British Open live blog

Updated: July 20, 2007, 5:26 AM ET

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By Jason Sobel
ESPN.com
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Throughout this week, ESPN.com golf editor Jason Sobel will be live blogging from the British Open, bringing you inside information and analysis from Carnoustie Golf Links. Refresh this page often to keep track of all the entries during each round.

Have a question or comment for Sobel? E-mail him at britishopenblog@gmail.com.

7:15 p.m.: After going some 10-12 hours per day from the Masters and U.S. Open, I feel like I'm cheating you a little bit today with only six hours and 15 minutes of live blogging, but I've got a column to write, some ESPN.com video segments to shoot and some players to talk to, so my time is up.

Thanks for the questions. See you back here tomorrow -- same time, same place.

7:12 p.m.: E-mail from reader Shane in Columbus, Ohio:

I'm betting on some American I've never heard of to win, just like usual. Who will it be this year?

Ah, looking for the next Todd Hamilton or Ben Curtis, huh? Does Boo Weekley count? Checking out the leaderboard, he's about the only one I can come up with who even sort of fits the description and is within six or seven shots of the lead right now. Not exactly an unknown, but hardly a favorite this week, either.

7:07 p.m.: If there were ever a mismatched pair, you'd think it would be Boo Weekley and Scotland. The good ol' boy from Milton, Fla., doesn't exactly seem like he'd be a natural fit for the U.K., but this is a guy who's among the better ball-strikers around (as evidenced by his win at Harbour Town) and hits a ton of greens in regulation. He's now 3-under through 15 holes after playing well at Loch Lomond last week.

How long until the locals start bellowing, "Boooooo!" in their thick Scottish brogues?

6:57 p.m.: E-mail from readers Cuca y Alberto de Buenos Aires, Argentina:

Felicitaciones para Angel Cabrera!

Jugo muy bien. Or something like that.

6:53 p.m.: And ... the magic is back. Sergio Garcia make shis first bogey of the day at 16, drops to 5-under.

You're welcome, R.A.!

6:52 p.m.: E-mail from reader R.A.:

Please start talking about Sergio! Something must be done about this!

I'm starting to think he might be unjinxable. When I spoke of him earlier, he followed with a birdie. Just not sure what I can do.

6:44 p.m.: E-mail from reader Terance in Fayetteville, Ga.:

Seeing that Phil Mickelson is close to even par, his wrist must be somewhat better. My question is, will it be strong enough for him to choke in another major?

Ha. That's really mean. But I actually giggled when I read it. So did you; admit it.

Right now, Mickelson is very quietly, methodically plodding his way around this course, with two birdie, a bogey and 13 pars through 16 holes.

6:40 p.m.: Rory McIlroy finishes with a par. He's in a share of third place at 3-under. I've been hearing for a long time about how good this kid would be -- especially when I met the good folks at the European Club last year -- but I didn't expect it to come this quickly.

Are we looking at another Justin Rose-like performance? When he was a 17-year-old amateur, Rose finished T-4 at the 1998 Open.

6:26 p.m.: Sergio Garcia is leading, Tiger Woods is in the hunt, John Daly was way up and finished way down. But the story of the day just might be Rory McIlroy. Just two months clear of his 18th birthday, the kid from Holywood (that's one "l," as in Holywood, Northern Ireland) is 3-under with a chance for birdie on 18.

6:19 p.m.: E-mail from reader Marc in N.C.:

I was just wondering if you sit around the press tent all day and watch the coverage and brave your bladder not exploding like Ivor Robson, the dude who makes all the first tee player introductions that waits until the last group tees off?

No way. That could get ugly. That guy Robson is a machine. Ten-plus hours of standing on the first tee announcing names, without using the restroom. I once read an interview with him in which he revealed the secret to how he does it: He doesn't drink any water.

Well, duh.

6:14 p.m.: I've been asked by multiple Sergio Garcia fans not to mention him anymore, for fear of jinxing his 5-under round. OK, OK, I won't mention him.

(By the way, Sergio Garcia has fans? Interesting ...)

