Here are nine tidbits from the second round of the 147th Open Championship gamers can use tomorrow, this weekend or down the road. Carnoustie Golf Links in Angus, Scotland, United Kingdom, plays to par-71 (36-35) and is hosting for the eighth time. Pain or Gain These were the top-10 selected golfers (plus one) in the PGA TOUR Fantasy One & Done presented by SERVPRO: The cut landed on 3-over-par 145 as 79 will advance to the weekend. There will not be a secondary cut. Morning rain slightly softened the brick-hard fairways but the absence of wind throughout the day was the difference. People’s Choice After posting the lowest round of the tournament at the U.S. Open (63), Tommy Fleetwood is at it again. The Englishman signed for a bogey-free 65 to post the lowest round after 36 holes. His stats give us an insight to what is and isn’t important this week. He’s found only 16 of 30 fairways (T68) but has painted 27 of 36 GIR (T4). The drought has eliminated the rough from being penal as premium ball-strikers are finding greens from places other than the sprinkler line. It didn’t hurt that he needed six fewer putts in Round 2 (32 to 26) as he leapt 47 spots to T3. Hugh Essay The American duo of 18-hole leader Kevin Kisner and 2015 Open Champion Zach Johnson sit on top after 36 holes on 6-under-par 136. Kisner could have had the outright lead but his risk was not rewarded on his final hole. Playing from the rough he went for the green but found the Barry Burn and ended up with double-bogey six. Kisner’s red-hot putter continued to behave as he took just 29 putts in Round 2 after 22 in Round 1. … Johnson is looking to become the only player in history to win the Masters and The Open Championships at both St. Andrew’s and Carnoustie. No pressure dude! Johnson followed up his very solid afternoon round of 69 with 67 in the earlier (read: tougher) rounds Friday. He’s on the wrong side of the draw and has played the final four holes in 2 under over the first 36. Impressive. Spectrum Ends Justin Rose was the only player from the top three in the OWGR rankings to survive to the weekend. He needed a birdie at the last to claim a spot and he came through to give his investors a chance. This was the second day running that he birdied the final hole but the bad news he only has one other birdie on the card. He’s nine back of the leaders as he tries to make up ground Saturday. … Rory McIlroy joined Johnson and Pat Perez (T3) as the only players to post both rounds in the 60’s. Playing from the more difficult side of the draw as well, McIlroy’s matching 69’s have him just two shots back (T6). The last time he opened with two rounds in the 60’s in a major championship he went on to claim victory. He’s my O&D this week so let’s hope this trend continues. Backing a Back-to-Back Brooks Koepka didn’t feel any love as he defended his U.S. Open crown at Shinnecock Hills last month. With his wrist injury long-forgotten and second U.S. Open crown on the shelf, that’s hardly the case this week. He’s trying to emulate Lee Trevino and Tiger Woods as the only players in the last 50 years to win the U.S. Open and The Open Championship in the same season. His 69 moved him up 32 spots to T18 entering the weekend as he’s just five back. His 10 birdies for the week are the second most but it will be the two doubles in Round 1 that keep him up at night. Swedish Fishing Gamers who kept their faith in Henrik Stenson were rewarded, barely, as he made the weekend on the number. His second round 75 included just nine of 18 GIR and produced just one birdie. He’ll need to sharpen his blades to move up Saturday. … Alex Noren held his place at T18 after even-par 71 also in the rain Friday morning. After going out in 38 on the normally easier front nine he rallied to play his last 10 holes in 2 under to break even. He finished T6 last year at Royal Birkdale for his best-ever payday in a major championship. Tiger Trails With six birdies against six bogeys Tiger Woods remains in the hunt entering the weekend six shots behind the leaders (T29). His plan to minimize the use of the driver has lengthened the course for him but he’s still T2 GIR. Gamers are still waiting for the break-out round from Woods in a major. If the weekend forecast (marginal wind) holds he’ll need it sooner rather than later if he’s going to contend. MC HOF For the first time since the 2016 U.S. Open at Erin Hills and the first time since The Open Championship in 2011 the Nos. 1 and 2 players in the OWGR will not play the weekend. Dustin Johnson couldn’t dig out after 76 in Round 1 as he would have needed to play his final two holes in Round 2 in 1 under. He closed bogey-double to comfortably miss. … Justin Thomas began Round 2 tied for eighth place but two late bogeys saw him sign for 77 to miss by a shot. This was third consecutive year he opened with a round in the 60’s and followed it with a round of 77 or worse. … The cut also claimed Jon Rahm after 69-78, Bubba Watson, Hideki Matsuyama and Sergio Garcia. Study Hall The Round 1 scoring average was 73.160 (+2.160) but Round 2 was 72.806 (+1.806) as the afternoon winds, as called for, were hardly a factor. … Fleetwood’s 65 was the only bogey-free round of the day and the event.  … Scotland’s Sam Locke was the only amateur to make the weekend and will claim the Silver Medal for low amateur. … Chez Reavie leads the field in fairways hit with 23 of 30 but won’t hit another as he missed the cut by a shot. … Danny Willett leads the field in GIR as he’s found 30 of 36 and is T14. … Tony Finau has made one more birdie than Koepka as he’s lurking at T6. … The Barbasol Championship was in a weather delay at the time of publishing. Troy Merritt (-15) backed up his 62 in Round 1 with 67 in Round 2 to lead Billy Horschel by two shots. The afternoon wave is still on the course when play resumes. 

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CARNOUSTIE, Scotland – There will be an elephant in the room Friday night – and we’re not talking about Big Al, the mascot of the University of Alabama, which happens to be the alma mater of one of the housemates, Justin Thomas. Although upon reflection, sticking Big Al in an oversized Scottish kilt and have him kick soccer balls at Auburn grad Jason Dufner would definitely raise the level of absurdity in those backyard matches. Rather, this topic is more serious. Kevin Kisner and Zach Johnson, two of the other seven PGA TOUR golfers who are sharing a compound this week close to Carnoustie Golf Links, are co-leaders at 6 under through 36 holes of The Open Championship. Kisner is seeking his first major win; Johnson is chasing his third. Both desperately want to get their hands on the Claret Jug come Sunday night. The pressure will be immense. To make it even more interesting – they will be in the final twosome in Saturday’s third round. What do Kisner and Johnson think about sharing a house and sharing the 36-hole lead? That’s the big topic – and nothing will be off-limits when the two see each other at the dinner table. In fact, no topic apparently is off-limits among these friends. “Absolutely not,â€� Kisner said after his 1-under 70 left him at 6-under through 36 holes. “The range of topics are vast.â€� Kisner expects he and Johnson – as well as Thomas, Dufner, Jordan Spieth, Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler – to discuss what they’ve been discussing all week. No dancing around any subject matter, although the majority of the conversation is pretty clear-cut. “Golf will probably be the tune,â€� Kisner said. “Everybody will tell their horror stories and good stories, and we’ll laugh and eat a big ol’ meal and sit around and watch something stupid.â€� Actually, not everything they watch is stupid. The other night they watched the Netflix movie “Icarus,â€� a fascinating documentary about the Russian doping scandal. Sounds like pretty heady stuff for a group of guys who otherwise play pick-up soccer, with Dufner playing all-time goalie. This is the third year of The Open Championship “fratâ€� house but the first time that Kisner has been in the group. He’s fit in nicely, and perhaps hanging out with a group of friends has helped alleviate the pressure of leading the first two days. Johnson, of course, already has shown he can successfully handle the challenge of winning a major. At 42, he’s the oldest member of the house, although the housing arragements didn’t exist when he won the Claret Jug in 2015. “I wasn’t in a fraternity in college, but it kind of feels like I’m going back to my alma mater,â€� Johnson said after his 4-under 67 in the morning. “And I’m the old guy stepping into the current frat house…. “It does make the week significantly easier because of the amenities we have and because I’m with buddies and because I’m with guys that, I mean, certainly I can feed off and vice versa. It’s never a bad thing to bond or hang out, whether you’re competing or not.