FOR seven hours under a glorious sun, celebrated challengers from both sides of the Atlantic took turns at trying to knock Paul McGinley from off the top of the leaderboard. Eventually, the best effort came from American Tom Lehman, who tied with the 29 year old Dubliner for the halfway lead in the 125th British Open here yesterday, with an eight under par total of 134.
McGinley failed by a fraction of an inch to break the course record of 65. And similarly tantalising was his failure to become the first Irishman to claim the outright lead at the end of any day of this championship, since Christy O'Connor Jnr at Royal St George's in 1985. By a rich irony, O'Connor actually set a new course record of 64 on that occasion.
Meanwhile, an unfolding drama had a rather special supporting cast. By becoming the first 56 year old to shoot a round of 66 at this level, the indomitable Jack Nicklaus claimed a share of third place with the Swede Peter Hedblom and South Africa's Ernie Els, on 135. In fact Hedblom matched McGinley with a course record equalling 65.
Birdies abounded in ideal conditions but as the day wore on, increasing attention was being claimed by the formidable figure of Nick Faldo, seeking this title for a fourth time. "I'm in a good position," he said menacingly. "I'm chipping away at the scores.
Bernhard Langer, who shot a disappointing opening round of 75, withdrew with a damaged shoulder. But when the cut was made on 143 - one over par - there were some equally celebrated casualties among those who continued. Notable among them were the recently crowned Irish Open champion, Colin Montgomerie, reigning USPGA champion, Steve Elkington and Steve Jones, winner of the US Open at Oakland Hills.
Lee Janzen, the 1993 US Open champion and Paul Azinger, winner of the USPGA Championship later that year, also came to grief. Nor was there to be any further Lytham magic from Seve Ballesteros, twice winner of the title at this venue. After a dismal 78, he departed the scene on 152 - 10 over par.
Cheered to the echo as he walked up the 18th blowing kisses, an emotional Ballesteros remarked afterwards: "Their reaction was the only positive thing about this week." Then, almost as an afterthought, he added: "Jack Nicklaus doing so well at 56 gives me hope. At 39, have plenty of time."
Yet, by way of proving that there was a way back after a poor start, US Ryder Cup skipper Tom Kite got through on the limit following a dismal 77 with a 66 for 143. David Feherty, who had also started with a 77 just failed to get survive after an admirable 67. And former US Amateur champion Justin Leonard had a marvellous run of five birdies from the sixth in a round of 68 and failed to get through.
As it happened, Leonard's front nine of 31, later equalled by Mark O'Meara, was second only to McGinley's 29 for that stretch. But Padraig Harrington proved the value of a strong finish when birdies at the 17th and 18th got him to six under for the championship and only two strokes on the lead.
In fact Harrington outscored one of his celebrated playing partners, Fred Couples, who carded two bogeys over the last four holes, where he paid the almost mandatory Lytham penalty for finding sand. Indeed the 1992 US Masters champion was forced to concede: "I hit too many pot bunkers off the tee to score well."
A more sustained challenge is being mounted by last year's US Open champion, Corey Pavin, who, by matching Nicklaus's round of 66, moved alongside Faldo, Harrington, O'Meara, Vijay Singh and Mark McCumber. The key to Pavin's progress lay in that productive little rap with the blade, which sank two birdie putts of 12 feet, another from 10 feet and a real bonus from 25 feet at the 13th.
If Faldo were looking beyond either himself or Nicklaus for a thinking man, Pavin would fill the bill rather nicely. Normally, he is conceding so much in length to his rivals that he has to be a superb strategist. On Lytham's fast running fairways, however, his long game is under far less pressure.
Anyone looking for a group of human terriers had need to look no further than Pavin and his partners. Ian Woosnam and the 1974 Lytham champion, Gary Player. "I was the tallest by far," smiled the American. As it happened, he was also the only survivor, Woosnam effectively having knocked himself out of the picture with a wretched eight on the 7th the previous evening.
By way of contrast, Greg Norman sparked into life. In a typially stunning sequence from the seventh to the 13th, he carded four birdies and an eagle. It was sufficient to set him up for a round of 68 and on the fringes of the challenging group on 139.
"After I had bogeyed three of the first five holes to be three over, it looked like I wasn't going to be around for the weekend," he said. Then, touching on a point Faldo had made, he went on: "Tomorrow will be different to the first two days. There are a lot of guys bunched up from eight under downwards which means that all of the leaders will be facing the same conditions."
Meanwhile, those who recall the manner in which Lehman squandered a chance of victory in the US Open at Oakland Hills, would take the view that he is too naive, competitively, for this sort of challenge. For instance, when the only major problem he faced at the 72nd hole in Detroit was from the bunkers to the left of the fairway, he proceeded to hit his driver into one of them.
Still, after hitting a six iron into a greenside trap for a bunker at his opening hole yesterday, he proceeded to cover the remainder in five under. Given his prodigious power, characterised by a dip into the hitting area, it came as no surprise that he birdied the long sixth where he chipped to two feet and the long seventh (553 yards), which he reached with a drive and eight iron.
One of them is McGinley, who carded every number from one to five. For Ian Baker Finch, however, the progression was from three to seven in a crushing round of 84 for a 20 over par total of 162. And to think that only five years ago, he had been crowned Open champion at Birkdale.
