Jack, 56, Is Back With 5-Under 66

Jack Nicklaus wouldn’t act his age Friday at Royal Lytham, where it’s believed he actually is older than some of the bricks in the wall of the clubhouse.

There he was, a 56-year-old graying Golden Bear, aching back and all, pulling himself together in the second round of the British Open and coming up with a five-under-par 66, his best score in 15 years of flying over here to play.

All that separates Nicklaus from the second-round lead is one shot. That lead is shared by Tom Lehman and a 29-year-old Irishman named Paul McGinley, who played at U.S. International University in San Diego and hasn’t made the cut in three other British Opens.

McGinley was born four years after Nicklaus played in his first British Open in 1962.

Since then, Nicklaus has played in 34 British Open championships and won three. So the way he played Friday, Nicklaus had to be pleased, didn’t he?

“You kidding me?” he said. “I guess I can’t be too unhappy, can I?”

No, he can’t. First of all, he didn’t feel as if somebody was poking him in his sore back with a hot five-iron.

Then you add a five-birdie, no-bogey round in a major championship, put him one shot from the 36-hole lead of eight-under-par 134 and you’ve got the kind of day that Nicklaus has had, well, many times.

So what’s there to be surprised about?

“I’m never surprised when I play well,” Nicklaus said. “I’m disappointed when I play poorly. I’ve played well before.”

Actually, there were a lot of guys playing well, thanks to another warm, sunny day at Royal Lytham, where there was so little breeze, the flags were about as limp as the watercress sandwiches late in the afternoon at the concession stands.

Lehman’s second consecutive 67 included a birdie at the deadly 17th hole, where McGinley also made birdie.

“There are so many guys up there, it would be foolish to think you have any kind of control in this tournament,” Lehman said.

He’s right. There are 19 players within four shots of the lead.

Nicklaus finds himself tied with Ernie Els and 26-year-old Swede Peter Hedblom, who needed six trips to qualifying school to get his European Tour card.

Els, the 1994 U.S. Open champion, shot a 67. He said Nicklaus’ 66 was downright amazing.

“He is having a great week,” Els said. “It’s phenomenal, unbelievable, really. He has the chance to win. He has won a couple of these things, so he knows what to do.”

Few could have seen Hedblom coming. He won the Moroccan Open, then missed the cut in seven of his next 12 tournaments.

Corey Pavin leaped into the middle of things with a second-round 66 that put him two shots behind McGinley and Lehman.

Pavin had trouble putting on Thursday, but he rolled in birdie putts of 25 feet on the 13th hole, 12 feet on the 14th and 10 feet on the 16th, which led him to a reasonable conclusion.

“It was a lot easier to putt this morning,” he said.

Also two shots back are Nick Faldo, Mark McCumber, Mark O’Meara, Loren Roberts, Vijay Singh and Padraig Harrington, a 24-year-old Irishman playing in his first British Open.

Fred Couples was all over the place on his way to a 70 that included four birdies, an eagle and five bogeys. Couples begins the third round tied with Mark Brooks at 137.

Couples’ round was highlighted by a wildly entertaining five-hole stretch from Nos. 4-8 that went bogey, bogey, birdie, eagle, birdie.

As interesting as that was, it really couldn’t compare to the number Nicklaus put up. He said he didn’t drive the ball that well, which he blamed on being tentative because of his sore back, but Nicklaus managed to get the ball close to the hole all day.

He birdied the par-three opening hole with a putt from eight feet and got another one on the par-five seventh when he made a four-footer.

On the par-four 10th, Nicklaus knocked a sand wedge to 3 1/2 feet and sank the putt for birdie. He then birdied the par-four 14th with a nine-foot putt after getting close with a nine-iron. He also managed to save par at No. 15 from a fairway bunker.

If Nicklaus had been able to coax in a six-footer on No. 18, he would have finished tied for the lead, but the ball gently spun out of the hole. He didn’t have any problem accepting a round of 66, though.

“It was a pretty good one,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s a great one or not. It was a great scoring round of golf, though.

“I don’t think my standards are what they used to be, but every once in a while, I can play a decent round of golf.”