â€� While Kisner and Johnson are the co-heads of the household right now, they’re not the only ones in contention entering this weekend at Carnoustie. Spieth shot a 4-under 67 and is now just three strokes off the lead as he attempts to win a second consecutive title at The Open. Fowler also has the same score as Spieth at 3 under after a 69, while Dufner made the cut on the number at 3 over. Thomas (4 over) and Walker (8 over) unfortunately will have to sit out the weekend. But Fowler and Thomas may have a side competition going this week – best scruffy beard. “I think he kind of followed my lead in a way,â€� said Fowler, who started growing his last week during a T-6 performance at the Scottish Open. “It’s just fun. We mess around with it. Obviously, not taking it too seriously. But like I said, ended up playing halfway decent last week, so I couldn’t really shave it off going into this week.â€� Back to the golf competition … a year ago, Spieth entered the weekend at Royal Birkdale with a two-shot lead over non-house member Matt Kuchar. Nobody else staying with Spieth was close to sniffing the lead, and after the third round, Spieth and Kuchar had clear separation from the field. This year could be different, especially if there are multiple co-leaders in the house entering the final round. “We’ll see how tomorrow plays out,â€� Spieth said. “Maybe tomorrow night or Sunday, it’s gets a little quiet. “But I doubt it.â€� A year ago, Spieth also had to pony up a substantial amount of money to pay the entire private jet fee for the housemates to return home to the United States. It was part of the agreement made if anybody in the house won The Open. According to Johnson, no such agreement exists this year, so he and Kisner – as well as Spieth and Fowler and even Dufner – are off the hook. “This year a bunch of guys are going elsewhere,â€� Johnson said. “So it’s not going to come to fruition. It’s not going to happen, but that’s fine.â€� Might be a topic worth revisiting now that so many housemates are in contention. Sounds like they have plenty to talk about.

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CARNOUSTIE, Scotland – The beauty of links golf is that superhuman strength isn’t necessary for success. The courses over here reward control and creativity. Distance is an advantage anywhere, but the firm turf allows players to advance the ball on the ground instead of requiring them to send it into orbit. That’s why players like Tom Watson and Greg Norman can contend at this championship when they’re well past their prime. Pat Perez is further proof that links courses make The Open Championship accessible to the widest variety of players. He’s 42 years old, two years removed from shoulder surgery and sporting a little paunch. He shows up at most majors knowing that he doesn’t stand a chance. Making the cut on the supersized courses used in the four Grand Slam events is a moral victory. Halfway through this year’s Open, though, he has a chance to hoist the Claret Jug. He’ll start Saturday just one shot behind two other players who will never be confused for linebackers, Zach Johnson and Kevin Kisner. Perez shot 69 and 68 in the first two rounds at Carnoustie. “That’s what’s so awesome about this place. You can play it so many different ways,� Perez said. Take the par-5 sixth hole, where the fairway is bisected by pot bunkers. While Ben Hogan famously squeezed his tee shots between the traps and an out-of-bounds fence, today’s big hitters can fly the trouble and reach the green in two. Not Perez. Perez hit two 4-irons and a 9-iron. He loves the links so much that he often returns to Scotland in the fall to compete in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, which is contested on the Old Course, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns. Perez isn’t afraid to acknowledge that the odds are against him. He has one top-10 in 24 major starts while missing the cut 10 times. The spotlight will shine this weekend on players like Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth, all of whom will start Saturday within three shots of the lead. But Perez thinks that will work to his advantage. “The best part for me is that no one thinks that I can win,� Perez said. “For me, that makes it easier to play. I don’t have any pressure.� He may try to downplay his chances, but Perez is in the midst of a renaissance after that shoulder surgery. The winner of one PGA TOUR title in his first 15 years, he has a victory in each of the past two seasons. Last year, he qualified for the TOUR Championship for the first time in his career. He is 22nd in this season’s FedExCup after winning the CIMB Classic. “You can have 22-year-olds playing great. Phil, 48, is winning World Golf Championships. That’s what’s so awesome about our sport,� Perez said. “But if I’m there, I’m there. If I’m not, I’m used to that.�

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Kevin Kisner hurt himself at the 18th hole Friday, but he helped the sport by setting up a potentially wild weekend at The Open.

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