ST. ANDREWS: The crowd here at the St. Andrews has a smattering of Indian golf fans despite no Indian in the field at the 150th Open. The India pack includes ex-India cricketer and commentator, Murali Kartik; the latest Indian golf prodigy Avani Prashanth, a former all India Women's champion, Urvashi Sethi and a huge bunch of family and friends of Sahith Theegala.
They are all following the 24-year-old Theegala and they make a good deal of noise as encouragement.
Theegala is an American with Indian parentage. Theegala, getting his first taste of Links golf and p laying his first Open, goes into the weekend riding on 69-68 and loads of confidence and was inside Top-10 but will likely drop as others finish.
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Meanwhile, the Old Course extended its generosity and leading the grateful acceptors was Australian Cameron Smith (67-64). His second round 64 included five birdies on the front nine and one more birdie and an eagle on the home stretch. That moved him to 13-under and put him ahead of the first-round leader, the other Cameron - American Cameron Young, who after his 64 was now 2under through 16 to be 10-under. One shot behind Young was two-time Major winner, Dustin Johnson (68-67).
Rory McIlroy waiting for his fifth Major since 2014, parred first four before finding birdies on fifth and seventh, one of which he gave back on ninth. Further birdies on 10 and 11 got him to 9-under alongside Johnson.
With seven more holes to go, McIlroy may well close the gap on Smith. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (68-68) and Tyrrell Hatton (70-66) were 8-under.