6:10 p.m.: For those waiting to hear what John Daly would say after blowing up on his back nine today ... you're out of luck. I'm told Daly bolted without speaking to reporters after dropping eight shots on his final seven holes.

6:02 p.m.: Reader Mike in Saint Joseph, Mich.:

Of the current players at par or better, I count seven players who have one major championship to their name (Michael Campbell, Angel Cabrera, Jim Furyk, Rich Beem, Shaun Micheel, David Toms, and Mike Weir). Who do you think has the best chance to win their second major this week?

Let's put 'em in order, worst to first:

7. Rich Beem. He's a great quote and a fun guy to watch play, but he ain't winning this tournament.
6. Shaun Micheel. Better player than most people realize. Could have had him with a local oddsmaker for 250-to-1 yesterday.
5. Michael Campbell. Plays his best golf over here, but really hasn't done a whole lot since winning the U.S. Open two years ago.
4. Angel Cabrera. Nothing against El Pato, but is he really going to win two majors in a row?
3. Mike Weir. I really liked him entering this week. He's long overdue to contend in a biggie.
2. David Toms. Recent stats say he's on his game, with three straight top-six finishes. Another guy who's long overdue.
1. Jim Furyk. There's not a lot of players I'd put above Furyk on any list right now, especially this one.

5:54 p.m.: Sergio Garcia looks like he may have figured out the problem with his putter was ... his putter. Now brandishing the long broomstick-style putter, Garcia is at 4-under through 12 holes, tied with Paul McGinley atop the leaderboard.

That's a far cry from the last time the Open was played here, when Sergio shot an opening-round 89 and cried afterward.

5:43 p.m.: After making eagle on 11, John Daly promptly went double-par-triple-bogey-bogey-par-bogey to shoot a 3-over 74. I'm trying to find the best J.D. tune to summarize his round today. The contenders:

• Long Ball Rebel
• I Only Know One Way
• I Found It

But the winner and still champion is track No. 10 off his "My Life" CD:

• Where I Am Now

Where he really is now: Tied for 94th place.

5:34 p.m.: Good e-mail from Dain in Buffalo:

I've been looking everywhere online trying to find a weather report for the weekend out there. Can you give us an update?

Here's what I've found out in my four days in this part of Scotland: There are weather reports, but they're as useful as a granola bar in John Daly's golf bag. One minute it can be raining, the next minute the sun will come out. One minute there can be a 25 mph downwind, the next minute it can be blowing right into your face.

Which leads me to this conclusion: Best job in the world? Scottish weatherman. Seriously, you'd go on TV, say it's going to be sunny, rainy, windy and calm each day, then go home knowing you were 100 percent accurate. It's fool-proof.

5:24 p.m.: So far today I have inhaled the largest package of Starburst candy ever and thrown down about eight cups of hot chocolate. (Maybe we should list my blood type online, too.)

And now I'm getting hungry thanks to everyone who has written in with food recommendations from this part of the world:

Greg in Williamsburg, Va.:

I have found that the one meal that is the best is the bangers and mash. Seeing as you've said you haven't eaten much since Monday, this will surely save you from starvation.

From Dale:

As an American that lived in Scotland for a few years, I have to tell you that you need to start eating. Find the most ren-down restaurant you can and get a Donner Kebab and a battered Snickers bar. You will be sorry for it the next day, but you will learn two things: How to eat yourself into a heart-attack and processed lamb-meat that looks like an elephant leg can actually taste good. Gotta LOVE a country that can pull that off for you!! Oh, and haggis is actually good if you mix it with mashed potatoes and turnips.

From Todd in St. Augustine, Fla.:

Try the Cadbury Flake candy bar. English chocolate is much better and sweeter than the American stuff. And you should be able to find a good Shepherd's Pie -- tough to screw up ground beef, veggies and whipped potatoes.

From Ryan in West Point, N.Y.:

When I went to Sweden for a wedding, the first stop I made was a convenience store for Pringles, pretzels and Michelob Light. Wasn't sure what the food would be like so I stocked up on essentials, just in case.

