Marc Leishman is the one Australian to make the lower at The Open Championship at Royal Portrush in a disastrous day for the 9 Australians within the area.
Leishman shot an outstanding three-under par second spherical 68 to maneuver to -1 for the event, which comfortably allowed him to chill with “a pint or two of Guinness” because the afternoon teams scrambled to make the weekend.
However it was a disappointing show throughout the board for the Australians as Jason Day (+2) missed the lower by a shot, Adam Scott (+9) had a shocker, soo too did Cameron Smith (+8) and Min Woo Lee (+5) missed the lower for a 3rd successive main.
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Australian PGA champion Elvis Smylie (+3) and injury-plagued former prodigy Curtis Luck (+8) shot spectacular one-under par second rounds of 70 however it was not sufficient for both to make the lower.
Ripper GC’s Lucas Herbert (+4) and former bikie Ryan Peake (+8) shot 72 and 73 respectively on Friday, however merely left themselves with an excessive amount of work to do on the Northern Irish hyperlinks.
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Probably the most disappointing of the bunch of poor outcomes is undoubtedly Smith’s collapse.
The 2022 Open champion is a shell of the participant who triumphed at St Andrews, lacking the lower for the second straight 12 months at The Open and failing to succeed in the weekend in any respect 4 majors this 12 months.
Smith appeared to have turned the nook on the again 9 with two birdies and no bogeys after a shaky begin to his one-over par opening spherical, which included a horrific tee shot that travelled barely 140 metres off the primary tee.
Cam Smith off to worst attainable begin! | 00:53
However that fleeting improved show was a false daybreak because the LIV Golf star as soon as once more battled on the entrance, reaching the flip in 41 after which including two extra bogeys to his card at 10 and 11 on Friday.
One other dropped shot got here at 14, and he made his solely birdie of the day on the seventeenth earlier than signing off on a seven-over par 78.
Scott’s second spherical was one shot worse however the injury got here in reverse as he unravelled on the again 9.
The 2013 Masters champion, who performed within the final group within the remaining spherical of final month’s US Open, shot a three-over par entrance 9 courtesy of a double bogey on the par 3 third and a bogey on the ninth, earlier than making two extra double bogeys, on the eleventh and sixteenth to derail his day.
Issues had been way more constructive for Leishman as he sits in a tie for twenty sixth, making the lower at a second straight main after watching them from house for two-and-a-half years after becoming a member of LIV Golf.
He got here by means of qualifying on the US Open and earned his place on this week’s area with a prime three end finally 12 months’s Australian Open, and the 41-year-old is understandably feeling optimistic about his recreation.
“Every part felt fairly good. Putted nicely. Most likely left a pair on the market,” Leishman stated.
“Had a three-putt on 5, however that was a extremely powerful pin. Drove it nicely, didn’t hit any fairway bunkers at this time, which was good. That’s what killed me yesterday.
“No, proud of how every thing was feeling. Clearly that little mishap on 13 there. It’s a bit scary when that occurs.
“Two-hole stretch that didn’t type of do a complete lot improper aside from that tee shot on 13. Pleased with the day.”
Leishman was five-under par for the spherical by means of 12 holes, after which a case of the shanks crept in on the thirteenth tee when his tee shot on the par 3 got here up method brief and proper.
Leishman lashes gradual play at The Open | 00:33
He salvaged a bogey after which dropped one other shot on the very subsequent gap earlier than ending with 4 straight pars.
Though, it made for a nervy finish to the spherical.
“I used to be actually eager about it after I was making an attempt to chop up an 8-iron into the final, precisely the identical shot I hit on 13,” Leishman stated of his shank.
“Yeah, clearly you attempt to block it out of your head, however they do say the toughest shot in golf is the one after a shank. I felt like each shot coming in was that shot.
“It was powerful, however you’ve acquired to snort about it and hope it doesn’t occur once more for some time.”
In the meantime, Peake, whose story of rising from 5 years in jail to enter the skilled golf ranks has been much-documented this week, was grateful to have the prospect to play in a serious championship, however was dissatisfied together with his personal exhibiting.
“Clearly it’s been an incredible build-up. I really feel we’ve finished the correct prep. The venue’s been unbelievable. The crowds have been nice. The hospitality, therapy aspect, everybody goes above and past to do every thing for you. On that facet, every thing’s been nice. Simply the golf was disappointing,” Peake stated.
“I performed higher golf at this time. I believed I performed some fairly good golf at this time. I didn’t get rewarded. Lots of putts I may have dropped to get a little bit of momentum. Going early, I come out this morning considering it was an enormous probability to shoot a half first rate rating and make the lower. I simply couldn’t get that momentum.
“Hit a pair good pictures. There was nothing improper with the pictures, simply the quantity was utterly out. I form of acquired actually punished for that. All in all, like I stated yesterday, I’ll replicate on the expertise later down the observe. It was disappointing not taking part in the weekend.”
Peake: “Nah, I am lethal severe” | 00:30
The 31-year-old left-hander from Perth performed his two rounds with six-time main champion Phil Mickelson, his childhood {golfing} idol.
It led to a humorous encounter submit the opening spherical the place Peake requested for a signed glove in addition to a few of the golf balls Mickelson’s caddie was handing out to the gang as a memento.
However Peake doesn’t need such an expertise to be a one-off in his profession.
“Clearly nice. I used to be clearly making an attempt to play my recreation as nicely, however he was pleasant, he was chatting. It’s not like I’ve performed this week and suppose that’s the very best participant I’m ever going to play with or within the largest occasion I’m ever going to play with,” Peake stated of Mickelson.
“I’m not precisely right here this week to attempt to embrace all of it as the good second of my life as a result of I imagine I belong right here. I’m going to maintain making an attempt to do it once more, and I imagine I’ve acquired the sport to do it.
“Simply this week I didn’t have it, and it’s just a bit bit disappointing.”
Peake earned his main debut by profitable the New Zealand Open in March.
He was prime beginner, having represented Australia alongside Smith as a junior, however final summer season was his first on the PGA Tour of Australasia.
He is aware of he has come alongside method from a jail cell to taking part in in one of many largest golf tournaments on the planet, however Peake by no means needed to journey to Northern Eire to easily make up the numbers.
“Yeah, it was by no means on the playing cards,” Peake stated of taking part in in a serious.
“I don’t wish to come throughout too depressing after which sitting right here like beating myself up and issues like that, however for the subsequent short while, I’m allowed to be dissatisfied with the efficiency that I’ve finished. It’s simply one thing else to develop from, I assume.
“It sucks that it’s gone this fashion, however clearly honoured to have the privilege to do it. Perhaps subsequent time will probably be higher.”