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Once again, the South African Louis Oosthuizen finds himself in contention in a major championship.
Oosthuizen’s 36-hole total of 129 at the Royal St. George’s Open is the second-best two-round goal total in a major in history; Brooks Koepka’s 36-hole total at the 2019 PGA Championship was 128.
If Oosthuizen is to win the Open for the second time, and 11 years after winning his first, he will have to fend off some of the best players in the sport. Collin Morikawa is only 2 shots behind, Jordan Spieth at 3 and Dustin Johnson at 4. Koepka and Jon Rahm are also within striking range at 5 cents.
Can Oosthuizen finally do it?
The familiar place of Oosthuizen
When Oosthuizen won his only major at the St. Andrews Open in 2010, he didn’t start thinking about hoisting the Claret Jug until his tee shot on the 17th hole of the final round.
He beat Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy by 7 shots.
“You try not to think about it until you have done it,” Oosthuizen said.
The South African knows this better than anyone. He’s been second six times in majors since winning St. Andrews, including a tie for second at this year’s PGA Championship (lost to Phil Mickelson by 2 strokes) and second in solo at the ‘US Open (lost to Jon Rahm by a blow).
“I don’t know,” Oosthuizen said. “I think in a few of them I needed to play a little better on the home stretch. US Open at Torrey Pines was not the easiest golf course to go through the five. , last six holes trying to get a birdie. You were kind of playing pars, and obviously Jon finished with those two amazing putts he made, and all of a sudden now I’m chasing so that ‘ was hard to find birdies to try to win the championship.
“Have said [that], I played pretty well where I probably could have been a little more aggressive a few times. It’s just that I don’t think I would have done a lot of things differently in a lot of them. “
Oosthuizen will have a chance to try and close the door again this weekend, having opened up a 2-shot lead over Morikawa after the second round. His total of 129 points on 36 holes is the lowest in Open history.
Louis Oosthuizen set the record for the lowest 36 hole score in Open Championship history with 129. pic.twitter.com/2FHdchMJbs
– ESPN statistics and information (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 16, 2021
After a 6-under 64 without a bogey in the first round, Oosthuizen played 33 consecutive holes without a bogey. After carding an eagle on the par-5 14th on Friday, he finally managed to buggy the par-3 16th.
“No, I would say more inspiration knowing that I can still compete in the majors,” Oosthuizen said. “I just have to get out of it and see if I can do better this weekend. The game is good, but I know it’s a very good ranking. I have to play good golf this weekend if I want to. get out first. “
Morikawa’s last strong debut
The first time Collin Morikawa played at the US Open, he tied for 35th place at Pebble Beach in 2019. The first time he competed in the PGA Championship at Harding Park the following year, he was became the third youngest winner of the event at 23.
Obviously, Morikawa is unfazed by the bigger golf scenes. This is still the case during his first start at the Open.
Morikawa, now 24, shot a 64-under-6 in the second round, which was tied for his best score under par in any round of a major tournament, and edged Oosthuizen by 2 strokes after 36 holes. Morikawa’s score of 131 over 36 holes is tied for fourth in Open history.
“I watch them like obviously they’re played,” Morikawa said of the majors. “We have four a year, and you’re trying to definitely win those four because they’re so big.”
Morikawa said he grew up watching The Open on TV. He was just 6 years old when Ben Curtis became the last Open winner at Royal St. George’s in 2003.
According to ESPN Stats & Information research, Morikawa would become just the ninth player to win the PGA Championship and the Open in 365 days. Of the previous eight, only Tiger Woods did it before he turned 25.
“For me, I just want to create my own memories,” he said. “There are memories here and there. I’m awful with the history of golf, unfortunately, like just remembering certain facts.… For me, I hope we can just make memories and create memories. lifelong memories that hopefully come Sunday and we can talk again. “
More big names in pursuit
After opening with a 1-over 71, Jon Rahm looked like his US Open win follow-up in a major would be a flop. But then the Spaniard put in a bogey-less bogey, 6-under-64 to drop to 5-under halfway, 6 shots behind Oosthuizen, whom he chased to win at Torrey Pines last month.
It was Rahm’s lowest turn in a major tournament.
“I can play this level of golf on weekends too,” said Rahm, whose best Open result was a tie for 11th at the Royal Portrush two years ago. “I can play very well. It can also improve. I think I [will] give me a chance to catch up by Sunday.
“But we will see [in the third round]. [Saturday] is the most important day, obviously, right now. If I can put another solid ride like I did [on Friday], post lots, and hope the leaders don’t go down too low, I think that’s the job. “
Quadruple major winner Brooks Koepka also returned to contention with a score of 4 under 66, finishing with four birdies in the last five holes, including the last three. It is also 5 cents after 36 holes.
“I would like to be closer,” Koepka said. “But, yeah, I mean, I have to go out and play a good trick. I need it. Try to be two or three ahead on Sunday. So I have to take a step – and I have to do it. he [Saturday]. “
Who are these guys?
Oosthuizen is not the only South African in the standings. The other, however, is completely unexpected. Daniel van Tonder, 30, belatedly replaced Joohyung Kim and is competing in his first Open. After a 66-under-4 moved him to 6 at the halfway point, van Tonder is suddenly in contention to win the Claret Jug.
“I can’t ask for much,” van Tonder said. “In golf you can’t really go in there and just say you want to be this or that. You have to go out and play. Yes, as long as the wind keeps blowing I’m very happy with that. weekend and enjoy every moment. “
He started playing golf at the age of 12 and has never had a coach. His wife, Abi, is his caddy. He has won the Challenge Tour seven times and won his first European Tour event at the Kenya Savannah Classic in March, beating Jazz Janewattananond in the playoffs. He finished tied for 44th in the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island in May.
Germany’s Marcel Siem is also tied for seventh at 6 holes after 36 holes. It could be even more of a surprise. Siem is ranked 302 player in the world. He only qualified for the Open on Sunday, when he won the Challenge Le Vaudreuil of the European Challenge Tour in France.
Siem, who turned 41 on Thursday, is hard to miss on the course. He’s not wearing a hat over his blonde bun. He likes to bang his fist with every putt. He has not won on the European circuit since the BMW Masters in November 2014 and lost his circuit card. He was ranked No. 48 in the world in 2013 and tied for 12th at the US Open at Pinehurst the following year.
Playing in his first major tournament since the 2015 PGA Championship, Siem played consecutive rounds in the 1960s in a major tournament for the first time in his career.
Go home
The friendlier than expected conditions at Royal St. George’s did not help everyone. A handful of big names are returning home after missing the cup. They include Marc Leishman (over 2), Francesco Molinari (over 2), Tyrrell Hatton (over 2), Patrick Cantlay (over three), Patrick Reed (over three), Gary Woodland (over three), Jason Day (over five) and Phil Mickelson (12 and over).
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