Stomach rumbling ... feeling light-headed ... need to eat ...

5:21 p.m.: Achi Sato just called. He'd like to thank everyone for jinxing him. Two straight bogeys to finish the front side.

The good news is, if he hurts himself on the back, at least we all know his blood type.

5:13 p.m.: There are currently 31 players under par. As I list some of the bigger names in contention so far, you come with the answer to this trivia question: How many players were under par after the first round of the 1999 British Open, also held here at Carnoustie?

(Jeopardy! theme music playing ...)

Among those in the red: Luke Donald, Angel Cabrera, Tiger Woods, Padraig Harrington, David Toms, Jim Furyk, Sergio Garcia, Retief Goosen, Ernie Els.

OK, time's up. The answer: Zero. Rod Pampling led the tournament at even-par 71.

5:06 p.m.: Kevin from Arkansas mirrors the sentiments of a few movie-watchers with this e-mail:

When I first saw Rory McIlroy's name, I did a double take. I thought I saw Roy McAvoy, you know Kevin Costner's character from the wildly underrated Tin Cup. Could we have found our 18th hole blow-up already?

Poor kid was probably about 5 years old when that movie came out and will be burdened by a similar name as the main character for his entire career. Someday it will happen, he'll be in contention and hit two balls into the drink on the final hole of a big tournament and everyone will have their fun. I hope the kid's got a sense of humor.

And, by the way, Tin Cup is underrated? Yikes, that's a little lenient.

4:57 p.m.: Good work diligent e-mail friends. We've uncovered some truths about Achi Sato.

From Josh in Grand Rapids, Mich.:

Achi Sato is ranked No. 713 in the world. I think you're ranked higher than him!

Not even close. Panmure ate me alive.

From Brandon:

His blood type is O!

Yup, weird little addition to the Japan Tour Web site -- they include blood types. That would freak me out if I played over there.

From Mark in Philadephia:

He was Born May 7, 1971 in Tokyo. He is 170cm tall and weighs 80kg.

That damn Metric System has been killing me all week.

From Jim in Rochester, N.Y.:

Sato's record for birdies in a round on the Japan Tour is 6. He's got 4 on the front nine on the "hardest" Open course.

Now that's a good stat.

From Christopher:

Sato apparently has about $68,000 in CAREER earnings. I know you just said doing well on Day 1 doesn't mean much ... but for him to start off the round like this, well, I think it is safe to say that this is the highlight of his golfing life to this point.

Raise your hand if you've earned more than Achi Sato in your current profession!

4:50 p.m.: Congratulations to Jose-Filipe Lima, Terry Pilkadaris and Benn Barham, who just finished playing their opening hole of the round -- exactly 10 hours and 20 minutes after the first group teed off.

That prompts me to post this e-mail from Eric in Cincinnati:

I note that the last groups tee off at nearly 4:30. Assuming at least 4.5 hours (could be more for a threesome on a difficult course), that leaves no room for any delays, right? I know it stays light later that far north, but even at 9, 9:30? Why don't they put groups off both sides like at other majors?

Aye, 'tis a wee bit brighter here than at that time of night in Cincinnati. I played nearby Panmure Golf Club yesterday and we finished up just after 10 p.m. under an overcast, grey sky. Does it start getting a bit dark at the time the first group will finish? A little, but they won't have a problem getting in 18. (They might just have to sprint the last few holes like we did last night.)

4:47 p.m.: Achi Sato now tied for the lead after four straight birdies on Nos. 3 through 7. First reader to give me a really good Achi Sato fact gets to jinx his round. Go!

4:39 p.m.: How about Northern Ireland teen wunderkind Rory McIlroy at 2-under through 11 holes? I really wanted to mention one of the young guys, as it gives me a chance to show off our Top 25 Under 25 cool little flash project again. I'm telling you, of those 25, at least five -- maybe 10 or 15 -- will win majors at some point in their careers, so you might as well get to know 'em now.

