The 138th Open, Turnberry
Date: 16-19 July
Coverage: Live TV coverage on BBC Two, Online and the Red Button, live on Radio 5 Live and text commentary online on all four days

By Ged Scott BBC Sport at Turnberry

Baker looks set to miss the cut on six over par after two rounds

Wolverhampton's Peter Baker improved on his first day 74 at Turnberry but he was expecting to miss the cut after a second-round 72.

Baker came home in 34, thanks to a first birdie of the week at 17, but he told BBC Sport: "I'm disappointed. I just didn't play well enough."

Fellow Midlander Paul Broadhurst, from Warwickshire, is through to the weekend on two-over after also carding a 72.

"I'll need to putt better than that. I lipped out five times," he said.

Broadhurst, who started the day on level par, made a great start with a rare birdie at the tough 489-yard third.

But he then gave it back two holes later with a five at the 5th. And, after remaining at level par until the 12th, he then suffered a wobble that saw him drop three shots in as many holes, leaving him on three over - and struggling to make the cut himself.

But he made the green in two at 17 to make the birdie that ensured his presence for the weekend - and another chance of the good night's sleep (and a touch of medication) he needs to shake of a heavy cold.

"I'm pleased I've made the cut anyway," he said. "Now I need to get a couple of parocetamol and a good sleep.

"And, if I keep playing like I did today and hole a few putts I'll be looking to move up the leaderboard.

"I played really well tee to green. It was just that nothing dropped.

"It's supposed to be windier tomorrow. This is just a breeze round here and, if it does blow, scoring will be horrific. Anything par or one over is going to be flying up the leaderboard."

As it was, Broadhurst suffered the distraction of his playing partner Mark Calcavecchia getting all the attention as he briefly tied for the lead on five under.

"Mark was going well and there were cameras everywhere for the last few holes," he said.

"There were a dozen or so friends and family watching me, and then suddenly a hundred cameras pitched up alongside us. I knew they weren't there to watch me though."

'Tough positions'

As for Baker, he got off to the worst possible start when he bogeyed the first on day two.

Two more dropped shots followed at 6 and 9 as he went out in 38. But, despite that late birdie, it still meant an expected fifth straight missed cut at his 14th Open.

At six over, and with the projected cut at four over, Baker's only hopes of making it to the weekend depended on the weather turning badly on the later starters.

"There were some tough pin positions out there," he said. "But what do you expect? It's The Open Championship. It's not a walk in the park."

The West Midlands' other contender, The Belfry's Rob Rock, was desperately disappointed at failing to recapture the form he has been in on the European Tour this season.

After resuming following a first-round 73, he slumped to six over after eight holes, only to make back-to-back birdies at 9 and 10 which took him back to four over and would have got him through to the weekend.

But he was to drop five more shots, managing only one more birdiea s he crashed out on eight over after a 75.

"I feel I've let myself down," he told BBC Sport. "I had really high hopes this week. And I've just not played well at all."

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