The Open: Things you may have missed on day two

From Danny Willett’s lookalike shell suit and Zach Johnson’s big bet to Iceland’s new hero and David Duval’s ‘illness’, here are some of the more unusual talking points from day two of The Open.

Kisner and Zach Johnson caught up in high stakes bet
The 2018 Champion Golfer of the Year might need an advance on their $1.89 million prize money. That’s according to co-leaders Zach Johnson and Kevin Kisner, who are rooming with Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Jason Dufner and Jimmy Walker in Carnoustie this week and have a running wager in place which could cost one of them tens of thousands of pounds. “Two years ago we, I don’t know if you can call it a bet, agreed that, if you win, you get the jet and you buy it, so we go home,” said Johnson. “I didn’t pay last year. Somebody else did.” Spieth had that privilege, but Johnson says he’d be happy to pay. Whether he’s feeling quite so generous when he has to pay for extra baggage allowance to cater for Dufner’s hat collection, we’re not so sure.

The award for the worst dressed goes to…
Danny Willett. What were you thinking? He’s spent the last year trying to keep a low profile after missing cuts here, there and everywhere. But after one good round yesterday, he turned up for the second round thinking he was some kind of stormtrooper. Decked out in waterproofs which should never see the light of day again, he looked ready for a cameo in the next Star Wars movie. Either that or a fashion parade of 90s shell suits!

Magnus makes history
In a year of firsts for his homeland, world No.1,089 Magnus Haraldur became the first Icelandic to play in The Open. Not that he had much cause for celebration. A missed cut means he’s still got some way to go to match the celebrity status of his parents. His father Kristjan is an actor and his mother Sigridur hosts her own radio show. 

Duval signs off early
Sitting second from last, David Duval (remember him?) succumbed to a mystery illness and didn’t even make his second-round tee time. He’s now failed to make the weekend in each of his last 11 starts on the PGA Tour. To find the last cut he made, you have to go way back to the 2015 Open. 

Spieth’s Scottish love affair
If you’ve ever tried ‘grits’ or corn dogs, you’ll know American cuisine is something of an acquired taste. The same accusation is often levelled at Scottish food, which is why we were taken aback when Jordan Spieth admitted he’s actually a fan. In fact, he says “it’s the best” they have all year on Tour. Way to endear yourself to the locals, Jordan. 

In Numbers

ONE
Sam Locke was the only amateur to make it through to the weekend, meaning he will emulate Rory McIlroy as a Silver Medal winner at Carnoustie. The Scottish teenager, who is a protégée of 1999 champion Paul Lawrie, scraped through on the cut mark and is rewarded with an early start on Saturday.

Did you know? It took him six appearances and three seperate visits, but Phil Mickelson finally shot a round under par at Carnoustie. A 69 catapulted him to level par, just six off the lead.

TWO
This Open marks the first time in five years Tiger Woods has shot par or better in each of the first two rounds of a Major. And if you need more cause for optimism, Tiger leads the PGA Tour third round scoring average this season. 

THREE
Zach Johnson seems to save his best golf for links courses. In his last six starts at The Open, he’s finished inside the top 15 in all but one. He also hasn’t won since being crowned Champion Golfer of the Year three years ago today, so he’s due one.

Did You Know? Pat Perez, who sits just one off the lead, used to work for his caddie Michael Hartford before making the grade on the PGA Tour. Hartford owned a landscaping business and Perez was his employee. 

FOUR
How Justin Thomas must be regretting three consecutive double bogeys between the seventh and ninth. That was enough to leave him on four-over-par, which is where he stayed to miss the cut for a second successive year.

Did you know? In three starts at The Open, Thomas is a cumulative nine-under-par for the first round and 27-over-par for the second, third and fourth.

FIVE
Tommy Fleetwood’s round of the day was the fifth time he’s shot 66 or lower in Majors since the start of last year’s Open. He’s also a combined 12-under-par for 54 holes at Shinnecock and Carnoustie.

Did you know? Fourteen of the world’s top 50 were sent home early.

SIX
Dustin Johnson has become the first world No.1 to miss the cut at The Open since Luke Donald in 2011. A bogey, double-bogey finish ended his hopes, and meant he played the final two holes in a combined six-over-par for the Championship. Ouch!

SEVEN
British fans, rejoice. All seven previous winners of The Open at Carnoustie trailed at the halfway stage.

Did you know? You have to go back to the US PGA Championship for the last time Justin Rose missed a cut. He looked like ending that streak before a birdie on the last got him into the weekend with no room to spare. 

EIGHT
Ian Poulter won’t be adding to his eight top 10s in Majors. He finished five shots outside the cut mark, meaning he have the weekend off for the third time in his last four starts at The Open.

NINE
While most of the field were gaining shots on the par-5 6th, Scott Jamieson claimed the (unwanted) honour of posting the worst score of the week. A quadruple bogey nine.

Did you know? Just 28 players enter the weekend in the red figures. 

Hole by hole averages (after 36 holes)

The final word…
The one downside of watching the action on the ground means it’s difficult to keep up to date with what’s happening on the course. To help you stay connected, the R&A has started trialling ‘Audio Everywhere’ so you can listen into audio from live TV coverage on your phone. Just download the free app (which they want to stress is a BETA version – a work in progress to you and I), perform a ‘venue scan’ upon opening and tune into one of four channels (Sky Sports, NBC, Open TV and Press Conferences).