Open Championship 2021 R2
July 15-18
Royal St George's Golf Club, Sandwich, Kent
$11,500,000
Round 1, Round 3, Round 4

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Louis Oosthuizen backed up his opening round 64 with a 65 on Friday to take a two shot lead at 11-under in the 149th Open Championship at Royal St George's Golf Club.

He produced four birdies, an eagle at the par-5 14th and a single bogey at the par-3 16th, his first of the tournament.

Open Championship 2021 R2

His total 129 sets a new record over the first 36 holes at The Open, beating the previous mark of 130 set by Nick Faldo at Muirfield in 1992 and equalled by Brandt Snedeker at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2012.

“I only heard that when I walked in,” he said of his new record. “I was not aware of what it was but to have any record at The Open is always very special.

“I think I have really played good the last two days and today we got lucky the last nine holes. It was as good weather as you can get playing this course and all of us took advantage.

Open Championship 2021 R2

"Right now I think where my game is at, I just need to put myself in position, and this year is the best I've been putting, and I just need to hit greens and give myself any opportunities for birdies.

"Around this golf course, a lot of things can happen. I don't think you want to think too much of it on a links course until you get to that 18th green and hopefully you have a lead."

Open Championship 2021 R2

Collin Morikawa started the day three shots behind the leader but with four birdies on the front nine he reached the turn in 31. He made three more on the back nine as well as a single bogey at the par-4 15th to close with a 64, setting the clubhouse target at 9-under.

"Just sticking to what I've been doing. Yesterday I thought I played really well. Just wasn't hitting as many fairways. Was able to hit a few more fairways early on in the round today.

"When I'm in the fairway with a 9-iron or 8-iron I feel very comfortable. Not necessarily going straight at the pins but being aggressive with the lines I need to take and slopes you need to play.

"Yeah, sometimes you have those days where you're very fortunate to have good numbers, and today was one of those days."

Open Championship 2021 R2

Jordan Spieth started his round with three birdies and a bogey then parred the rest of the front nine to make the turn in 33. He made two more birdies and another bogey to close with a 67. He currently lies in third place at 8-under.

World number 1 Dustin Johnson produced a 65, firing six birdies and two bogeys, to reach 5-under and a share of fourth place alongside Dylan Frittelli (67) and Scottie Scheffler (66).

Jonathan Thomson made a hole-in-one at the par-3 16th and closed with a 67 to reach 2-under and T31 alongside eight others, among them Ian Poulter (66), Tommy Fleetwood (71) and Lee Westwood (67).

Open Championship 2021 R2

Matthias Schmid closed with a 65 equalling the lowest individual round by an amateur at The Open. Tom Lewis had previously shot 65 at Royal St George's in 2011. Schmid is T40 at 1-under.

The cut line of 141 sets a new record at The Open by two strokes. The previous lowest of 143 occurred eight times in the last thirty Championship (1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2006, 2011 & 2012).

Sixty three players had rounds under 70 on Friday, a new record for a single round at The Open, the previous, set in the first round at Turnberry in 2009, was fifty.

Open Championship 2021 R2