Caddie Confidential: Polar opposite in Round 2Friday's anonymous caddie explains how different the caddies are treated on the European Tour vs. the PGA Tour. Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesFacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerEmailcomment5:46 PM ETMichael CollinsESPN Senior Writer Close Senior writer/video talent for ESPN.com
Worked for several players as PGA Tour caddie
Former stand-up comedianFacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerPinterestEmailprintcommentSOUTHPORT, England — High winds and cooler temperatures meant bogeys were slapping guys' scorecards like the waves slap the beach … often. What does that mean for the caddies who have to deal with the players losing their cool? And just how hard was the golf course Friday compared to Thursday?
Enjoy Friday's Caddie Confidential!
Collins: If Day 1 was a barrel of monkeys, Day 2 was …?
Caddie: A hornet's nest!
Collins: What was the biggest challenge on Friday?
Caddie: I'd say the biggest challenge was staying ou..

It's messy at Royal Birkdale — just how The Open should beplaySpieth opens up two shot lead at Birkdale (1:09)America's Jordan Spieth shot a second round 69 to take a two shot lead at the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. (1:09)
FacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerEmailcomment5:37 PM ETJason SobelESPN Senior Writer Close Covered golf since 2004
Former writer at Golf Channel
Winner of four Emmys while at ESPNFacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerPinterestEmailprintcommentSOUTHPORT, England — Last month's U.S. Open wasn't too easy. It wasn't played on a terrible course. It wasn't devoid of drama. No, none of those issues were at the root of what was wrong with the year's second major championship. The problem is that the identity of the event, one which annually ensures that competitors never feel comfortable, was needlessly compromised. By eschewing that tendency, it felt like so many other events. It never felt like a true U.S. Open.
This notion is rel..

British contingent left to celebrate minor triumphs in round two of The OpenIan Poulter of England celebrates on the 9th green during the second round of the 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Andrew Redington/Getty ImagesFacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerEmailcomment5:04 PM ETMatt CooperSpecial to ESPN.com CloseMatt Cooper is a golf writer from the United Kingdom who has worked for SkySports.com and SportingLife.com. He is a writer for Golf365.com and a number of print magazines.FacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerPinterestEmailprintcommentSOUTHPORT, England — Conventional wisdom insists that when the wind blows, the locals have an advantage. Conventional wisdom could be tainted, however, because, with three notable exceptions, the home contingent was left celebrating minor triumphs in round two of the 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
No doubt, the standouts were strong: Ian Poulter maintaining his audacious title bid, Richie Ramsay's reminding us that he boasts U…

Jordan Spieth wipes away the doubts in Birkdale rainstormplayWhat are Spieth's chances of winning The Open? (1:35)Tony Kornheiser and Pablo Torre dissect Jordan Spieth's Open chances after he ends the second round with a two-stroke lead. (1:35)
FacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerEmailcomment4:40 PM ETBob HarigESPN Senior Writer Close Senior golf writer for ESPN.com
Covered golf for more than 20 years
Earned Evans Scholarship to attend Indiana UniversityFacebookTwitterFacebook MessengerPinterestEmailprintcommentSOUTHPORT, England — The shocking way he lost the 2016 Masters and the psychoanalysis of how Jordan Spieth might overcome such a devastating defeat was drowned out like the British rainstorm he experienced Friday.
Spieth never could quite wash away the questions, but he's done his best to put the worst day of his career behind him. He added two worldwide victories last year and has posted two more in 2017.
And now he is contending in a major championship again.
Sp..