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TURNBERRY, Scotland (AP) — Tom Watson leading the British Open heading to the weekend?
Tiger Woods gassing up the plane and heading for home?
Treacherous Turnberry delivered a pair of shockers Friday.
The 59-year-old Watson rolled in two impossibly long putts, danced a Scottish jig on the 18th green and walked off tied with unheralded American Steve Marino for the 36-hole lead at the British Open, where the course struck back with a fury thanks to a stiff breeze whipping off the Firth of Clyde.
Watson is the oldest player ever to lead a major.
Woods won't be around to see how it all turns out. He took two double bogeys on the back side, limped off with a 4-over 74 and missed the cut in a major for only the second time in his professional career.
"It was just problem after problem," said Woods, who came into golf's oldest championship as an overwhelming favorite after winning three times since his return from knee surgery. "I kept compounding my problems out there."
Major title No. 15 will have to wait.
"I hit some bad tee shots, a couple of bad iron shots, didn't get it up and down," Woods said. "I kept making mistake after mistake."
Watson, trying to shatter the record for the oldest major winner, hit all his bad shots at the start. The five-time Open champion bogeyed five out of six holes on the front — four of them in a row — but remarkably played the final 10 holes in 4 under.
He signed for a 70 that might have been more impressive than his bogey-free 65 in the opening round.
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't think I could win," Watson said.
Woods had missed only one cut in a major since turning pro, and that was at the 2006 U.S. Open shortly after the death of his father, Earl. He tried to rally, making birdies on two of the last three holes, but wound up one stroke shy of the cut line.
"Unfortunately, it just didn't happen," Woods said. "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."
The top 70, plus ties, make it to the final two rounds. The British Open doesn't have a 10-shot rule, which would allow anyone within that margin of the lead to make the cut.
Woods was 10 behind co-leaders Marino and Watson.
Marino shot 68 in treacherous conditions and will go out in the final group Saturday with Watson. Another old-timer, 49-year-old Mark Calcavecchia, will start one stroke back.
"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. "I hope the spirits stay on my side."
Since the '06 miss at Winged Foot, Woods had made the cut in 43 consecutive tournaments worldwide. He opened with a disappointing 71 in much easier conditions Thursday, but was still in decent shape when he made the turn.
Then, it all fell apart.
Tiger Woods gassing up the plane and heading for home?
Treacherous Turnberry delivered a pair of shockers Friday.
The 59-year-old Watson rolled in two impossibly long putts, danced a Scottish jig on the 18th green and walked off tied with unheralded American Steve Marino for the 36-hole lead at the British Open, where the course struck back with a fury thanks to a stiff breeze whipping off the Firth of Clyde.
Watson is the oldest player ever to lead a major.
Woods won't be around to see how it all turns out. He took two double bogeys on the back side, limped off with a 4-over 74 and missed the cut in a major for only the second time in his professional career.
"It was just problem after problem," said Woods, who came into golf's oldest championship as an overwhelming favorite after winning three times since his return from knee surgery. "I kept compounding my problems out there."
Major title No. 15 will have to wait.
"I hit some bad tee shots, a couple of bad iron shots, didn't get it up and down," Woods said. "I kept making mistake after mistake."
Watson, trying to shatter the record for the oldest major winner, hit all his bad shots at the start. The five-time Open champion bogeyed five out of six holes on the front — four of them in a row — but remarkably played the final 10 holes in 4 under.
He signed for a 70 that might have been more impressive than his bogey-free 65 in the opening round.
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't think I could win," Watson said.
Woods had missed only one cut in a major since turning pro, and that was at the 2006 U.S. Open shortly after the death of his father, Earl. He tried to rally, making birdies on two of the last three holes, but wound up one stroke shy of the cut line.
"Unfortunately, it just didn't happen," Woods said. "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."
The top 70, plus ties, make it to the final two rounds. The British Open doesn't have a 10-shot rule, which would allow anyone within that margin of the lead to make the cut.
Woods was 10 behind co-leaders Marino and Watson.
Marino shot 68 in treacherous conditions and will go out in the final group Saturday with Watson. Another old-timer, 49-year-old Mark Calcavecchia, will start one stroke back.
"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. "I hope the spirits stay on my side."
Since the '06 miss at Winged Foot, Woods had made the cut in 43 consecutive tournaments worldwide. He opened with a disappointing 71 in much easier conditions Thursday, but was still in decent shape when he made the turn.
Then, it all fell apart.
