Kendall in lead, but big names lurking
Updated: July 16, 2004, 3:05 PM ET
Associated Press
TROON, Scotland -- Skip Kendall, the ultimate grinder who has played more than 300 PGA Tour events without a win, eagled the 16th hole Friday from off the green on his way to a 5-under 66 and the second round lead in the British Open.
Kendall finished his second round at 7-under 135, good enough for a two-shot lead over England's Barry Lane and K.J. Choi of South Korea midway through the Open. The only player with a real chance to catch him on the course was Thomas Levet of France, who was 6 under through 12 holes.
Playing in only his third Open, Kendall made four birdies against one bogey before rolling in a putt from well off the green on the par-5 16th hole at Royal Troon to take the unexpected lead.
The 39-year-old Kendall hasn't won since he was on the Nike Tour in 1994, though he came agonizingly close when he lost in a playoff earlier this year to Phil Mickelson in the Bob Hope Classic. He has four career seconds and has won more than $6.5 million, but has yet to win on tour.
Kendall led an eclectic collection of players, some well known and some not, from countries around the world.
On a day when hometown favorite Colin Montgomerie kept his hopes up and Tiger Woodsplayed solid, if not spectacular, Kendall came from three shots off the pace to grab the lead with his eagle.
Proven major championship winners Ernie Els and Vijay Singh led a group of four players at 4 under, three shots back, while Mickelson was making a move on the back nine at 4 under for the day and 2 under for the tournament.
Making a bid for one of two majors he hasn't won, Singh put together a solid 1-under 70 Friday that was good enough to stay in contention.
Singh, whose chance to win the Open last year came apart on the last three holes at Royal St. George, played the difficult back nine without making a bogey on a day when the winds were never really a big factor at Royal Troon.
"I know I have to go out there and grab it,'' Singh said. "I was given chances before and I didn't take them and I am in great position again this week.''
Singh has won the Masters and PGA Championship, and needs the British and U.S. Opens to complete his personal Grand Slam. After posting his early score Friday, though, he was more concerned with the immediate future.
"It would be nice,'' he said. "I'm playing well, which is the best way to attack them, and if you feel good about your game then you have a good chance of achieving that.''
The leaders didn't include Woods, though he briefly flirted with the top of the leaderboard before finishing with an even par round that put him at 141, three behind the clubhouse leaders.
Woods, winless in his last eight major championships, appeared to be on his way to a low round when he made two early birdies. But he missed a 3-footer for par on the seventh hole and then three-putted from off the green on the ninth.
Woods, whose lone British Open win came four years ago at St. Andrews, shot a 71 that included nine pars heading into the wind on the back nine and was at 1-under 141. He was one of the few Americans on a leaderboard crowded with international players.
"I'm right in the championship,'' Woods said. "I've got a great chance of winning this thing coming into the weekend.''
The most international of Opens lived up to its reputation in the opening round Thursday, offering up an eclectic collection of international players at the top and a pair of unlikely leaders in Casey and Levet.
That was no different on Friday when the wind that had been so calm a day before picked up some in the morning, then faded again as the day wore on.
Campbell followed his opening 67 with a 71 that included a birdie on No. 8 after his tee shot took a fortunate bounce off a mound while heading toward a deep bunker.
"You're just trying to grind out some pars,'' Campbell said. "Four under after two rounds is pretty good I think.''
Also at 4 under was Hamilton, as unlikely a contender as you'll see.
Before winning the Honda Classic this year, the 38-year-old Hamilton was a journeyman who played the Japanese Tour while making eight attempts to qualify for the PGA Tour. Hamilton, who lives in McKinney, Texas, holed his second shot on No. 7 for an eagle on his way to a 67.
U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen, trying to win his second major championship in a row, played a remarkably steady round on a course that usually plays fairly easy on the front nine and much more difficult on the back. He made a birdie on the seventh hole and 17 pars for a 70 that put him at 3-under 139.
"I didn't really play that well, but I had a lot of good up and downs,'' Goosen said.
Mike Weir, meanwhile, birdied three straight holes on the front side on his way to a 68 that put him at 3-under 139 through two rounds. Kenny Perry, one of the few Americans on the leaderboard, birdied the 18th hole for a 70 to tie Weir.
Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press
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