Louis Oosthuizen Takes 3-Shot Lead Over McIlroy at British Open
Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa at St. Andrews. Photographer: David Cannon/Getty Images
July 16 (Bloomberg) -- Rick Horrow, founder of Horrow Sports Ventures Inc. and a Bloomberg Television contributing editor, reports on the second round of the British Open at St. Andrews in Scotland. Louis Oosthuizen leads by five strokes over Mark Calcavecchia in the second round, which was suspended by darkness. Tiger Woods is eight shots behind. Horrow talks with Matt Miller and Carol Massar on Bloomberg Television's "Street Smart." (Source: Bloomberg)
South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen holds an eight-shot lead in the final round of golf’s British Open at St. Andrews, Scotland.
The 27-year-old South African is 2-under par through 14 holes today and 17-under for the championship on the Old Course.
Paul Casey and Lee Westwood, both of England, and Germany’s Martin Kaymer are tied for second at 9-under. Oosthuizen birdied the 12th hole as playing partner Casey made triple-bogey to increase the lead from four shots to eight.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Sweden’s Henrik Stenson are tied for fourth at 8-under. McIlroy shot 4-under par 68 today and Stenson is still on the course.
Tiger Woods, who won the British Open the last two times it was held at St. Andrews, in 2000 and 2005, shot even-par 72 to finish at 3-under for the championship.
“It was one of those weeks when I just couldn’t put anything together,” Woods told the British Broadcasting Corp. “I’ve had one of the worst putting weeks I’ve ever had.”
Woods switched back to his old putter today after changing before the tournament because of the slower greens on the Old Course. He had 99 putts in the first three rounds to rank 71st of 77 players who made the halfway cut. He took 27 putts today.
Oosthuizen, a 27-year-old who plays on the European Tour, brought a four-shot lead into today’s play and quick saw it increase to five as Casey bogeyed the second hole. The South African then saved par on the par-5 fifth after pulling his second shot well left of the double green.
Reduced Lead
Casey birdied the sixth hole, pumping his fist as he left the green, and Oosthuizen followed with a bogey at the par-3 eighth after pulling his tee shot left, reducing the lead to three.
Both players drove the 352-yard ninth hole and Oosthuizen rolled in a 50-foot putt for eagle. Casey settled for birdie and the lead was back to four.
Oosthuizen made his second birdie on the 12th hole and saw his lead double when Casey had to take a drop after putting his tee shot into a gorse bush. Casey then wound up with a triple- bogey after putting his approach shot through the green, all but ending his chances of being the first Englishman to win the Open since Nick Faldo in 1992.
To contact the reporter on this story: Bob Bensch at St. Andrews through the London sports desk at bbensch@bloomberg.net.
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