GULLANE, Scotland – By comparison, Friday wasn’t that bad for Zach Johnson.
Sure he three-putted from 10 feet at the 15th hole for double bogey and signed for a second-round 74, but given the conditions, and his record over the last five days, Johnson will gladly take his 1 under total to the weekend at the Open Championship.
On Sunday, Johnson lost a playoff to Jordan Spieth at the John Deere Classic. It was the first time in his professional career he’d lost in overtime, a milestone that took the better part of the seven-hour charter flight to Scotland to get over.
But he rebounded on Thursday with a 66 for the first-round lead and didn’t seem overly concerned with his 3 over card on Friday.
“It was a grind, from the first tee shot to that 3 footer on 18,” Johnson said. “I played pretty good today. I putted it well and for the most part hit the ball well.”
As for that three-putt on 15?
“I was shocked,” said Johnson, who is two strokes behind leader Miguel Angel Jimenez. “But that was a tricky putt.”