Round 2 review: Everything you need to know about Friday at The 152nd Open Championship

It’s Friday at The Open Championship!

The first round provided plenty of intrigue. Justin Thomas redeemed himself after shooting 82 in the opening round of last year’s Open, carding a first-round 3-under 68 on Thursday. He held the lead for much of the day until Shane Lowry bettered him by two shots as the sun set over Royal Troon.

The main characters of last month’s U.S. Open – Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau – will fight just to play the weekend in Scotland. McIlroy made two double bogeys en route to a first-round 78. DeChambeau was on pace for the same score before a late eagle lifted him 5-over 76. The changing wind conditions tripped them up – a theme of the day.

Only three of the world’s top 20 players shot under par through the first round: Xander Schauffele (2-under), Russell Henley (2-under) and Scottie Scheffler (1-under).

The wind flipped from what many players had prepared for in practice rounds, turning what was usually a gettable downwind opening nine into a cutthroat start that featured gusts upwards of 30 mph straight into the players' faces. The boarish back nine didn’t play any easier despite the helping wind. That subdued scores more than expected and led to a heavy dose of carnage, enough to believe anyone is still in this tournament.

Scheffler is certainly in that group. He made it through Royal Troon relatively clean and is officially in the mix. A win this week would give Scheffler seven this season, including two majors. That would equal the best single season of Jack Nicklaus’ career, who won seven times in 1972, including the Masters and the U.S. Open.

Others lingering near the lead: Brooks Koepka, Adam Scott and Matt Fitzpatrick shot 70.; Jordan Spieth and Min Woo Lee shot 71.

So, what will the second round bring? It’s another long day at Royal Troon with tee times starting just after sunrise and groups set to finish just before sunset around 10 p.m. local time. Check back here throughout Friday’s second round, as we’ll provide updates on all the stories you may miss, big and small.

Storylines

Ted Scott battling illness: Scottie Scheffler may be contending at The Open, but his caddie, Ted Scott, does not appear to be feeling too hot.

Scott appears to be feeling ill, according to multiple reports from The Open broadcasters and journalists on-site. Scott has reportedly been laying down between Scheffler’s shots and was described as “really sick” on The Open’s featured groups coverage.

It’s been an eventful year on the course for Scheffler, and not just because of his six victories. Scheffler had to overcome an injury of his own during the second round of this year’s PLAYERS Championship, receiving on-course treatment for his neck before eventually winning a second straight PLAYERS. At the PGA Championship, there was his arrest before the second round (all charges were eventually dropped) and his use of a fill-in caddie in the third round while Scott was attending his daughter’s high school graduation.

Scheffler shot 1-under 70 on Thursday as he seeks his seventh win, and second major, of the season.

Similar weather forecast on tap for Round 2

Conditions are expected to be quite similar to Thursday. Rain is forecast for the morning, though it’s expected to remain light. It will dry out and continue to get brighter throughout the day. It will also get windier. The early wave will start in benign conditions, with winds out of the SE/SSE at about 3-6 mph with gusts around 10 mph. By late morning, the winds will sustain around 15-18 mph, with gusts upwards of 30 mph. Those conditions are forecasted to remain through the late afternoon.

The wind was a surprise on Thursday, blowing in the opposite direction that players prepared in during the practice rounds. It made the front nine, the scoreable side, much more difficult than expected. Players can expect to face the same wind direction on Friday, so they’ll have a day of experience to go off of.