4:35 p.m.: Achi Sato is 3-under through five holes. He also owns the shortest bio in this week's player guide that is handed out to the media. Here's everything you ever wanted to know about Achi (but were afraid to ask):

Secured his place in the Open by sharing second in June's Mizuno Open Yomiuri Classic.

Wow. Now I feel like I've known him forever. Or at least since June.

4:29 p.m.: John Daly makes triple-bogey on the par-5 14th. I don't want to gloat or anything, but ...

told

you

so.

4:15 p.m.: E-mail from reader Carson:

Went to the ESPN.com homepage and saw Tiger's picture right there -- the first thing you see. He's not leading. He's 2-under and by no means out of it, but why not feature the leader? I feel bad for the guys out there winning and getting none of the media glory. How about some fairness?

I've said this before and I'll say it a million more times: Leading after the first round of a golf tournament is akin to leading after the first quarter of an NBA game. It's nice and everything -- certainly beats trailing -- but in the end, it doesn't mean that much. There's no way you can convince me that Paul McGinley or Michael Campbell shooting an opening-round 67 is a better story than the world's most popular athlete, trying to become the first man in over 50 years to three-peat at a major, just two strokes back after getting an iffy ruling on Thursday. That's just common sense.

I often receive similar responses when I cover the PGA Tour's Sony Open and write about Michelle Wie. "Why don't you write about the guy who is actually leading?" I'm always asked. Well, here's the thing: I always do. But fans are drawn to the star-power of the big names and the stories that surround them more than a guy who posted a nice score for 18 holes.

4:04 p.m.: Enough of the all Daly, all the time channel. Back to the big lug later, but let's take a look at some other guys playing well.

There's a Hanson on the leaderboard at 3-under and it looks like Peter. Can never be too sure, since there's Peter Hanson (from Sweden) and Anders Hansen (Denmark) both in the field, with Soren Hansen (Denmark, no relation to Anders) failing to qualify.

Seriously, hasn't some intrepid European cameraman gotten the idea to slap hockey jerseys and some thick glasses on these guys for a Hanson/Hansen Brothers magazine cover? Would anyone really be against this idea?

3:57 p.m.: The dreaded Live Blog Curse? Or just the inevitable taking place?

John Daly misses a 2-foot bogey putt on 12 to make double and drop two shots to 3-under. Call me a cynic, but if you've got Daly and par-or-worse at Ladbrokes right now, that may still be a winning combo.

3:51 p.m.: Reader e-mail from Stephen in Savannah, Ga.:

John Daly seems to have a knack for playing well when he is receiving a lot of attention -- good or bad. Is it possible that the recent Golf Channel extended interview may have motivated him to prove that he is not an irrelevant sideshow?

Honestly, I don't know what motivates John Daly these days. He's talked about how he doesn't want to be known as a sideshow, but then he comes to the Masters and camps out at the Washington Road Hooters and signs autographs for a week. So he does bring a lot of that image upon himself.

Does he want to play well this week? Of course. Who doesn't? But whether he's more determined or motivated than he's been at past major championships when he hasn't played well, I really can't say. I'm sure we'll hear from him when he finishes.

3:46 p.m.: Can't get enough John Daly right now, so let's have a look at his stats through 11 holes:

• Driving distance: 318.0 yards
• Fairways hit: 6 of 10
• Greens in regulation: 10 of 11
• Total putts: 17

3:39 p.m.: One more e-mail, from Kristy in Connecticut, who says what you were all thinking anyway:

JOHN DALY IS LEADING!!!! I guess his wife is not there with the steak-knife.

That is so wrong. By the way, Daly appears to be wearing a tarpaulin today. With logos on it. Lots of 'em.

3:35 p.m.: Reader John in Edinburgh, Scotland, with this cautionary e-mail:

As an American living in Edinburgh, let me caution you against another element of the awful British breakfasts -- black pudding. I had a friend visit recently and, after trying it, described it as what he imagined "a scab would taste like."

Mmm, pass the haggis!

That brings to mind this question: What does John Daly eat in Scotland? Answer: Everything he can.

3:29 p.m.: Reader e-mail from Coops in Nashville:

Don't look know, but here comes John Daly. Is it conceivable that he can keep it together over 72 holes?

