FORMAT: 72-hole stroke play
England international Sam Bairstow was facing an agonising wait to see if he had made the cut in the 150th Open at St Andrews.
The big-hitting left hander carded his second successive level-par 72 this morning after going off in the second group out.
With the expected cut mark hovering between level and one under – the top 70 and ties make it through – the Hallowes player will have to wait until around 9.30pm tonight to discover if he is playing the weekend.
During his post-round press conference (see video above), the 23-year-old also suggested this is likely to be his last year as an amateur.
If he does join the professional ranks in 2023, Bairstow has certainly had a year to remember and it could get even better if he just gets the right side of the cut mark tonight.
Just before 7am he made a dream start, holing one from 25 feet at the first for a birdie.
However he missed a tiddler for par on the fourth, getting it straight back at the next where he found the par five in two.
At the short par four ninth he got to two under by leaving himself a short pitch up and he got up and down impressively.
However he three putted the tenth and then struggled once more at the 11th. Yesterday he took a five at the par three – again he didn’t find the putting surface with his tee shot – and had to settle for a bogey.
At the par five 14th he got one back. An excellent approach set up a two-putt birdie but the Road Hole showed its teeth. He missed too far left off the tee and then pushed his second into deep rough. A five would leave him back at level par and, at 18, he just missed with a 20-footer down the hill for a three.
For all the latest from the 150th Open click here