Some big names were unable to accomplish a similar feat Friday. The list of players missing the cut includes such luminaries as Colin Montgomerie, Steve Jones, Davis Love III, Steve Elkington, Lee Janzen, Paul Azinger, Ian Woosnam, Woody Austin, Fuzzy Zoeller, Bob Tway and Seve Ballesteros.

Nicklaus not only made the cut, he actually believes he has a shot at winning the whole thing.

“Yeah, I think I can win,” he said. “Who knows what will happen the next two days. I may shoot 150. But I believe I can play. I believe I can play this golf course. We’ll see what happens.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

BRITISH OPEN SCORECARD

THE LEADERS

At Lytham St. Annes, England--Par 71 36-Hole Scores

Paul McGinley: 69-65--134

Tom Lehman: 67-67--134

Jack Nicklaus: 69-66--135

Ernie Els: 68-67--135

Peter Hedblom: 70-65--135

Vijay Singh: 69-67--136

Corey Pavin: 70-66--136

Nick Faldo: 68-68--136

Mark McCumber: 67-69--136

Padraig Harrington: 68-68--136

Mark O’Meara: 67-69--136

Loren Roberts: 67-69--136

THE CONTENDERS

Mark Brooks: 67-70--137

Fred Couples: 67-70--137

Greg Norman: 71-68--139

a-Tiger Woods: 75-66--141

Nick Price: 68-73--141

Ben Crenshaw: 73-68--141

Payne Stewart: 70-73--143

John Daly: 70-73--143

Phil Mickelson: 72-71--143

Curtis Strange: 71-72--143

Tom Kite: 77-66--143

GOING HOME

Sam Torrance: 72-72--144

Woody Austin: 72-73--145

Steve Elkington: 75-70--145

Fuzzy Zoeller: 70-75--145

Steve Jones: 73-73--146

Davis Love III: 72-74--146

Colin Montgomerie: 73-74--147

Gary Player: 71-76--147

Ian Woosnam: 75-72--147

Lee Janzen: 74-77--151

Paul Azinger: 74-77--151

Bob Tway: 79-73--152

Seve Ballesteros: 74-78--152

Gary Brown: 74-80--154

Bernhard Langer: 75-WD

a--Amateur

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

SECOND-ROUND SCORES

At Lytham St. Annes, England--Par 71

Paul McGinley: 69-65--134 -8

Tom Lehman: 67-67--134 -8

Jack Nicklaus: 69-66--135 -7

Ernie Els: 68-67--135 -7

Peter Hedblom: 70-65--135 -7

Vijay Singh: 69-67--136 -6

Corey Pavin: 70-66--136 -6

Nick Faldo: 68-68--136 -6

Mark McCumber: 67-69--136 -6

Padraig Harrington: 68-68--136 -6

Mark O’Meara: 67-69--136 -6

Loren Roberts: 67-69--136 -6

Mark Brooks: 67-70--137 -5

Fred Couples: 67-70--137 -5

Paul Broadhurst: 65-72--137 -5

David Gilford: 71-67--138 -4

Mark James: 70-68--138 -4

Carl Mason: 68-70--138 -4

Shigeki Maruyama: 68-70--138 -4

Darren Clarke: 70-68--138 -4

Hidemichi Tanaka: 67-71--138 -4

Jeff Maggert: 69-70--139 -3

Rocco Mediate: 69-70--139 -3

Greg Norman: 71-68--139 -3

Michael Welch: 71-68--139 -3

Peter Mitchell: 71-68--139 -3

Jim Furyk: 68-71--139 -3

Bradley Hughes: 70-69--139 -3

Mark McNulty: 69-71--140 -2

Alexander Cejka: 73-67--140 -2

Scott Simpson: 71-69--140 -2

Mark Calcavecchia: 72-68--140 -2

