& # 039; Cranky Koepka & timid Tiger & # 039; – stories from day two of The Open

Brooks Koepka was not happy with his second round, despite the fact that he closed three shots from the lead. The 148th Open Championship, Royal PortrushDates: 18-21 JulyCoverage: live text updates and in-play clips on the BBC Sport website, with live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and daily highlights on BBC Two. Full details

When Brooks Koepka finished speaking after the second round 69 in which he had hid behind the leaders in the metaphorical long grass in Portrush, the temptation was to look at the scoreboard again to be sure be that his name was actually it and not a kind of optical illusion.

The American was not happy. He was casual and frustrated. I have not had a great time. No putts posted. Five under was disappointing. If the putter had been warmer, he would have been 10 years or younger, he said. & # 39; I need to clean it up, & # 39; he said, with the body language of a man who had done a Duval.

"You are only three of the leaders," it was said.

"I hang around," he replied.

"You stunner there …"

"I am not where I wanted to be."

"Would you rather lead?"

"No," he smiled. "I'd rather be in last place."

Fairly enough, that last question asked for the Koepka treatment, but what was illustrative of the tense exchanges over the course of five minutes was the four-time important winner standards. They are heavenly high. On the first page of the scoreboard halfway? Not good enough. With about six others, but still close enough to hit? Not good enough. "Had a good chance of getting to six under 17," he sighed. "I found a way to mess it up."

Watch out for the injured golfer.

The second round of the 148th Open was endlessly fascinating and a bit weird at the same time. Shane Lowry, with four missed parts in a row in The Open, found joy in the rain. JB Holmes, who had not made the weekend in six of his last seven tournaments that entered Portrush, turned into a serious golfer. Lee Westwood, who never managed to open an Open with two rounds in the 60s during his peak years, eventually did so at the age of 46.

Justin Harding, the South African without Open experience beyond a missed cut at Muirfield six years ago, took 65 and made a mockery of the idea that prior knowledge of these wonderful links gave a competitive advantage.

Ticking shots, addicted shots, pure shots – snapshots everywhere.

Tom Lehman says goodbye

Tom Lehman bowed with 76 in his final Open

The winner at Lytham in 1996 played in his 24th and final Open. He missed the cut and asked for an emotional farewell. His exemption has now expired, Lehman has played his last shot in this tournament and spoke beautifully about his life and times on the links.

"There was certainly emotion," said the 60-year-old American. "You don't really know how you're going to respond. This was very sweet. Tears of joy."

With his son in his bag, the Lehmans walked 18 and enjoyed the moment. "I just told him how much I loved him: there was no one in the world I would like to walk with." It means a lot to me that you are here by my side. "

Heaven above, wave is sometimes schmaltzy, but a heart of stone would have vibrated a little, listening to Lehman.

Lee Westwood says & # 39; no worms in that divot & # 39

With a second at St Andrews in 2000, a third at Muirfield in 2013 and at Turnberry at 2009 and a fourth at Troon in 2004, the Englishman plays in his 25th Open this week. Does he feel pressure of any kind? No. Right there in the discussion after two rounds he deals with questions about him who might win what would be a most well-earned first major with a wry smile. You don't think about winning? "No "

That could change in the coming days, but good enough Westwood is the model of calmness as he talks about his caddy, Helen Storey, who happens to be his girlfriend." Of course I get along well with Helen, "he laughed after his second round 67, the lowest he was in went to an Open one year.

"She doesn't know much about golf, but she knows a lot about the way my mind works, there's more to caddying than to wear and getting the right wind direction. You'd be surprised at the kind things we are talking about. The favorite was from Denmark [in September] in the first week she caddied me.

"I grabbed a divot and she walks back with the divot so [holding out an imaginary piece of grass as if it’s a ticking bomb] and I said: & # 39; What's wrong? & # 39; She said: & # 39; I hope there is no worm in it & # 39 ;. It makes me laugh. It is a big advantage. "

Beware the relaxed golfer.

JB Holmes says & # 39; Doggone & # 39;

Do you want surrealism? Well, here it is. JB Holmes has just shot 68 with his 66 from thursday and in this phase of the day he leads the Open Championship. He comes in to talk and, sure, there is a talk about his round, his game and his ambitions, but most of the time it goes about his dog, a goldendoodle named Ace. Man, he loves that dog.

"He sleeps with us in bed, he is part of the family." He is not here in Portrush. That's a blow. "My son is not here and my dog ​​is gone. We FaceTime the son. Ace hears our voice, but he doesn't like the phone that much. "

You feel that Holmes is happier talking about Ace than about golf. He got him at a $ 5,000 auction. On the PGA Tour everywhere." He has been on hundreds of planes. I don't know how much, but a lot. "

A golf question now, which keeps him from winning more tournaments." Holmes paused for a moment before answering, "Go back to the dog questions," he answered.

Tiger Woods says: & # 39; I just want to go home & # 39;

Tiger Woods turned on the charm after missing the cut

The great man improved his Thursday score by eight shots – a 70 compared to a 78 – but he missed the cut through a street and said he wanted to go back to warmer climates let his sick body rest. The time was that Woods had made a reasonable impression of Superman, but he is not appearing now.

He talks about his tensions and tensions. He speaks openly about how things have changed for him. He can't do the things he used to do. He will never be the golfer he once was. Only occasionally will he be fit enough to fight, as was the case in the Masters. That is his new reality. In short, he spent the week telling everyone: "Get used to it".

He left with a remark that will make the good people of Portrush spin. When asked what he thought of the received reception, he started: "Oh my God" before delivering a hymn to Portrush. "They (the people) were incredible," he said. "They were so nice and respectful. The children were so respectful. That's not always the case when we trade all over the world. We hear some rough comments from the kids. I think the adults teach them that. I played for a better fanbase than here at Portrush. "

A Claret Jug for charm to the former champion.

Erik van Rooyen says: & # 39; I have magic pants & # 39; – or something like that

Erik van Rooyen's pants were a striking point

The emerging South African, who spends an excessive amount of time on scoreboards of the European Tour, shot 68 in his second round for a four-half-way total. Can he win? Possible. He was 17th at Carnoustie last year.

In his press material he received seven questions. One about his Open Chances and six about his wonderfully strange ankle slacks. "Different, but stylish," he said about his much-discussed purple steps. "Not there with an insane set of flashy colors and things like that." No, of course. I mean, that would be stupid.

"If you are going to wear it, you must own it. I feel that I possess it." Very, Erik.

In the third round of Saturday – Lowry versus Holmes in the battle for beards and an assortment of other eccentricities and brilliance and drama of the richest kind.