Reporting from Southport, England — There were lots of blue numbers on the scoreboard Friday, bogeys (blue) and double bogeys (dark blue) everywhere you looked. Somehow, Zach Johnson was able to dodge that trend. The 2015 British Open champion followed a disheartening round of 75 with a scorching 66 on Friday to finish the day at plus-1 for the tournament.
Johnson had a setback on Tuesday when his driver cracked, an unwelcome development for a player who wants to be as comfortable as possible in the heat of competition.
“It isn’t exactly ideal,” Johnson said, adding: “I can’t tell a difference in golf balls, but you give me any different iron, club, there’s a difference.”
Evidently, he has gotten used to the new driver.
He said part of the Thursday-to-Friday turnaround came at the range after his 5-over opening round.
“After my round, I went to the range and hit a lot of drivers,” said Johnson, who tied for fifth at the John Deere Classic last week. “And hit a lot of good ones, too. So that was key. I got mad, too, which was good. I let it out. I was upset. I wasn’t furious and bouncing off the walls. I was just upset with my performance because I felt great coming into the week.”
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Jordan Spieth plays out of a bunker on the 17th hole during the third round of the British Open Golf Championship, at Royal Birkdale.
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Branden Grace after completing the 18th hole in the third round of the British Open Golf Championships at Royal Birkdale on July 22. Grace shot a 62.
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Brooks Koepka plays out of a bunker on the 7th green during the third round of the British Open Golf Championship, at Royal Birkdale on July 22.
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Rory McIlroy reacts to a missed putt during the third round of the British Open Golf Championship, at Royal Birkdale on July 22.
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Matt Kuchar misses a birdie putt on the 18th during the third round of the British Open Golf Championships at Royal Birkdale on July 22.
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Matt Kuchar is mobbed by fans as he makes his way to the next hole during the third round of the British Open Golf Championships at Royal Birkdale on July 22.
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Jordan Spieth of the United States smiles in the rain during the third round of the 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on July 22.
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England’s Ian Poulter looks on from the 14th tee box during the third round of the British Open at Royal Birkdale on July 22.
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Jordan Spieth plays out of a bunker on the 17th hole during the third round of the British Open at Royal Birkdale on July 22.
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Gary Woodland takes a shot out of the rough on the 10th hole during the third round of the 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on July 22.
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Jordan Spieth and Matt Kuchar walk to the 14th green during the third round of the 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on July 22.
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Brooks Koepka plays out of a bunker on the 7th green during the third round of the British Open at Royal Birkdale on July 22.
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China’s Li Haotong fails to get out of a bunker on the 12th hole during his second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Matt Kuchar hits his second shot on the 3rd hole during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Rules officials help remove a signpost to allow Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland to play on the 15th hole during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Dustin Johnson plays from the rough on the 8th hole during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland chips onto the green during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Spectators watch play on the 10th green as conditions deteriorate during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Australia’s Jason Day, left, and Zach Johnson on the 2nd green during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel looks for his ball in the rough on the 5th hole during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland walks off the 14th tee during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Haotong Li of China hits a bunker shot on the 12th hole during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland chips onto the 11th green during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Rickie Fowler hits his tee shot on the 9th hole during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Dustin Johnson hits his tee shot on the 5th hole during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Sergio Garcia of Spain walks on the 1st hole during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Joost Luiten of the Netherlands falls back into a bunker after missing a putt on the 8th green during the second round of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Padraig Harrington of Ireland acknowledges the crowd on the 18th hole during the first round of the 146th British Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on Thursday.
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Si Woo Kim of Korea putts on the 12th hole during the first round of the championship at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.
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Jordan Spieth hits a bunker shot on the 15th hole at Royal Birkdale.
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Matthew Fitzpatrick of England lines up his putt on the 18th green on Thursday.
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Brooks Koepka of the U.S. holes his third shot from the bunker on the 17th hole.
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Jordan Spieth reacts after his approach from the rough on the 5th hole during the first round.
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Tommy Fleetwood of England plays from a bunker on Thursday.
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Ian Poulter of England plays his third shot on the 17th hole.
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France’s Alexander Levy plays his approach shot from the 3rd fairway.
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Spectators get a view of the 9th hole at Royal Birkdale.
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David Horsey of England hits his second shot on the 2nd hole during the first round of the British Open.
(Christian Petersen / Getty Images) sam.farmer@latimes.com
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