Ken Schofield - July 20, 2012

• By Morning Drive Team
• Jul 20, 2012 10:52 AM ET

Looking at the leaderboard, he is very encouraged by what he sees. After Brandt Snedeker’s great start, it is very important that players like Adam Scott, Paul Lawrie, and Graeme McDowell continue to make birdies in order to at least get close to Snedeker heading into the weekend. Brandt Snedeker is so much stronger is several ways than he was when he contended in the 2008 Masters.

Players like Sam Torrance, Mark James, and David Feherty were the backbone of the European Tour for many years although the stars were players like Seve Ballesteros and Nick Faldo during the 70’s and 80’s. Rory McIlroy is the star for European golf today and Schofield is sad to see him not play the way he did in Majors in 2010 and 2011 more often in 2012. McIlroy has the talent to contend more often and hopes that he will do so at Kiawah Island next month in the PGA Championship. McIlroy is so good that Schofield forgets that he is only 23 years old and when he remembers that, he understands McIlroy a bit more.

Tony Jacklin deserves every piece of praise that he receives this week in his return to Royal Lytham & St. Annes where he won the 1969 Open Championship. Another great thing about having Jacklin at The Open Championship is that he is also receiving praise for what he achieved as a Ryder Cup player and captain. The truth is that Tony Jacklin is a big reason why European golf is where it is today.