Sandy Lyle: 71-69--140 -2

Brad Faxon: 67-73--140 -2

Greg Turner: 72-69--141 -1

a-Tiger Woods: 75-66--141 -1

Nick Price: 68-73--141 -1

Ben Crenshaw: 73-68--141 -1

Todd Hamilton: 71-70--141 -1

Eduardo Romero: 70-71--141 -1

Costantino Rocca: 71-70--141 -1

Steve Stricker: 71-70--141 -1

Jesper Parnevik: 72-69--141 -1

Eamonn Darcy: 73-69--142 E

Peter Jacobsen: 72-70--142 E

Jeff Sluman: 72-70--142 E

Roger Chapman: 72-70--142 E

Richard Boxall: 72-70--142 E

Michael Jonzon: 69-73--142 E

Frank Nobilo: 70-72--142 E

Craig Stadler: 71-71--142 E

Carl Suneson: 73-69--142 E

David A. Russell: 70-72--142 E

Robert Allenby: 74-68--142 E

Billy Mayfair: 70-72--142 E

David Frost: 70-72--142 E

Jay Haas: 70-72--142 E

D.A. Weibring: 71-72--143 +1

Howard Clark: 72-71--143 +1

Tommy Tolles: 73-70--143 +1

Payne Stewart: 70-73--143 +1

Rick Todd: 74-69--143 +1

Gordon Law: 74-69--143 +1

Domingo Hospital: 75-68--143 +1

Klas Eriksson: 68-75--143 +1

Arnaud Langenaeken: 72-71--143 +1

Retief Goosen: 72-71--143 +1

David Duval: 76-67--143 +1

Brett Ogle: 70-73--143 +1

Brian Barnes: 73-70--143 +1

John Daly: 70-73--143 +1

Stephen Ames: 71-72--143 +1

Phil Mickelson: 72-71--143 +1

Curtis Strange: 71-72--143 +1

Jim Payne: 72-71--143 +1

Bob Charles: 71-72--143 +1

Tom Kite: 77-66--143 +1

NONQUALIFIERS

Bob Estes: 73-71--144 +2

Santiago Luna: 72-72--144 +2

Barry Lane: 71-73--144 +2

Marc Farry: 70-74--144 +2

Philip Walton: 72-72--144 +2

Ricky Willison: 72-72--144 +2

Silvio Grappasonni: 71-73--144 +2

David Feherty: 77-67--144 +2

Sam Torrance: 72-72--144 +2

Jose Coceres: 72-73--145 +3

Jose Rivero: 74-71--145 +3

Craig Parry: 74-71--145 +3

Woody Austin: 72-73--145 +3

Steve Elkington: 75-70--145 +3

Fuzzy Zoeller: 70-75--145 +3

Lee Westwood: 71-74--145 +3

Peter O’Malley: 73-72--145 +3

Sean Murphy: 76-69--145 +3

Yoshinori Kaneko: 73-73--146 +4

Steve Jones: 73-73--146 +4

Ross McFarlane: 73-73--146 +4

a-Warren Bladon: 73-73--146 +4

Andrew Coltart: 72-74--146 +4

Malcolm Mackenzie: 71-75--146 +4

Peter Senior: 74-72--146 +4

Paul Eales: 73-73--146 +4

Tony Johnstone: 70-76--146 +4

Bill McColl: 74-72--146 +4

Davis Love III: 72-74--146 +4

Colin Montgomerie: 73-74--147 +5

Steen Tinning: 72-75--147 +5

Gary Player: 71-76--147 +5

Ian Woosnam: 75-72--147 +5

Terry Price: 77-70--147 +5

Justin Leonard: 79-68--147 +5

Satoshi Higashi: 75-72--147 +5

Per-Ulrik Johansson: 70-77--147 +5

Gordon Brand, Jr.: 72-75--147 +5

a-Steve Allan: 75-72--147 +5

Mark Litton: 72-75--147 +5

Andrew Sherborne: 73-74--147 +5

Anders Forsbrand: 75-72--147 +5

Gary Emerson: 76-72--148 +6

Steven Bottomley: 76-72--148 +6

Massimo Florioli: 71-77--148 +6

David J. Russell: 77-71--148 +6

Wayne Westner: 78-70--148 +6

Hajime Meshiai: 76-72--148 +6

