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British Open Second Round News & Notes

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07/21/2007 - Carnoustie, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It has been quite a golfing week for Spain.

On Monday, Seve Ballesteros, a three-time champion, and Spain's greatest golfer in history, announced his retirement from competitive golf. He had been hampered for years by a bad back, but his statement at Carnoustie brought an end to an era in Spanish golf.

Then, one day later, Jose Maria Olazabal, a two-time Masters winner and Ballesteros' long-time Ryder Cup partner, withdrew from the British Open Championship with a knee injury

Things did not look good for Spanish golf.

By Friday afternoon, that country became the toast of Scotland.

Sergio Garcia, who recently re-formed the Spanish Armada with Olazabal at last year's Ryder Cup, shot a wonderful 65 in round one, then put together a steady 71 on Friday to sit atop the leaderboard.

Just below him on the leaderboard, three shots back is Miguel Angel Jimenez. "The Mechanic" nearly aced the 16th hole on Friday and hit the best approach of the week at Carnoustie's closing hole. Unfortunately, Jimenez missed the six-footer for birdie, but is in at minus-three.

As expected, the "younger" generation gave thanks to Ballesteros.

"For me when I look at myself and I believe so many players think the same thing," said Jimenez. "We feel proud for what he did for us."

If it was going to be a "Win one for Seve Week," the pressure should be on Garcia and Jimenez. They are the only Spaniards left in the field after Olazabal withdrew.

"The odds are not huge," Garcia admitted after his opening round. "It would be amazing. It would be something out of, how do you call it, a fairy tale or something like that."

OTHER FORMS OF ENHANCERS

In the wake of Gary Player's bizarre accusation on Wednesday that he knows at least one player in the world on some form of steroids, most players have come out swinging.

But on Friday, Jim Furyk, who is tied for fifth place after a pair of 70s, admitted that some elements most athletes don't employ might have aided in his strong play this week.

"My wife and I were looking for a place to eat last night," said Furyk. "We ended up grabbing a couple of pizzas...and on our way carrying them back to the hotel we saw Justin Leonard, Scott Verplank and a couple of the other large American contingent and they talked us into one pint up there at the Kinloch."

Maybe the pizza and beer are helping Furyk, the No. 3 player in the world, but last year is what got him started. After missing five straight cuts at the British Open, he took fourth place at Royal Liverpool.

With conditions expected to get even windier over the weekend, Furyk likes his chances. He actually likes them just fine right now.

"If the weather keeps up the way it is right now, I'm not ill-willing anyone like that, but if the weather keeps up the way it is, I should be within respectable distance of the leaders," he said.

AMATEUR RECAP

In case you forgot, 18-year-old amateur Rory McIlroy went through Thursday's first round as the only player in the field without a bogey.

He more than made up for that on Friday.

McIlroy collected two birdies, a double-bogey and five bogeys en route to a five-over 76 and a share of 31st place at two-over-par 144.

"It was a bit of a struggle, but I managed to steady the ship on the last six holes and played that in level par which is always good on a course like this," said McIlroy. "I'm just happy to be here for the weekend."

McIlroy basically has a free weekend among amateurs. The Silver Medal is his since no other amateur made the cut, but one, with perhaps a more compelling story gave it his all.

Drew Weaver, the British Amateur Champion, only managed a one-over 72 on Friday and missed the cut at plus-six. He had 20 feet for birdie on the last with a chance to get to five-over. There was an outside chance the cut would fall to plus-five, but it hardly mattered as Weaver missed the putt.

This has been a remarkable week for Weaver. He will be a junior at Virginia Tech and was only a few 100 yards away from the tragedy in April.

"I have had a fantastic week," said Weaver. "I had a wonderful time, but it's a tough feeling to have come so close to making the cut. I played my heart out today, and it's a tough realization that I won't be playing through the weekend".

* The group of leader Sergio Garcia, Johan Edfors and Chad Campbell were put on the clock for slow play on the 14th hole. They were not assessed any penalty.

* If Garcia wins this event, he will be the first Spaniard since Seve Ballesteros in 1988 and the first European to win a major of any kind since Paul Lawrie here in 1999. He has never held a 36-hole lead in a major championship.

* The weather is supposed to get significantly worse on the weekend. Rain is forecast, although the amount predicted has fluctuated throughout Friday. The wind is supposed to pick up on Saturday.

* John Daly and Achi Sato both shared the lead during Thursday's first round, but both missed the cut.

* Daly, Justin Leonard, Nick Faldo, Todd Hamilton, Tony Jacklin and Paul Lawrie, who won the last British Open Championship at Carnoustie in 1999, were the former champions who missed the cut.

* Paul McGinley was alone in second place after Thursday's first round, but struggled to a four-over 75 on Friday. He is tied for 13th place at even-par 142.

* The easiest hole for round two was the par-five 14th with an average of 4.61. The most difficult hole on Friday was once again the par-four 18th with an average of 4.71.

* The 14th has been the easiest for the week with a 4.65 average. The 18th has played harder than the par-five 14th with an average of 4.72.

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