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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Johnson’s crisp 66 leads at Muirfield

Doug Ferguson Associated Press
GULLANE, Scotland – A blue sky and a gentle breeze usually mean ripe scoring conditions at the British Open. Just not on the brown links of Muirfield. Zach Johnson handled it better than anyone Thursday. Helped along by a 45-foot eagle putt and only one bogey despite trouble lurking around every pot bunker, Johnson had a 5-under-par 66 for a one-shot lead, the first time he’s been atop the leaderboard at any major since he rallied to win the Masters six years ago. Tiger Woods more than survived the late end of the draw, after the sun had thoroughly baked out the crispy greens and allowed only eight of the 20 rounds under par. He knocked one putt clear off the green, but 10 one-putts – most of them for pars – carried him to a 69, a good start in his bid to end his five-year drought in the majors. “The golf course progressively got more dried out and more difficult as we played,” Woods said. “And I’m very pleased to shoot anything even par or better.” And for all the talk about Muirfield’s men-only membership, at least the club doesn’t discriminate against age. Mark O’Meara, the 56-year-old who won his claret jug in 1998 at Royal Birkdale, shot a 67 and nearly tied Johnson for the lead until his 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th took a hard spin out of the cup. Another former champion, 54-year-old Tom Lehman, opened with a 68. It was an eclectic group who broke par, from major champions to players making their British Open debut. What they all had in common was finding a way to get through a firm, fast and frightening test at Muirfield that figures to get even harder if the Royal & Ancient doesn’t put some water on the links course. Phil Mickelson opened with a 69 and felt like he got off easy by playing in the morning. Mickelson was concerned about some hole locations being too close to the edge of slopes, and he pleaded with the R&A to let go of its ego and “just set the course up the way the best players can win.” Some of the best did just fine. “Anytime you shoot under par in an Open – or a major, for that matter – you have to be putting at least somewhat decent,” Johnson said. “And I putted great. I made some nice birdie putts and obviously that one for eagle. But I struck some really nice, solid par putts. That’s what you’ve got to do to stay in it.” Rafael Cabrera-Bello of Spain joined O’Meara at 67, while the group at 68 included Dustin Johnson and Brandt Snedeker, who each have contended on Sunday over the last two years in the Open. Two-time major champion Angel Cabrera, who lost in a playoff at the Masters in April, and 19-year-old Jordan Spieth were in the group at 69. “I haven’t seen anything like this,” said Snedeker, who tied the 36-hole Open record a year ago at Lytham. “I’ve played in, I think, five Opens. This is completely new to me – foreign to see a 2-iron going 300 yards. You have got to be wary of how you’re shaping your golf ball, and what shot selections you’re using on the greens.”