Sandwich, July 19: World number one Tiger Woods of the United States shot a one-over-par round of 72 to put himself four strokes behind compatriot Davis Love III in the second round of the British Open at Royal St George's on Friday (July 18). Woods, champion three years ago, returned a 72 to finish at three-over 145, four shots behind Love. Woods had been just one off the lead after three early birdies, but lost ground after the turn. He ran up a four-putt double-bogey at the par-four 12th, where he needed three putts to hole out from just one metre, and also bogeyed 17. Love at one stage led by three strokes as he made birdies at the seventh, ninth and 11th holes. Bogeys at the 10th, 12th and 13th sent him dropping towards the field and a failed attempt to escape a greenside bunker at the treacherous 17th set him further back. He looked likely to make his fifth bogey at the last after a drive into the rough but a masterly pitch, using the contours of the green, saved his par for a round of 72, one under par overall following Thursday's 69. With the cut projected for eight over par and many top players struggling to master a tricky crosswind in baking sun on the difficult south-eastern English links, it left Love perfectly poised for a weekend charge for his first Open title.


Love's 141 total led by two in the clubhouse from South Korean S.K. Ho who followed Thursday's 70 with a 73 and Thomas Bjorn of Denmark who shot a 70.


Defending champion Ernie Els kept his title hopes alive with a battling second-round 68 to finish on four-over-par 146. The big South African, who struggled to an opening 78, created birdie opportunities on the first five holes but was only able to take two of them. He picked up another shot at the 13th and holed a 4-metre putt on the 17th green to stay in touch with the leaders.



Spaniard Sergio Garcia was in a group on 2-over after a round of 71. Also on that mark were overnight leader Hennie Otto who shot 76, Frenchman Thomas Levet (73), American Kenny Perry (70) and Marco Ruiz of Paraguay (71).



Collated second round scores from the 132nd British Open golf championship at the par-71, 7,106-yard, Royal St George Course on Friday (British unless stated, a-denotes amateur): 141 Davis Love III (U.S.) 69 72 143 Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) 73 70, S.K.Ho (South Korea) 70 73 144 Ben Curtis (U.S.) 72 72, Alastair Forsyth 74 70, Sergio Garcia (Spain) 73 71, Thomas Levet (France) 71 73, Hennie Otto (South Africa) 68 76, Kenny Perry (U.S.) 74 70, Marco Ruiz (Paraguay) 73 71 145 Chad Campbell (U.S.) 74 71, Mathias Gronberg (Sweden) 71 74, Scott McCarron (U.S.) 71 74, Vijay Singh (Fiji) 75 70, Tiger Woods (U.S.) 73 72 146 Stuart Appleby (Australia) 75 71, Fred Couples (U.S.) 71 75, Ernie Els (South Africa) 78 68, Gary Evans 71 75, Mark Foster 73 73, Fredrik Jacobson (Sweden) 70 76, Peter Lonard (Australia) 73 73, Phil Mickelson (U.S.) 74 72, Andrew Oldcorn 72 74, Craig Parry (Australia) 73 73, Nick Price (Zimbabwe) 74 72, Phillip Price 74 72 147 Markus Brier (Austria) 76 71, Jose Coceres (Argentina) 77 70, Charles Howell III (U.S.) 71 76, Gary Murphy (Ireland) 73 74, Jesper Parnevik (Sweden) 72 75, Mark Roe 77 70, Chris Smith (U.S.) 74 73 148 Robert Allenby (Australia) 73 75, Angel Cabrera (Argentina) 75 73, Bob Estes (U.S.) 77 71, Mathew Goggin (Australia) 76 72, Retief Goosen (South Africa) 73 75, Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 75 73, Raphael Jacquelin (France) 77 71, J.L.Lewis (U.S.) 78 70, Adam Mednick (Sweden) 76 72, Greg Norman (U.S.) 69 79, John Rollins (U.S.) 72 76, Tom Watson (U.S.) 71 77, Ian Woosnam 73 75 149 Tom Byrum (U.S.) 77 72, K.J.Choi (South Korea) 77 72, John Daly (U.S.) 75 74, Pierre Fulke (Sweden) 77 72, Shingo Katayama (Japan) 76 73, Skip Kendall (U.S.) 73 76, David Lynn 73 76, Len Mattiace (U.S.) 74 75, Katsuyoshi Tomori (Japan) 72 77, Duffy Waldorf (U.S.) 76 73, Anthony Wall 75 74


Bureau Report