Look, we all know J.D. is one of the streakiest golfers of all time, equally capable of shooting four rounds in the 60s or four rounds in the 80s. There's nothing about his recent performance that showed he would play well this week, but ... whoa, wait a second ...

That ball just went in! An eagle on the par-4 11th hole for Daly and You Know Who is now in sole possession of first place. And this tournament just got a lot more interesting!

3:20 p.m.: More on the Tiger "controversy" at the 10th hole. Here's what he had to say to reporters:

Q: Tell us about the drop you took at the 10th.
TIGER WOODS: It was a weird drop. I was as surprised as anybody. Usually TV cables are movable, but they deemed it immovable. They couldn't move them out of there. So I've never seen that ruling before.
Q: Did you ask for it?
TIGER WOODS: I didn't ask for it. The guy told me I could.
Q: You didn't ask for it?
TIGER WOODS: Yeah, basically, yeah. Because he tried to move them before I got there to help me out, to keep the pace of play going. Then when I got there he says the TV cables are immovable.

Woods went on to claim that the free drop he was given actually gave him a worse lie.

And further confirmation that this could become an international incident through the tabloids: One fellow writer said he was told the Brits were poised to make a big deal out of this "because we don't have anything else."

3:13 p.m.: Biggest difference between the media center at a golf tournament in Europe as opposed to the U.S.? Well, other than the food and the temperature, it's the fact that European journalists tend to outwardly cheer for their own players at times.

During last year's Ryder Cup, when Henrik Stenson clinched the European victory, there was a party-like atmosphere, complete with raucous applause in the media center.

I was just reminded of that as Paul McGinley hit a beautiful soft wedge shot from a greenside bunker to within 5 feet of the final hole and received a few claps from those in the media. Not sure I can ever say I've seen that from a U.S. writer.

In any case, McGinley's round was worth applauding. He made the par putt and finished with a 4-under 67 to take a 1-shot lead into the clubhouse.

3:09 p.m.: Reader e-mail from Casey in Austin, Texas, who makes a great point:

You know what makes this course playable? The greens. If you put Oakmont or Augusta National greens out there, nobody could break 80. It's a real test, tee to green.

Very true. For those who wonder why the greens here look like shag carpeting compared with those at the Masters or U.S. Open, there's a simple explanation: they're slower and flatter.

It's nice seeing guys hitting long irons and fairway woods into par 4s.

3:03 p.m.: I've been told from multiple sources already that it seems the British tabloids have found their big controversy for the week already.

I don't recall seeing this, but supposedly on the 10th hole, Tiger Woods was given a free drop when his ball was lying up against an immovable obstruction. The controversy is that -- depending on who's telling the story -- Woods either didn't ask for a ruling, but was given one anyway, or he bullied the rules official into seeing things his way and getting the drop.

Like I said, I didn't see the situation, but the British press is apparently up in arms about it.

More to come if I hear anything.

2:58 p.m.: Reader e-mail from Paul in Memphis:

Your boy Rod Pampling is trying really hard this year to validate your pick. Could this be the year he doesn't go out and put himself in the rarified air of the mid-to-high 80s in the second round? If he shoots Ocho Cinco or better tomorrow, we'll know there's a Sobel Curse.

Hey, I'm not taking the blame for that one, if it happens. Pamps was the first-round leader here in 1999, only to follow his 71 with an 86 in Round 2 to miss the cut. He shot 70 today, so you'd better believe he'll be thinking about not blowing up tomorrow.

2:55 p.m.: The good news for Paul McGinley? He just made par at 17. The bad news? It was preceded by bogeys at 15 and 16. He's still in the lead, but now at 4-under.

Remember what I said about those final four holes? They're going to make someone famous on Sunday -- and maybe for all the wrong reasons. Isn't that right, Jean?

2:48 p.m.: Finally! Proof that Tiger Woods is just like the rest of us mortals!

Asked after his round to address "Gary's comments," Woods retorted, "Gary who?" When told of Player and what he said recently, Tiger apologized and said he hadn't heard the comments, so he couldn't address them.

