Big-name Americans are far down the leaderboard at St. Andrews

Reporting from St. Andrews, Scotland — Somewhere, U.S. Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin had to be doing at least occasional look-ins on the progress at St. Andrews. What he saw couldn’t have made for an appetizing lunch.

After leader Louis Oosthuizen came the names of Paul Casey and Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Henrik Stenson and young Alejandro Canizares. All Europeans.

No Woods. No Mickelson. No Stricker.

At one point, there was only one American among the first 12 names on the Open leaderboard.

“It’s been a good summer for Europe,” said Sweden’s Stenson, the 2009 Players Championship victor.

Dustin Johnson became the U.S. flag bearer with a 69 that moved him into seventh place. Ricky Barnes, Nick Watney and Sean O’Hair later joined the top 10.

A good Sunday could change the outlook, but it was a Saturday bogey.

Birdie: Rory McIlroy. Still hasn’t recorded a competitive round in the 70s on the Old Course, bouncing back from Friday’s windblown 80 with a 69. It could have been even lower, but he took double bogey at the Road Hole after finding the path behind the green.

Bogey: Justin Rose. And Ernie Els. And Jim Furyk. Rose came to St. Andrews as the game’s hottest player, Els posted eight top-10s in his past 10 Opens and Furyk is a two-time winner on the PGA Tour. All missed the cut. Add two-time Open winner Padraig Harrington too.

Birdie: Miguel Angel Jimenez. Against the wall at No. 17 that separates the Old Course from its namesake hotel, the Spaniard slapped a wedge into the wall, letting it carom over his head and onto the green. His earlier woes made for double bogey, but he got No. 17’s biggest cheers.

Bogey: John Daly. OK, we understand you get paid handsomely to wear those loud pants out on the course. But the blurry Cincinnati-Bengals-helmet motif screams … well, it just screams. Last time we saw anyone wearing that style was the “Flashdance” era. And it wasn’t by a bloke.

Birdie: Hanging out behind the R&A clubhouse. Right against the sidewalk on Golf Place, a lack of parking forces pros to leave their cars in a lot across the street. While waiting for someone to fetch the car, players often oblige autograph requests from behind a rope. No ticket required.