Tiger Woods In Survivor Mode At British Open: McIlroy Falters Badly

Tiger Woods was in survivor mode at this year’s British Open as was the young Irishman Rory McIlroy.  After Day One’s play, most of the online bookmakers including Sportsbetting.com had instilled McIlroy as the favorite at around 2/1.  McIlroy had dropped to the 39^th position by end of play Friday.

Rory McIlroy followed up his record-tying 63 at St. Andrews with an 8-over 80 Friday that sent him tumbling down the leaderboard. From the high of being just the 22nd player to shoot so low at a major championship, the 21-year-old Northern Irishman will have to make up 11 strokes on the new leader, Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa.

McIroy says it was "very, very difficult" out there because of winds gusting to more than 40 mph. The blustery conditions actually caused a one-hour delay, which seemed to take all the steam out of his round.

The fierce winds that have battered the Old Course have tested the patience and the ball-striking ability of the game, leading players in a vigorous examination of their talents.

Tiger Woods, who three-putted the first two holes immediately after the resumption of play had taken a firm grip of his game, reclaiming the two lost shots at the fifth and ninth and has started the long run back with three solid pars.  He was in the number 21 position.  

Louis Oosthuizen and veteran Mark Calcavecchia lead the way coming into Saturday.

For bookmakers, most of the betting action had been on McIlroy and Woods coming into the 2010 Open Championship. 

Updated odds were to be posted shortly at Sportsbetting.com.

Alistair Prescott, Gambling911.com