Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

7/16/2010 at 9:59am

Play Suspended Due to High Winds    LOL

That was the 18th green scoreboard's message to the golfing faithful at St. Andrews in Scotland this morning (our time, afternoon their time) when R&A officials suspended play at the home of golf during a exceedingly windy second round of the British Open.

American Jason Dufner didn't solely get play stopped for an hour, but it appeared his pleadings on the seventh green (which is also part of a massive green complex including the 11th green, out at the far tip of St. Andrews' course by the sea) got tourney officials to notice that balls would not stay in place on the green. Gusts were hitting 40 or more mph.

Defending champ Stewart Cink, the winner at Turnberry over Tom Watson last year, said he could only remember one other suspension of play, that coming in 1998. High winds are supposed to be a natural hazard for the British Open. We remember the year the hurricane blew in at Muirfield, destroying Tiger Wood's chances when he couldn't break 80.

So, yes, we join the Scots in laughing out loud at a suspension of play because of the wind.

Had to love part-time ABC commentator Peter Alliss, legendary BBC golf announcer, for his pointed comments about the pros whining about conditions, be it the wind or the way a sand trap is raked, seemingly wanting them perfect. "Golf is not a game of perfect." Sports psychologist Bob Rotella couldn't have said it better.

John Daly, firing up a smoke before teeing off on the par-3 No. 8, has had a couple of bogeys as of this writing, and he's not to the turn after starting the day 6-under following a blast-from-the-past, first-round 66. Tiger is falling off as well. Phil Mickelson will make the cut, most likely, sitting at even par, but he admittedly needs a lot of luck to contend over the weekend.

The wind "calmed" to 25 or so mph, allowing play to continue Friday. It's likely Rory McIlroy, the first-round leader at 9-under par, and others will tumble in this wind and you'll learn how to pronounce the name "Oosthuizen." (ABC announcers say it "OOO-stay-zen"). South African Louis Oosthuizen is atop the leaderboard at 12-under.

Tagged: Louis Oosthuizen, Stewart Cink, Jason Dufner, John Daly, St. Andrews Golf Course, British Open, Rory McIroy