Five tied for second place

16 July 2009 13:58 GMT

Tom Watson’s lead remains intact despite the host of players taking the course by storm in ideal playing conditions. Five players — Stewart Cink and Steve Stricker from America, Australians John Senden and Mathew Goggin and Camilo Villegas from Colombia — have completed rounds at four-under-par 66 to trail him by a shot.

Cink has been a permanent member of the US Ryder Cup team for the last four matches and has played in The Open since 1998, with a best finish of tied for sixth at Carnoustie two years ago. There were just two blemishes on his card, missing his par at the short 11th and dropping another shot when he drove into a bunker at the final hole.

Senden says if he wasn’t playing golf he would be “working on the sheep and cattle station owned by the in-laws.” Born in Brisbane, Queensland, he has played regularly on the US PGA Tour.

Goggin came into the Championship as a late reserve and started with a bogey at the vulnerable first hole, but rattled off four birdies to turn in 32. Another dropped shot at the 13th was redeemed with two closing birdies.

Stricker is a six-time winner on the US Tour who finished tied eighth at Carnoustie in 2007 and seventh at Royal Birkdale last year. Apart from two holes around the turn, where he bogeyed both the ninth and 10th, his round was error free, finishing with a two-birdie flourish.

The man from Colombia, Villegas, got off to a great start with a four-under-par round of 66 despite opening with a five on the first hole.

Out in level par 35, he stormed home with four birdies in the closing five holes.