Lightning puts damper on first round of Zurich Classic of New Orleans

SOUTHPORT, England – Umbrella futures were on the rise Friday, and there’s no doubt that the quarterly earnings of raingear companies received a bump. Royal Birkdale was hit with proper Open Championship weather in the second round, leaving caddies with sore backs from the heavier luggage they had to lug around the links. The rain required them to not only carry extra clothing, but simultaneously balance a towel, umbrella, yardage book and whatever else their boss needed to keep dry. The weather was reminiscent of what we saw in the past two Open Championships here along England’s Lancashire Coast, as weather from the Irish Sea tormented the world’s best. No one has finished under-par in either of the past two Opens held at Royal Birkdale, and that was thanks in large part to high winds and rain. The field had to deal with both Friday, and often at the same time, sending the scoring average up more than two strokes. The field averaged 71.9 on Thursday, but that rose to 74.0 in Friday’s inclement weather. Rain is always a nuisance, while wind can at least occasionally be an aid. Not on this day, though. The winds came from the southeast, blowing across many fairways and often into the players. “The way it is out there now, it’s not much fun,â€� said Charl Schwartzel, whose 78 was 12 strokes higher than his first round. He teed off at 9:47 a.m., and was likely one of the players Jordan Spieth was watching as he awaited his tee time five hours later. Kevin Na, who fired 75 after a first-round 68, called it, “a good day to sit at home and watch a movie.â€� Most players opted for to watch the golf instead. One of the advantages players have at The Open Championship is that they can procure plenty of intelligence from tuning into the television broadcast before their afternoon tee time. Since all players tee off from No. 1, there’s nearly 10 hours between the first and last “games,â€� as they’re called at The Open. Spieth, known for a golf intelligence that matches his passion for the game, was among those players who tuned in. “I would have gladly stayed on the couch,â€� he said. “It was tough watching. It wasn’t a great feeling knowing we were coming into something harder than what we were watching.â€� Adam Scott, who teed off at 8:25 Friday morning, also watched the telecast, though for a different reason. With his day done by the early afternoon, he didn’t need to do any studying. He just wanted to commiserate with colleagues who struggled with the conditions. “I don’t normally tune in, but hopefully watching will make myself feel a little better,â€� he said after shooting 74 on Friday. He sits at 3-over 143 (69-74). The morning half of the draw had to deal with high winds. How windy was it? Rory McIlroy and Matt Kuchar both used 5-irons on the 162-yard 12th hole. McIlroy came up short. Kuchar watched the wind blow his shot 30 yards, from a mound left of the green toward the middle of the putting surface. The rain came later, falling hardest at about 4 p.m. A rain delay is about as rare as a tree at an Open Championship, because of how quickly a links course can drain, but play was stopped for a half-hour due to water pooling on the greens. The afternoon half of the field actually had an average score that was 0.8 strokes lower than the morning starters (73.6 to 74.4), but rain can be more of a hassle because of the extra work it requires to stay dry.Precipitation also produces dramatic visuals as players scurry for cover, wipe off their grips and turn hats backwards to keep water from dripping on their golf ball. The reality is, though, that the wind settled down at times as the rains arrived. Spieth said that taking advantage of the (relatively) calm periods was key to Friday’s 69, which puts him at 6-under 134 (65-69) and in the lead. Friday’s weather undoubtedly pleased those fans who wake up early to watch players struggle through “Open weather.â€� The funny thing is that the weather didn’t deter the gallery members on the grounds, either. Tommy Fleetwood, who grew up a few minutes from Royal Birkdale, was surprised by the number of fans who followed him through the worst of the weather. He shot 69 on Friday just to make the cut. “There’s no way people should be out on that golf course right now supporting anyone,â€� he said. Even the beloved local son. The scoring at Open Championships is heavily dependent on Mother Nature, as centuries-old links courses often lack defenses against modern technology. The conditions didn’t just make it difficult for the players. Rich Beem, winner of the 2001 PGA Championship, was known for a carefree attitude during his playing days. He now serves as an on-course commentator for Sky Sports, and when gallery member asked if he was enjoying following the leader, he couldn’t fake it. “The fun factor left long ago,â€� he said sarcastically. The constant crackle of rain drops hitting waterproof material was a quiet undertone as Spieth finished Friday’s 69, which was one of just eight under-par scores shot Friday. He will take a two-shot lead over Kuchar into the weekend. Spieth is pleased, of course, to be in the lead as he pursues the third leg of the career Grand Slam. That wasn’t what made him happiest as he sat in the interview room Friday afternoon. “Right now, I’m happy to be inside, first and foremost,â€� he said. He wasn’t the only one.

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Keita Nakajima, the No. 1 amateur in the world, has signed a multi-year agreement with TaylorMade, the company announced Wednesday. Nakajima, 21, is playing the Masters after winning last year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship. Nakajima will play a full bag of TaylorMade equipment, including a Stealth Plus driver, two Stealth Plus fairway woods and a mixed set of irons, and wear TaylorMade apparel. He will tee off at 12:35 p.m. Thursday with Bubba Watson and Tom Hoge. Nakajima has held the top spot in the World Amateur Golf Ranking for 63 weeks and counting. He also has won the Australian and Japanese amateurs and had success in professional events, winning on the Japan Tour and finishing T28 (ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP) and T41 (Sony Open in Hawaii) in two PGA TOUR starts. Nakajima has secured starts in three majors this year. He is exempt into the Masters and The Open at St. Andrews by virtue of his win in the Asia-Pacific Amateur. Winning the Mark H. McCormack medal as the world’s top-ranked amateur earned him a spot in this year’s U.S. Open. Nakajima has had TaylorMade equipment in the bag throughout his amateur career, including at his PGA TOUR debut at last year’s ZOZO Championship. He used a full bag of TaylorMade equipment, including a Stealth Plus driver, at the Sony Open, where he was T5 after two rounds. Nakajima also used a Truss TB1 Juno Hydro Blast Putter to hole a 25-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to win the Asia-Pacific Amateur. Here’s a look at the clubs in Nakajima’s bag this week: DRIVER: Stealth Plus (10.5 degrees) 3-WOOD: Stealth Plus (15 degrees) 5-WOOD: Stealth Plus (19.0 degrees) IRONS: P·7MC (4-5 irons); P·7MB Irons (6-9) WEDGES: Milled Grind 3 Wedges; (46, 52, and 56 degrees); Hi Toe RAW Wedge (60 degrees) PUTTER: Truss TB1 Juno Hydro Blast Putter

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