So why does that mean Woods is just like us? He must only have four channels on his hotel television, too. And Golf Channel isn't one of 'em.

2:39 p.m.: Gary Player made some pretty flammable comments yesterday about performance-enhancing drugs in professional golf, causing an international controversy. In case you didn't see it, here's the Q&A from his press conference:

Q. When the Tour tests for steroids, would it surprise you to find there are players who are using them?
GARY PLAYER: No, not surprise me because I know, I know that there are golfers, some of them are doing -- whether it's HGH, whether it's creatine or whether it's steroids -- I know for a fact that some golfers are doing it.
And the greatest thing that The R&A, the USGA and the PGA can do is have tests at random. It's absolutely essential that we do that. We're dreaming if we think it's not going to come into golf.
You look at these rugby teams today, and I followed rugby all my life, it's so obvious what is happening. It would be interesting, they asked me last night, what percentage of athletes, men and women in the world are using one of those three enhancements. Let's put the word as enhancement. And I said I think 40 percent of athletes in the world. I've changed my mind overnight; I think it's almost 50 to 60 percent of athletes in the world today. I'm not saying golfers, I'm saying just across the board with all sports.
Q. What do you think the number is in golf?
GARY PLAYER: Well, I'd be guessing. I'd be guessing. But I think it would be -- you want me to take a guess?
Q. A guess.
GARY PLAYER: I would say in the World Tour today, golfers around the world playing Tour, I would say there's ten guys taking something. I might be way out. Definitely not going to be lower, but might be a hell of a lot more. And I'm delighted to see that they're going to start having tests at random, if that's what they officially have decided.
Q. How do you know for a fact that there are people using enhancements, as you say?
GARY PLAYER: Because one guy told me. One guy told me and I took an oath prior to him telling me, and he told me and I won't tell you where, but he told me what he did and I could see this massive change in him and then -- and somebody else told me something that I also promised I wouldn't tell that verified others had done it.

Well, you knew players were going to be asked about it today and after his round, Retief Goosen of all people -- among the least outspoken players in the game -- had some harsh comments in return:

Q: What's your reaction to what Gary Player said yesterday?
RETIEF GOOSEN: I knew that was coming. I'm actually very shocked at his comments, really, to be honest. I don't know what Gary was trying to prove, saying what he said. Who knows? In the days he was playing, we could have said there was 10 guys using steroids. It was around in those days. I don't know why he said that. I don't know if he is trying to damage the sport, damage golf. I don't know what he was trying to do. I feel, who knows, if people start taking drugs out there, if we want to confirm that, let's do drug testing. He mustn't come and say, 'I know of 10 guys taking drugs,' and he can't say what it is. So he might as well not have said anything.

Going to be some fun times in that International team Presidents Cup locker room!

2:34 p.m.: Austrian Markus Brier is among those at 3-under right now. He had a big win at the China Open this year. If I told you he reminded me of Jim Furyk, you'd probably think he had great ball control off the tee or a wicked swing motion or a bulldog mentality. Nope, he just, uh, looks different with his hat off.

2:27 p.m.: Sorry, brief computer issues. My laptop had a frost delay.

Reader e-mail from Matt in D.C.:

So how screwed is the afternoon crew? No wind in the morning has to mean the conditions will only deteriorate for the late tee times. And when this does happen, which golfer might benefit from the bad conditions?

Great observation. See, the thing about Carnoustie is that there's never really a full day where the wind doesn't blow pretty hard at some point. It's been very calm so far, which means some late-afternoon winds could kick up, especially on the seaside holes.

As for whom that benefits, well, no one really, other than Paul McGinley, Michael Campbell and everyone else who gets into the clubhouse after posting a decent number.

Of course, the wind didn't blow too much here in '99 -- or last year at Hoylake -- so maybe it won't happen.

2:09 p.m.: Speaking of Justin Rose, I was very impressed by you, the fans, this week. In our pre-tournament SportsNation ListRanker, which usually plays right down the line of the Official World Golf Ranking, Rose was listed as third in your predictions, just behind Woods and Jim Furyk.

