It was a case of a day being a long time in golf as first round leader Rory McIlroy endured a second round nightmare at the Open on Friday.
The Northern Irish 21-year-old had led by two after a sparkling first round 63, the lowest opening 18 score in Open Championship history.
However, with high winds – which at one stage forced a temporary suspension of play – making playing conditions extremely difficult, McIlroy slipped to an 80 which saw him plummet from the top of the leadersboard to joint 38th on one under par, 11 strokes off the lead and just three inside the cut point.
South African Louis Oosthuizen made the most of serene early conditions to post a second round 67 to take him to a 12 under par halfway total of 132.
As the afternoon starters struggled to break par, Oosthuizen ended the day five shots clear of the field, with the chasing pack led by another of the day’s early contingent, 1989 Open champion Mark Calcavecchia.
Lee Westwood and Paul Casey are among four players tied for third at six under, with Graeme McDowell on five under after a 68, Tiger Woods and Darren Clarke among those on four under and Irish Open champion Shane Lowry one stroke further back.
Two-time Open winner Padraig Harrington has the weekend off after a second round 78 left him on six over par, four strokes outside the cut.
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