Stephen Field: 72-76--148 +6

Antoine Lebouc: 72-76--148 +6

Diego Borrego: 74-75--149 +7

Iain Steel: 72-77--149 +7

Fabrice Tarnaud: 74-75--149 +7

Stuart Cage: 74-75--149 +7

Tim Herron: 74-75--149 +7

Jon Robson: 75-74--149 +7

a-Sergio Garcia: 76-73--149 +7

Thomas Bjorn: 73-76--149 +7

Joakim Haeggman: 72-77--149 +7

Wayne Riley: 73-76--149 +7

Brian Watts: 80-70--150 +8

Jay Townsend: 72-78--150 +8

Andrew Oldcorn: 77-73--150 +8

Miguel Jimenez: 75-75--150 +8

Robert Lee: 77-73--150 +8

Adam Mednick: 75-76--151 +9

Lee Janzen: 74-77--151 +9

Paul Azinger: 74-77--151 +9

Mats Hallberg: 79-72--151 +9

Bob Tway: 79-73--152 +10

Ross Drummond: 78-74--152 +10

Seve Ballesteros: 74-78--152 +10

Gary Brown: 74-80--154 +12

Paul Lawrie: 78-77--155 +13

Kazuhiro Fukunaga: 76-81--157 +15

Ian Baker-Finch: 78-84--162 +20

Des Smyth: 72-75--DQ

Michael Campbell: 75-74--DQ

Bernhard Langer: 75-WD

a--Amateur

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

British Open: Second-Round Scorecard

Course total Yards: 6,892 Par 71

Hole: 1

Yards: 206

Par: 3

McGinley: 2

Lehman: 4

Nicklaus: 2

Els: 4

Hedblom: 4

Hole: 2

Yards: 437

Par: 4

McGinley: 4

Lehman: 3

Nicklaus: 4

Els: 3

Hedblom: 3

Hole: 3

Yards: 457

Par: 4

McGinley: 4

Lehman: 4

Nicklaus: 4

Els: 4

Hedblom: 4

Hole: 4

Yards: 393

Par: 4

McGinley: 3

Lehman: 4

Nicklaus: 4

Els: 4

Hedblom: 5

Hole: 5

Yards: 212

Par: 3

McGinley: 3

Lehman: 3

Nicklaus: 3

Els: 3

Hedblom: 3

Hole: 6

Yards: 490

Par: 5

McGinley: 5

Lehman: 4

Nicklaus: 5

Els: 5

Hedblom: 4

Hole: 7

Yards: 553

Par: 5

McGinley: 4

Lehman: 4

Nicklaus: 4

Els: 3

Hedblom: 4

Hole: 8

Yards: 418

Par: 4

McGinley: 3

Lehman: 4

Nicklaus: 4

Els: 4

Hedblom: 4

Hole: 9

Yards: 164

Par: 3

McGinley: 1

Lehman: 3

Nicklaus: 2

Els: 3

Hedblom: 3

Total: 3,330

Par: 35

McGinley: 29

Lehman: 33

Nicklaus: 32

Els: 33

Hedblom: 34

Hole: 10

Yards: 334

Par: 4

McGinley: 4

Lehman: 4

Nicklaus: 3

Els: 3

Hedblom: 3

Hole: 11

Yards: 542

Par: 5

McGinley: 5

Lehman: 5

Nicklaus: 5

Els: 5

Hedblom: 4

Hole: 12

Yards: 198

Par: 3

McGinley: 3

Lehman: 3

Nicklaus: 3

Els: 3

Hedblom: 3

Hole: 13

Yards: 342

Par: 4

McGinley: 4

Lehman: 3

Nicklaus: 4

Els: 4

Hedblom: 4

Hole: 14

Yards: 445

Par: 4

McGinley: 3

Lehman: 4

Nicklaus: 3

Els: 3

Hedblom: 3

Hole: 15

Yards: 463

Par: 4

McGinley: 5

Lehman: 4

Nicklaus: 4

Els: 5

Hedblom: 4

Hole: 16

Yards: 357

Par: 4

McGinley: 4

Lehman: 4

Nicklaus: 4

Els: 4

Hedblom: 3

Hole: 17

Yards: 467

Par: 4

McGinley: 3

Lehman: 3

Nicklaus: 4

Els: 4

Hedblom: 3

Hole: 18

Yards: 414

Par: 4

McGinley: 5

Lehman: 4

Nicklaus: 4

Els: 3

Hedblom: 4

Total: 3,562

Par: 36-71

McGinley: 36-65-134

Lehman: 34-67-134

Nicklaus: 34-66-135

Els: 34-67-135

Hedblom: 31-65-135