Brian Harman's leadership, escape for victory

Advertisemen

The leadership and escape for the victory of Brian Harman, the comebacks of Sepp Straka, Min Woo Lee and Jason Day. And again: the good performance of Guido Migliozzi, the elimination of Francesco Molinari, the hole in one of Travis Smyth and the protests of the Just Stop Oil activists. Everything happened, in England, in the second round of The Open, the fourth and last men's Major of 2023 and watershed for the Ryder Cup in Rome. At the Royal Liverpool GC (par 71) in Hoylake, the American Brian Harman with a round bogey free (fruit of an eagle and four birdies, all arrived in the first holes played) in 65 (-6) signed the best partial of the day and, in the middle of the match, with a total of 132 (67 65, -10) he recovered from 4th to 1st position. Second in 2017 at the US Open, two titles on the PGA Tour, the 36-year-old from Savannah, number 26 in the world ranking, now has a five stroke lead over the Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, 2/o with 137 (-5) ahead of the Austrian Straka, 3/o with 138 (-4). Behind them are the Australians Lee and Day, 4th with 139 (-3) alongside the Indian Shubhankar Sharma. Another good performance for Guido Migliozzi, from 13/o to 11/o with 141 (69 72, -1) on a par, among others, with Rory McIlroy. Two bogeys and a birdie (on the 18th hole, his last of the day) for the Vicenza player. While the Northern Irishman, world number 2 fresh from his success at the Scottish Open and the last player to win on this course (which hosts The Open for the 13th time, the first since 2014) the oldest Major in the world nine years ago, gained 21 positions by signing three birdies, with two bogeys.

The Open, results

Jon Rahm, world number 3, also advanced from 90/o to 39/o with 144 (+2). The same score also for the Australian Cameron Smith, who defends the title conquered in 2022. With a magic in the final he instead avoided the cut exit Scottie Scheffler. The American, in difficulty, is 62/o with 145 (+3) like the South African amateur Christo Lamprecht who, after finishing the 18 opening holes in the lead, risked insult. New disappointment for Francesco Molinari, eliminated with a score of 148 (73 75, +6), whose road to receive a wild card for the Ryder Cup in Rome is becoming more and more uphill. Hole in one, the first of the tournament, for the Australian Travis Smyth, also out of the scene and since last year moved to the Arab Super League, who at 17 (par 3) signed the feat using a 9 iron from 132 yards (120 meters). The Americans Justin Thomas (153, +11) and Dustin Johnson (155, +13) fell short of expectations, both out on a difficult day in which only 30 players recorded a second round under par. Not only golf, but also protests. Featuring four Just Stop Oil activists lighting a smoke bomb and throwing orange powder paint onto the 17th green before being stopped by police. And now the "moving day" before the grand finale of a historic appointment, now in its 151st edition, which offers 16,500,000 dollars up for grabs, an increase of 2,500,000 compared to last year, of which 3,000,000 will go to the winner.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/9cx4g7M

Advertisemen

 Tennis