SANDWICH, England - Tom Lehman has played three PGA Tour events this year with modest results. Put the 52-year-old Minnesota native on a links course that measures 7,211 yards and plays to a par 70, and he looks like a kid again.
Lehman is at 2-under par and only two shots behind the leaders at the halfway point of this year's British Open, after his 67 Friday at Royal St George's tied him with Masters winner Charl Schwartzel and Raphael Jacquelin for the low round of the day.
"Not being able to carry the ball as far actually benefits you in some ways on a lot of these tee shots," said Lehman, who won the 1996 Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. "The balls that travel so much further in the air tend to land in spots which are a lot more bouncy, a lot more humps and bumps, and balls that fly shorter -- like mine -- tend to land on more flat spots."
Lehman said that's true at some links, but especially here.
"That's one reason the older guys, or the more experienced guys, are able to do OK," he said. "Length isn't required. It's more about accuracy and the line you take and hitting it where you're aiming."
He's not the only former champ older than 50 in contention. Tom Watson, 61, is six strokes back after nearly winning the tournament two years ago.
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