Big names out despite 12 over cut

Despite the midway cut at the British Open being set at 12-over par, there was no shortage of big names packing their suitcases on Friday night.

Leading the way in the hall of shame was hot-shot Spanish teenager Sergio Garcia, whose 12-over par 83, added to his Thursday disaster of 89 left him 30 over par on 172 - the worst score of anyone completing two rounds.

The 19-year-old said he was not embarrassed by his score and has put it behind him. He also said that, for the first time in 10 years, he would not watch the rest of the Open because he didn't think it deserves it. "It's just not that good," he said.

Not far behind Garcia was compatriot Seve Ballesteros. The three-times winner finished with back-to-back double bogeys for a 15-over par 86 and a total of 24 over.

The scowling Spaniard could do nothing right and showed his mounting frustration by regularly slamming clubs into anything hard that came into view.

Garcia's Fijian playing partner Vijay Singh, ranked fourth in the world, also crashed out on 18-over while last year's winner Mark O'Meara made a miserable defence of his title as he limped out on 15-over.

It was the first time the defending champion had missed the cut since Mark Calcavecchia in 1990 at St Andrews - when two over par was not good enough to progress.

Calcavecchia and 1996 winner Tom Lehman also missed out on Friday, as did 1995 U.S. Open champion Corey Pavin and last month's U.S. Open runner-up Phil Mickelson.

Australian Rod Pampling earned a dubious distinction when he became the only man to lead the Open after one round and then miss the cut.

The Queenslander followed his level par opener with a horrible 15-over on Friday. Alongside him and out on 15-over were his country's top-ranked player Steve Elkington and reigning Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal.

Three-times winner Nick Faldo had never missed a cut in 23 previous British Opens but the out-of-form Briton also fell by the wayside at 15-over.

Veteran Tom Watson made a valiant late effort but missed out by a shot.

The five-times champion, who won when the Open was last held at Carnoustie in 1975, had a three-under par back nine including a birdie at 16 where he had never previously even managed par but it wasn't quite enough.

Reuters