Cut comes at two over as second round wraps up

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland -- For the eight golfers sitting at two-over-par 146 who had finished their 36 holes on schedule Friday at the British Open, it was a bit of a nervous night in the Auld Grey Toon.

When play was suspended at the Old Course due to darkness, there were an even 70 golfers at one over or better. Yet with 30 players needing to return to the course at 6:30 a.m. local time Saturday morning to finish their second rounds, it seemed safe to think that the cut line (low 70 and ties) might drop back to two over.

Sure enough, when U.S. Open runner-up Gregory Havret made a bogey on the 13th hole less than 10 minutes after the resumption of play Saturday, the cut line dropped a stroke, letting in all those at two over. (Havret had a chance to move it back to one over if he made a birdie on the 18th but settled for par.)

Among the beneficiaries were Zach Johnson, Charl Schwartzel and Rickie Fowler, who followed up an opening-round 79 in his first appearance in the British Open with a five-under 67.

All told, 77 players made the cut and will begin their third rounds momentarily. Several marquee names, however, won't be playing the final two rounds including Justin Rose (+3), Ernie Els (+4, his first missed cut at the Open since 1989 when he played as an amateur), Tom Watson (+4), Ben Curtis (+5), Angel Cabrera (+5), Todd Hamilton (+5), Mike Weir (+5), Jim Furyk (+6), Geoff Ogilvy (+6), Justin Leonard (+6), Paul Lawrie (+7) and Nick Faldo (+9).

--Ryan Herrington