Perhaps you were just listening to me, as I had the young Brit at No. 2 on my list. Of course, listening to my analysis is always a bad idea. Rose, who finished top-10 at the Masters and U.S. Open this year, shot a 75 today.

Meanwhile, Tiger is in the clubhouse with a very strong 2-under 69.

1:58 p.m.: Paul Lawrie has made a few waves recently by claiming he hasn't received enough credit for winning the "Van de Velde Open." Well, here's one way to get even less attention: Get paired with Tiger Woods for two days.

The 1999 champ drew the two-time defending champ (along with Justin Rose), though he was less worried about the pressure of playing with Tiger than his family's danger. He talked about having his two sons follow him on the course:

"Obviously, I think their mother was more concerned than they were, because obviously it's going to be very busy for them walking around," Lawrie said. "They're only 12 and 8. They're quite little and there's obviously going to be a lot of people out there."

So, please, if you're coming out to Carnoustie to watch Woods play golf this week, DO NOT step on Paul Lawrie's children.

1:52 p.m.: Reader e-mail from Aaron in Anchorage, Ky.:

So do they actually sell haggis on the course during the Open in Scotland? And if so, how much would it take for you to eat it?

Yes, there is haggis on the course, but as my media center neighbor just informed me, "You have to shoot it before you can eat it." I laughed at the dry British humor, but I think he was serious.

(And for the record, I've barely eaten since getting here on Monday morning. No reason to start doing so now, no matter how much you're willing to pay me.)

1:49 p.m.: Paul McGinley is on fire. Figuratively, not literally. With another birdie at 13, he's now 5-under for the day and may make a charge at the course record 64 shared by Colin Montgomerie and Alan Tait.

1:44 p.m.: Maybe it's some sort of masochistic ritual, maybe it just makes me feel better about my own game, but my eyes always tend to gravitate toward the bottom of the leaderboard at major championships. Don't expect any runs toward 90 -- or even Ocho Cinco Club members -- based on early results.

Right now, bringing up the bottom of the pack are Vaughn Taylor and Duffy Waldorf -- yep, The Duffy -- each of whom shot 11-over 82.

1:37 p.m.: I spoke with Stewart Cink a few weeks ago and when he spoke about playing here in 1999, he shook his head a little bit and I think I even caught him rolling his eyes.

"The last time we were in Carnoustie, it was a really wet summer," he said. "The rough was deep and thick and the cut was over par and no one shot under par and everyone remembers that. ... It was extremely narrow, long holes and just no room anywhere to drive your ball. When the wind blows over there like it does just about every day, you just can't be expected to hit it in that narrow corridor every hole, so that's why the scores were so high."

Well, Cink looks a lot happier right now, standing at 3-under with four to play. Of course, those are the fateful four holes I spoke about earlier, so it'll be interesting to see where he winds up.

Personally, I think it's a few weeks early for Cink's major run. I've got him pegged as a contender -- if not a winner -- at Southern Hills, which will serve as sweet retribution for that missed 18-incher at the 2001 U.S. Open when he was just trying to get out of Retief Goosen's way.

1:33 p.m.: Tiger just made birdie on 16. Dropped the putter and everything. He looked very happy about getting that one to fall.

1:29 p.m.: Reader e-mail from Mike:

Here in the States, when I am at a golf tournament, I will drink a nice cold beer. What are the Euros sipping as they round the course? I imagine a spot of tea. Personally, I would be walking around with a bottle of single malt in a brown paper bag.

Well, that's your own problem, Mike.

Pretty sure all the players are sticking to non-alcoholic drinks due to, you know, the R&A's rules, but I can tell you I've already downed about six hot chocolates today.

As for the other food being served here, well, let's just say I'd pay about 5 pounds for one of those Augusta National pimento cheese sandwiches right about now. The food is -- how can I put this delicately? -- awful. Just horrible, really. Sorry, don't mean to offend any Brits, but tomatoes, baked beans and mushrooms just aren't my idea of a good breakfast.

