Somewhere Julius Boros is smiling.
The two-time major winner is absolutely thrilled to see what the golfing mortals are looking to accomplish.
And one has to figure, he’s in their corner.
You see, the over-50 crowd just won’t give up.
The old guys had their time on tour, but find it difficult to kick the habit of beating a golf ball around the yard for 18 or so holes. They get their fix with a few seasons and a few dollars on the Champions Tour, which is basically a lucrative retirement plan with a gallery.
But for some reason, in the last few years, there has been an intrepid, dappled gray sort with a few more pounds then he’d prefer to admit, refusing to admit that a player eligible for AARP benefits is unable to compete with someone half his age.
Count Mark Calcavecchia in that company.
“It doesn’t really matter how old you are if you’re feeling good about what you’re doing,” Calcavecchia told reporters at the British Open. “I think old guys can hang with the young guys.”
With a 67 at St. Andrews on Friday, Calcavecchia became the latest senior citizen to make a bid to win a major and return Boros’ name to the mere list of major champions.
Calcavecchia gained entrance to the elder boys’ club, when he celebrated his 50th birthday earlier this year. A victory in the British Open would eclipse Boros’ record by two years.
In 1968, Boros won the PGA Championship by one stroke over Arnold Palmer and Bob Charles. Boros was 48 at the time and ever since has held the distinction as oldest player to win a major.
Boros died in 1994, but his legacy has been summoned in the last couple of seasons and both times it has involved the British Open.
Greg Norman held the 54-hole lead two years ago at Royal Birkdale only to fade with a 77 to finish six back of winner Padraig Harrington.
At Turnberry last year, Tom Watson thrilled anyone with a memory of rotary phones by taking a lead to the 72nd hole only to see the cruelest of jokes played. His approach was long, his par putt missed and Stewart Cink applied a thick coat of shellacking in the four-hole playoff.
Now into that breach sails Calcavecchia, who won his lone major in the 1989 British Open at Troon.
“I’ve been feeling ancient and royal for a long time,” Calcavecchia said in response to queries about his requisite aches and pains.
True to form as well, Calcavecchia was up before the dawn and was off the tee at first light Friday. Sunshine gave way to rain, which was cleared by gale force winds. Conditions continued to alternate and play was suspended for about an hour by mid-morning.
It all had little effect on Calcavecchia, who did not bogey a hole and went out in 34 before consecutive birdies at 11 and 12 propelled his trip home in 33.
“I’ve been playing decent really the last month or so, and it’s carrying over,” Calcavecchia said.
Keeping it real for Calcavecchia, too, is wife Brenda who’s making the loop this week and will be on the bag again next week at Carnoustie for the Senior British Open.
As any wife might, she imparts the simple stuff.
“Don’t screw this up. Calm down. Just relax, it’s OK,” he said.
Your leader: Calcavecchia is chasing Louis Oosthuizen, who matched the day’s low round of 67. That and a 65 in Thursday’s first round has given the South African a five-stroke lead at 12-under.
Oosthuizen had three straight birdies going out and started his inward nine with an up-and-down ride. The 27-year-old went birdie/bogey/birdie/bogey/birdie before three straight pars were capped with a birdie at 18.
That made 15 birdies on his card in the first two rounds.
“I’m very confident with the way I’m playing,” Oosthuizen told the Associated Press. “It’s probably the position anyone wants to be in playing a major on the weekend, and I think it’s what we work to achieve, and I’m just very happy with the two rounds I put together.”
Freefalling: Rory McIlroy went from first-round leader to flirting with the cut.
A 63 under benign conditions at the Old Course had the golf world all aflutter; the 21-year-old from Northern Ireland is one of the game’s new talents. But the course bit back Friday and McIlroy stumbled to an 80.
McIlroy did not birdie a hole, but endured six bogeys and a double at the 11th. On Thursday, McIlroy enjoyed a string where he birdied six of seven.
The clock stuck: Watson will not get the opportunity to challenge for his sixth British Open title at 60. A 75 on Friday followed his first-round 73 and a four-over par score to miss the cut by three strokes.
Mike Scarr is the editor of Golflink.com. He can be reached at golflinkeditor@demandmedia.com.
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