Mark Calcavecchia hits first tee shot on Open farewell
Light rain greeted the early starters as day two of the 150th Open Championship got under way at St Andrews.
Former winner Mark Calcavecchia hit the opening shot at 6.35am in what will be his final appearance in the game’s oldest major championship.
The 62-year-old is beyond the age limit of 60 for former champions, but was given an exemption due to suffering from an injury in 2021 and the Open being cancelled in 2020.
Calcavecchia, who lifted the Claret Jug at Troon in 1989, struggled to an opening 83 and bogeyed the second and third on Friday to remain in last place on 13 over par.
At the other end of the leaderboard, world number two Rory McIlroy faced a long wait to resume his bid for a fifth major title with a tee time of 2.59pm.
McIlroy’s superb opening 66 left him two shots behind American Cameron Young, who marked his Open debut with a flawless 64, a score only McIlroy himself has beaten in the first round of an Open on the Old Course.
McIlroy’s 63 came back in 2010 and was followed by an 80 in terrible weather, while an ankle injury suffered playing football prevented him from bidding to retain the Claret Jug at the same venue in 2015.
“It’s another good start at a major, three in a row for me now, and I’m looking forward to the next few days,” said McIlroy, who is well aware he has failed to turn those starts into overdue wins, a third-round 74 doing the damage in the US PGA and a 73 at the same stage of the US Open equally costly.
“I need to go out and back up what I did. I think that’s important to do.
“I’ve been playing well, I’ve been swinging the club well, and I think it’s better if I don’t think about it that much and I just go out and play golf and try to shoot some good scores on one of my favourite golf courses in the world.”
Tiger Woods has made it clear the Old Course is definitely his favourite course, but the winner here in 2000 and 2005 struggled to an opening 78 which took six hours and eight minutes to complete.
That left Woods likely to need a 67 or 66 to make the cut, with the 15-time major winner due out shortly before 10am alongside US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick (level par) and Max Homa (+1).
Latest
-
Equipment
Miura targets wider market with hollow-bodied IC-602 irons
Miura are out to build on their existing market with new clubs that cast a slightly wider net in terms of player quality.
-
Videos
WATCH: Young woman steps up confidently to drive – and loses club behind her
Golf’s influencer girls can make it look easy.
-
Equipment
Pros give their verdict on Callaway Chrome Tour and Chrome Tour X balls
Callaway staffers have now had a good period of time to get used to their new ball offerings, the Chrome Tour and Chrome Tour X.
-
Videos
WATCH: 7 times the pros horribly fluffed their shots like the rest of us
Just when you think you have it all figured out.
-
Equipment
Collin Morikawa switches his putter again – and marvels at ‘incredible’ results
Collin Morikawa isn’t a professional who changes clubs lightly but he also isn’t averse to moving with the times.
-
Videos
WATCH: Kid pulls off unbelievable flop shot over his dad’s head
The flop shot is all about getting up and down with precision and this kid has it all.
-
Equipment
The clubs that helped Peter Malnati end his title drought at the Valspar Championship
Titleist staffer Peter Malnati ended his long wait for another championship at Innisbrookâs Copperhead Course.
-
Videos
WATCH: Amateur golfer takes hacking to a new level – leaving crowd in fits of laughter
Hackers are going to hack.