The Open Championship, St Andrews, 15-18 July
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By Ged Scott BBC Sport at St Andrews

Rock did not expect to make the cut

Robert Rock only just sneaked into the third round of The Open at St Andrews when he made the cut on two over.

But the Midlander then went straight out and made sure he will be getting a Sunday morning lie-in by carding a superb five-under 67 on the Old Course.

"It was just a bonus to be playing," Rock told BBC Sport. "I woke up praying that two over would make the cut.

"And I don't know if it gets me back in the tournament but it's great to shoot five under round St Andrews any day."

Rugeley-born Rock, 33, went to bed on Friday night still thinking that he would miss the cut at its projected mark of one over, only to be reprieved on Saturday morning when he squeezed in on two over.

It made me feel a bit better about missing that short one on 17 Robert Rock

And he wasted no time in making the most of that narrow squeak by making a birdie at the first hole.

He then picked up another at the sixth before holing his chip at the seventh and adding another birdie at the ninth to go out in 31.

He then parred his way round the back nine until, having done the hard part on 17 by gliding a huge putt to within three feet, he missed the one back for par.

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He immediately atoned by driving pin high to the left at 18 to give himself a birdie chance. But, even when he then left his approach putt 12 feet short, he still had the nerve to hole that to go to three under for the tournament - and beat Thursday's 68 as his lowest round at an Open Championship.

"It made me feel a bit better about missing that short one on 17," admitted Rock.

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