Turnberry toil continues

A similar wind to that which buffeted the Ayrshire links on Friday greeted the early starters today, with Sweden's Johan Edfors playing in splendid isolation as the 'odd man out' of the 73 players to make the halfway cut.

Edfors did pick up birdies at the fourth and seventh, but they were cancelled out by dropped shots at the second and sixth, while world number three Paul Casey slumped to seven over par with bogeys at the first three holes.

The cut had come at four over par and claimed the notable scalps of Tiger Woods, Colin Montgomerie, Ian Poulter, David Duval and Greg Norman.

For Woods it was his first missed cut in 14 Open Championships and only his second in 49 majors as a professional.

The world number one dropped seven shots in six holes around the turn in his second round, and even birdies at the 16th and 17th were not enough to prevent a rare early exit.

Defending champion Padraig Harrington, seeking a third straight Open title, did make the cut by a single shot, the Irishman eight shots off the pace on three over par following rounds of 69 and 74.

The final group were not due out until 3pm, with a 59-year-old Tom Watson - seeking an amazing sixth Open title - playing alongside fellow American Steve Marino, the world number 77 enjoying his first experience of links golf.