2022 British Open leaderboard breakdown: Cameron Smith rockets to top as Rory

The second round of the 150th Open Championship featured a little bit of everything on Friday. It began with fans sending Tiger Woods off in the grandest of fashions as the 15-time major winner’s playing career at St. Andrews may have come to a close with a missed cut this week. Walking down the 18th fairway to a standing ovation, tears rolled from Woods’ eyes as he thought back on his crowning achievements at the Home of Golf and of the previous legends of the game to receive a similarly warm goodbye from the people of St. Andrews.

Fans again rose to their feet hours later, albeit for a different reason, as Cameron Smith signed an 8-under 64 to set the 36-hole scoring record for an Open at the Old Course. Sitting at 13 under for the championship, the long-haired Australian looks to be in complete control of his game as he has racked up 12 birdies and an eagle against just a single bogey through his first two rounds.

And then you have Rory McIlroy, who while still looking for his first major championship since 2014, put himself in exceptionally strong position at this Open. McIlroy remained hot playing in one of the final pairings of the day and now sits just three strokes back of Smith entering Moving Day.

Five of the last six 36-hole leaders at The Open have gone on to win, and Smith should give a fine effort over the weekend in continuing this trend. Meanwhile, each of the last seven Open winners at St. Andrews have been T4 or better after two rounds with 14 of the last 15 sitting within three shots of the lead after 36 holes.

Here is the breakdown of the rest of the leaderboard at the 150th Open.

1. Cameron Smith (-13): How do you back up a 5-under 67 at St. Andrews? Well, by carding an 8-under 64 the following day and setting the 36-hole scoring record for an Open at the Old Course. Smith has been unbelievable through the first two rounds, and his touch both on and around the green is proving to be a serious difference maker. For a player who has done a bulk of his major championship damage solely at Augusta National, Smith has taken exactly what works at the Masters and implemented it in this year’s Open.

“I think I’ve always been a pretty good player in tough conditions,” said Smith. “I think most Aussies are, for some reason. I think we’re all brought up to be smart golfers, hit away from the pin sometimes. And that really serves us well, I think, in big tournaments and when the conditions get tough.”

2. Cameron Young (-11): The Open debutant began his second round with a bit of nerves as he made bogey on his second hole of the day. Sleeping on the lead after firing an 8-under 64 on Thursday, it was to be expected that Young would show some tightness. He quickly shed whatever uneasiness he may have had and continued to march forward on Friday with a round of 3-under 69. Young has been hovering on the leaderboard for most of 2022 and a breakthrough always seemed imminent. While most would have pointed to a regular PGA Tour event for this moment, perhaps his play at the PGA Championship should have led us to this instead.

“I’m in second, rather be in second than 10th,” said an unenthused Young. “You’re going to have to…