Love Moves Up With a 66

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland —  How to get yourself back in the tournament in a hurry, by Davis Love III: Make five birdies on the first seven holes.

Love turned in a six-under 66 on the Old Course and moved from two over to four under for the British Open. Even though Love is still seven shots down on the leader board, he isn’t going to get down about it.

“At least I got it going back in the right direction,” Love said. “I’m a little way back, but a lot better off than I was last night.”

Love made the turn with a 31, then birdied the 10th and the 12th to go seven under for the day. But he couldn’t get anything else to drop. Love had a bogey at the Road Hole 17th when he drove into the left rough and then pulled his second shot into the bunker.

Like everyone else, Love was amazed by the condition of the course, dried and baked and hardened by the sun and gentle breezes.

“The course is getting firmer and firmer,” Love said. “There’s not much difference between pitching off the road at 17 and the fairways. You have to scratch the ground to find any grass. It’s amazing. I’ve never seen a golf course so firm, but I guess that’s what they wanted.”

*

Phil Mickelson’s six-under 66 was highlighted by a 60-foot eagle putt up over a ridge at the 12th.

Said Mickelson: “I was just trying to get within a few feet and it went in.”

*

David Duval, who is bothered by a strained muscle in his back, had an up-and-down round of 70. He had five birdies, three bogeys, 10 pars and enough missed opportunities to make him wince.

“I certainly didn’t tear it up like I should have,” said Duval, who three-putted twice.

*

Weather update: According to the Daily Mail, “Visitors to the competition were warned to take precautions as the hot spell continues over the weekend. Weathermen predict temperatures as high as 73 degrees over the final two days and doctors said visitors should try to keep cool in the shade, take fluids with them and slap on the sun cream.”

*

Weather update II: Sign on a chalkboard outside the Dunvegan Hotel on Church Street, next to where shirtless men were drinking pints of lager: “We Apologize For The Weather.”

Increasing clouds and stiffer breezes are expected today.

*

Defending champion Paul Lawrie missed the cut with rounds of 78-75--153, nine over par.

Said Lawrie: “I played reasonable.”

Unreasonable, meanwhile, is Lawrie’s refusal to grant any one-on-one interviews without having approval of the story before its publication.

*

A fashion statement (of some sort) was made by Gary Player, whose pants had one white leg and one black leg.