IN FOCUS STEVE MARINO:IN THIS major, the golfing gods have a habit of plucking players from obscurity. Think of Ben Curtis. Think of Todd Hamilton. If Steve Marino wanted to know about fate, then the events of the past week – and, more pertinently the last couple of days – should convince the 29-year-old American that life moves in mysterious ways.
A week ago, Marino was playing in the John Deere Classic on the US Tour. At the time, he was third alternate for the British Open but then second and, finally, first reserve. Last week’s tournament was in a town called Silvis in Illinois and Marino had left his passport at home in Florida. When Phil Mickelson withdrew from the Open on the Thursday, Marino figured it might be a good idea to get his passport. Just in case.
So, his father was dispatched from his home in Virginia, flew down to Florida and sent the passport by FedEx to the American mid-west. By Sunday morning, such planning proved judicial: Japan’s Shingo Katayama withdrew from the major, and by Sunday night – along with Steve Stricker, who won the tournament, Zach Johnson, Lucas Glover and the few other players who had decided to play in Illinois – Marino was on board a special charter plane bound for his maiden appearance in the Open.
Good karma? For sure. Marino – a third year US Tour professional who once shot a 59 on the mini-tour on a course in Arizona he can’t even remember the name of – had never visited Europe before this week but, despite resisting the temptation to eat haggis and staying away from wearing kilts, he has found the place very much to his liking.
Why wouldn’t he? Having never played links golf until his arrival here on Monday, Marino – ranked 77th in the world and who lost a play-off to Stricker in the Colonial earlier this season – found the style suited his game. Yesterday, he added a 68 to his opening 67 and, hey presto, he’s atop the midway leaderboard with a golfing legend.
“In terms of scoring, it was probably one of the best scoring rounds I’ve ever had. I was really struggling off the tee. I hit it in the rough a bunch, missed a bunch of greens. I holed a shot from 116 yards for birdie, made a bunker shot for a birdie . . . I really don’t think I could have shot one stroke less.”
His honest post-round assessment didn’t take into account the fact that he had played himself into contention in a major for the first time. Indeed, he had never previously bettered 73 in any of the three majors he had played.
“I didn’t have any expectations,” admitted Marino, who nevertheless is enjoying his best season on tour having made 15 of 20 cuts prior to the visit to this side of the pond. “I’ve been playing well for a while, so I had some confidence in my game.
“This has been a little bit different, but the practice rounds and yesterday was like playing over in the States, with the perfect weather and no wind. But today it was quite a challenge and quite different.”
Now, Marino finds himself in uncharted territory. The man who has never tasted victory will go in search of the promised land over the next two days.
