Collin Morikawa, who will defend his Open title at St Andrews next week, world No 1 Scottie Scheffler and Will Zalatoris, the runner-up in the last two majors, all departed with five-over totals while Justin Thomas trudged away with a 10-over tally. As for LIV Golf rebel Ian Poulter? Well, after winning a legal case against a suspension from the championship, he lasted just 36-holes having also racked up a 10-over aggregate. Perhaps he could get the lawyers to overturn his missed cut?
At the sharp end of affairs, Cameron Tringale, who bounded through his first round in just 61 blows to set a sizzling pace, required 72 clatters yesterday but it was still good enough to earn a three-shot lead over Doug Ghim and Gary Woodland on seven-under.
At one point of his round, after a couple of early birdies, Tringale was briefly six clear of the field but the wheels then started to shoogle as he began to reverse to such an extent, you half expected him to start making one of those ‘beep beep’ warnings a lorry sounds when it’s backing into a yard. Four bogeys in a row gave the chasing pack hope but Tringale managed to stop the bleeding and limit the damage on a day when it was easy to make a right hash of things.
“It was definitely more difficult for me today,” said Tringale of the different test he encountered during a fearsome buffeting. “In round one, it seemed pretty easy, and today, it seemed like every hole was a grind to make par. I’m just happy to be done.”
Amid the various toils and troubles, there were some sturdy shows of defiance. Xander Schauffele, the Olympic champion, harnessed the conditions to fine effect and emerged with a best-of-the-day five-under 65 to move to three-under. An 8-iron into 15 feet on his first hole of the day – the 10th – set up an eagle which he gobbled up. “It was a bonus,” he said of this flying start.
Matt Fitzpatrick was also flying. Indeed, the newly crowned US Open champion looked to be on course to better Schaufelle’s effort having covered 13 holes in a brilliant six-under only to bogey his last two holes. The Sheffield man wasn’t complaining about a 66, though, which thrust him right back into contention on three-under.
Fitzpatrick, who lost in a play-off at last year’s championship, had opened with a battling 71 on Thursday which was an admirable effort given that the later starters in round one experienced the toughest conditions and scoring was over three shots higher than the cards returned from the early part of the draw.
The luck of that draw is part and parcel of the links game so you just have to get on with it. Fitzpatrick certainly did as he maintained the terrific form he has shown in a campaign during which his worst finish when he’s made the cut is tied 14th. “I do believe in myself, I do believe I can keep playing well,” he said of this purposeful, profitable streak. “It's either been top-15 or I’ve missed the cut and if that's the case for the rest of the year I'd happily take it.”
The Yorkshireman has a Claret Jug in his sights next week but, for now, his eyes are firmly fixed on Scottish Open glory. He’d be a popular champion. “I’ve had so much support with people saying ‘congrats’ and ‘keep it going’ as I’m walking onto tees and greens,” said Fitzpatrick. “It’s been really nice to be out there.”
It was really nice too for Englishman Jordan Smith and his caddie, Sam Matton. On his way to a 69 which moved him into a share of fourth on three-under, Smith made a hole-in-one on the 17th and won a spanking new Genesis car for himself and one for his bagman.
Smith’s 6-iron landed some 20-feet from the pin but fed down the slope and trundled into the hole sparking delirious scenes. “We couldn’t see it but the crowd went nuts,” he said
Both Smith and Matton drove up to East Lothian in their own cars. “We’ve got two cars here already so we might have to ship the new ones back somehow,” he said of the gleaming new additions to the duo’s driveways.
It’s quite a nice problem to have.
