SANDWICH DIARY:A British Open miscellany
FORMER US Open champion Lucas Glover (pictured) is trying to make a modern record of a different kind – to become the first winner of the Claret Jug since the 1890s sprouting a fully-fledged beard.
Asked if he would shave if he won the championship, Glover responded: “No. I hate shaving . . . and ironing. I don’t know what an iron looks like. That’s the beauty of these clothes, you hang them up for a night and you’re good.”
Glover has been sharing a house with US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III in Sandwich – ordering in food from a local restaurant called Amigos – and, so far, the conviviality and eating arrangements have worked. Glover is in a share of the lead, while Love is in the top 10.
No blame: Bjorn expects tough pins
THOMAS Bjorn wasn't one for apportioning blame for some of the tough pin placements which explained why nobody went on a birdie blitz despite the kind weather conditions in yesterday's second round.
"There were some extremely difficult ones," conceded Bjorn, "but it's a major; you need it to be difficult. There's no reason for it to be easy. There was a couple out (pin locations) there where if we saw them in a normal week we'd ask some questions, but US Open, British Open you expect it, so that's the way it is and get on with it."
Ace player: Watson lands 15th hole-in-one of career
TOM Watson had spent the morning watching television, including re-runs of famous shots of the past. One of them was Gene Sarazen's hole-in-one on the Postage Stamp at Troon. "He hit a heck of a shot in there, a five-iron with a little draw . . . maybe that's what inspired me," said Old Tom after yesterday recording the 15th ace of his career on the sixth hole at Royal St George's.
"That's the second one I've had in a Major championship. I had one in 1980 at the US Open at Baltusrol on the fourth hole in the first round. Maybe it was bookends," said Watson, who hit a four iron in to the par three which was playing 160 yards off the forward tee.
Watson, still competitive at 61 years of age and refusing to become what he terms a "ceremonial player", made his first hole-in-one some 50 years ago at his local club in Kansas and, to this day, has the plaque with the Dunlop 4 ball attached to it which he was given as a memento. His 15 aces included five on the US Tour, with the rest coming in amateur championships and social rounds.
Watson's five aces on the US PGA Tour
1974Los Angeles Open
1977San Diego Open
1980US Open
1989AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
2011British Open
TOUGHEST HOLES – 4th and 8th
RATHER unusually, the two toughest holes – so far – in the championship have both been on the front nine. The par-four fourth hole has earned the reputation as the toughest on the course, averaging 4.42 over the first two rounds. The next toughest is the par-four eighth, which has averaged 4.32.
