Woods misses cut at British Open
Canada's Weir, Ames also fail to qualify for weekend play
Last Updated: Friday, July 17, 2009 | 4:02 PM ET
CBC Sports
Tiger Woods was hurt by a pair of double bogeys on the back nine. (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Tiger Woods missed the cut at the British Open after shooting a 4-over 74 in the second round at Turnberry, Scotland, on Friday.
The world's No. 1 player finished at a total of 5 over — one shot behind the cut line of 4 over, and 10 strokes back of surprise co-leaders Steve Marino and Tom Watson.
"Unfortunately, it just didn't happen," said Woods, who will have to wait for his fourth Open Championship title and 15th major overall. "No doubt I'm frustrated. I was playing well the first seven holes, right there in the championship. I felt like if I was under par for the tournament, I would be in the Top 10. I didn't do that. I went the other way."
Mike Weir of Bright's Grove, Ont., also missed the cut, joining Woods at the dreaded 5-over mark after struggling to an 8-over 78 on Friday. Calgary's Stephen Ames shot a 7-over 77 to drop to 9 over for the championship.
The top 70, plus ties, make it to the final two rounds. When Woods walked off the course, he was tied for 77th. Unlike other tournaments, the British Open doesn't have a so-called 10-shot rule, which would allow anyone within 10 strokes of the lead to make the cut.
Rare failure
Woods had previously failed to make it to the weekend of a major only once as a professional: the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot that followed the death of his father, Earl Woods. Since then, he had made the cut in 43 consecutive tournaments worldwide.
The only other cuts Woods has missed in his pro career are the 2005 Byron Nelson Classic and the Canadian Open in 1997, the year after he turned pro.
But a pair double bogeys on the back side Friday doomed Woods, who couldn't rally to make the cut even after he birdied the 16th and 17th holes and finished the round with a par.
His tee shot at No. 10 sailed wildly into the tall grass far right of the fairway — a familiar problem both days — and it was clear he was in trouble when he struck a provisional tee shot. Even with dozens of fans helping him look, Woods could only find someone else's ball, took a penalty and wound up with a double-bogey six.
He took bogey at the 12th after driving into a fairway bunker, then had another double at 13. He was only 159 yards away in the first cut of rough after his tee shot, then needed five more strokes to get down. A ragged approach missed the green, a sloppy chip failed to stay on, and a missed putt from about five feet sent him tumbling into an even deeper hole.
"I hit two bad three-woods in a row," Woods said. "I lost them both to the right. With a left-to-right wind, you can't do that. You've got to turn them over, and I didn't do that."
Wind no match for Watson, Marino
Watson, 59, bounced back from a dismal start, rolling in two impossibly long putts to share the midway lead with little-known fellow American Marino.
Watson played the final 10 holes at 4 under for an even-par 70 that might have been even more impressive in the windy conditions than the opening 65 posted by the five-time British Open champion.
Marino shot 68 at treacherous Turnberry, and the two will start Saturday in the final group at 5-under 135. Another old-timer, American Mark Calcavecchia, 49, will be right with them, one stroke back.
Five golfers are tied at 3-under, including Retief Goosen, Vijay Singh and first-round leader Miguel Angel Jimenez.
Watson is trying for his first British Open victory since 1983, and is doing so at the site of his epic "Duel in the Sun" win over Jack Nicklaus in 1977 at Turnberry.
"It's as if the spirits are on my side," said Watson, who rolled in a 75-foot birdie at the 16th and a 45-footer at the final hole to pull even with Marino. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't think I could win.
"I hope the spirits stay on my side."
With files from the Associated Press
