US golfer Snedeker takes lead at British Open

LYTHAM, England (AFP) -

US golfer Brandt Snedeker plays from the rough during his first round on the opening day of the British Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes in Lytham, north-west England, on July 19, 2012. A bogey-free Snedeker seized command of the British Open, charging into the lead in Friday’s second round as rivals stumbled in challenging conditions or were yet to face them.

Bogey-free American Brandt Snedeker seized command of the British Open, charging into the lead in Friday’s second round as rivals stumbled in challenging conditions or were yet to face them.

Snedeker, the only player without a bogey so far at Royal Lytham, birdied six of the first 12 holes Friday to stand on 10-under par, four shots clear of first-day leader Adam Scott.

Snedeker, who shot 66 on Thursday, opened with a birdie for the second day in a row and added another at the sixth. He birdied the par-5 seventh and 11th holes for the second day in a row and birdied the par-3 ninth and 12th as well.

The 31-year-old American, who missed the cut in each of his three prior British Open starts, withdrew from last month’s US Open after suffering a cracked rib on the right side of his chest from severe coughing.

Snedeker thrived in conditions that sent every other player stumbling back, including contenders World No. 2 Rory McIlroy and Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts.

Overnight rain dumped nearly half an inch of water on the bunker-strewn links layout, creating soft and receptive greens that prompted organizers to use tougher pin placements and double mow the greens to make putts faster.

Add to that water puddling in several bunkers to force drops and an unusual east wind forcing more adjustments in shot trajectory by players and the late starters in round two, including World No. 4 Tiger Woods, had a daunting task.

Woods, the 14-time major winner seeking his first major title since 2008, was among six past major champions chasing Snedeker who were yet to start.

Joining three-time British Open winner Woods and Scott as late starters were 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson, three-time major winner Ernie Els, past US Open champion Graeme McDowell, reigning Masters champion Bubba Watson and Scotland’s Paul Lawrie, the 1999 British Open winner.

Australia’s Adam Scott puts on the 13th green during his first round on the opening day of the British Open at Royal Lytham and St Anne’s in Lytham, northwest England, on July 19. Brandt Snedeker, the only player without a bogey so far at Royal Lytham, birdied six of the first 12 holes Friday to stand on 10-under par, four shots clear of first-day leader Scott.

Scott, a 32-year-old Australian seeking his first major title, matched the course record with a six-under par 64 on Thursday but with seven past major winners among the first dozen players behind him.

World No. 1 Luke Donald, seeking his first major title, and three-time major champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland were one-under par for the day and the tournament, trying to mount a charge.

Donald, trying to become the first Englishman to win the Open on home soil since Tony Jacklin did it at Royal Lytham in 1969, took a bogey at the third but responded with birdies on the next three holes.

Donald added a 20-foot birdie at the eighth to reach three-under but sent his approaches over the green at the 10th and 13th holes on the way to bogeys to stumble back.

Donald was without caddie John McLaren, who was given the day off to be with his wife as she gave birth to the couple’s first child. Gareth Lord, the caddie for withdrawn Swede Robert Karlsson, toted Donald’s bags.

Harrington, the 2007 and 2008 British Open champion, opened with a birdie and added another at the eighth before taking a bogey at the par-5 11th.

New Zealand’s Steven Alker had the early clubhouse lead on 138 after his second 69 in a row.

McIlroy, last year’s US Open winner, struggled again a day after hitting a spectator with a shot.

McIlroy pulled his approach left at the third and into the adjacent fourth-hole tee box, nearly hitting Toru Oda, the caddie of Japan’s Toshinori Muto, in the group ahead.

McIlroy chipped to eight feet but missed a par putt. While he answered with a 10-foot birdie at the fourth and responded to a bogey at the sixth with a birdie at seven, his doom was near.

A double bogey at the par-3 ninth and bogeys at the 12th and 14th dropped McIlroy to one-over for the event, four over on the day.

Colsaerts, who opened on 65, took bogeys at the second and third holes and a triple-bogey 8 at the seventh to plunge from the leaderboard.

Four-time major champion Phil Mickelson was six over on the day with double bogeys at the sixth, 13th and 14th holes while fellow American Rickie Fowler took a triple bogey at the third and England’s Paul Casey stumbled to a 79.