1:25 p.m.: Yes, the world's best players are here this week. But there are also a whole bunch you've probably never heard of -- some of which have interesting names, if nothing else.

A few of my favorites: Desvonde Botes, Achi Sato, Ben Bunny, Tomohiro Kondo and David Shacklady.

It's a good thing the R&A doesn't make like the USGA and have "fun" with their groupings, or else we could wind up with a threesome of Dong-Hwan Lee, Fredrik Andersson Hed and Scott Laycock.

1:21 p.m.: I said we'd have more on the Celsius thermometer, and you can now stop holding your breath. In a piece on why Americans keep winning the Open, I alluded to the fact that one major obstacle U.S. players (not to mention fans and reporters) have to overcome is trying to convert the temperature from Celsius to Fahrenheit just to figure out how damn cold it is around here. Well, reader Andrew in New Hampshire checked in with this, uh, sort-of-easy formula:

Here's how you do it (courtesy of the U.S. Navy, I think):
If you have a temperature in Celsius, you double it, subtract one-tenth of the result, and add 32. That gives you Fahrenheit spot on, or within one degree F.
For example, 20 degrees C = 68 degrees F, as follows: Double the 20 and you get 40, subtracting one-tenth of 40 (or 4) leaves you with 36, add 32 and you get 68. It even works with sub-zero numbers. Try it. Quickly! 28 degrees C = 82 F. In the time it took me to type that, I did the math (and anyone can do it).
You'll never leave home without it again.

Math? Awesome!

Only took me a few minutes to figure out that today's temp of 11 degrees Celsius is equal to 52 Fahrenheit. Ahh, summer in Scotland.

1:18 p.m.: Quick Tiger update: At exactly 10:56 a.m. local time -- and yes, I'll be using local time on the blog all week; it's a five-hour difference from the East Coast of the United States, eight hours from the West Coast -- Woods claimed a share of the lead at 3-under, following an eagle on No. 6. Since then, he's dropped two strokes, but remains well in the mix at 1-under through 15 holes.

1:09 p.m.: 2005 U.S. Open champ Michael Campbell grabbed the early clubhouse lead with a 68. Nice way to grab some attention, since his outfit didn't do the trick.

Campbell likely opened up his suitcase this morning and said, "OK, pink shirt, dark pants, white hat -- I'll definitely stand out from the crowd today!" Only problem? His playing partner, Darren Clarke, did the exact same thing (with a sweater instead of shirt and visor instead of hat), which makes them look like the perfect two-ball team for the ladies' Tuesday morning nine-hole outing at Bushwood. Somewhere, Paula Creamer is smiling. Or irked about players stealing her "look."

In related news, I'm wearing lime green pants, so who am I to poke fun?

1:03 p.m.: My first bit of advice for the day: Don't get too excited by some of the low scores in-progress on the leaderboard. That's because Carnoustie's final four holes are among the world's toughest, including the par-4 499-yard 18th, which may wind up playing more like a par-5 today. So far today there have been zero birdies, four pars, 15 bogeys and five "others" on the final hole, officially named "Home," though I think "Van de Velde' Revenge" would be more appropriate.

Case in point: K.J. Choi got things to 4-under through 14 holes today, only to finish bogey-par-par-bogey to shoot 69.

1:00 p.m.: Good afternoon from balmy Carnoustie, site of the British Open. Current temperature: 11 degrees. Of course, that's in something called Celsius (more on this dizzying foreign form of measurement later), but I can assure you it's cold enough that Tiger Woods hasn't been out of place wearing those big winter gloves while walking down the fairways today. It's also been raining on and off, but the wind hasn't kicked up yet, which means that -- unlike in 1999 -- there are some scores to be had out here. There are 22 players under par right now, with Irishman Paul McGinley on top at 4-under through nine holes and Michael Campbell and Fredrik Andersson Hed one stroke behind.

As always, plenty to talk about, so start shooting e-mails to the address above and I'll answer questions/comments throughout. And remember -- make me laugh out loud and you definitely make the blog. (But, uh, keep it clean.)