When was the last time two Scots were paired together in the penultimate group on the second last day of an Open? No, me neither. I’d have a guess at never, though.
What about the last time two Scots were even near the lead on the second last day of an Open? Struggling with that one too, I’m afraid.
OK. Here’s one I do know. The last time there was a Scot genuinely contending on the second last day of an Open? Colin Montgomerie. Here at St Andrews. Ten years ago. Paired with Tiger Woods in the final group.
What an occasion that was.
Woods was in his pomp and the big ticket seller, but it was Monty who was cheered round the Old Course like a latter day Seve. It was all saltires, see you Jimmy hats and sun-burn.
And the local hero did his bit, out-scoring Woods over their 18.
The last decade has shown that potentially glorious days for Scottish golf don’t come around too often at the Open, but yesterday St Andrews was presented with one again.
Shame it all turned out to be a bit of an anti-climax really.
Paul Lawrie and Marc Warren were warmly received on to and off the first tee, right enough. And on to and off every tee and green after that.
But there was nothing that particularly marked this pairing out as any different from the rest. The roars were coming from elsewhere.
And what could have been the big story of the day soon became a sidebar.
Both players actually looked in good shape in the opening few holes, with Warren the first to birdie on two and then Lawrie on three.
The lack of television coverage by the BBC of the two Scots on day one was rightly questioned, but there was precious little to justify airtime from game number 39 yesterday afternoon.
Only two more birdies were carded between them, outnumbered by four bogeys and a double, leaving Warren on seven under and Lawrie six. That’s five and six off the lead respectively, and a big group of golfers to leapfrog.
The Aberdonian acknowledged that he and Warren had let an opportunity slip.
“The support has been unbelievable,” he said. “It’s just a pity that the two of us haven’t had a good day.
“It was geared up if one of us, or both of us, had shot low today it would have been exciting out there. But we didn’t really feed off each other very well. It was a bit of a damp squib I’m afraid.”
Lawrie added: “I just didn’t play very well. The ball striking was poor and I didn’t hole many putts. With that combination you’re not going to get out of there with any better than level par.
“And 17 (where he double-bogeyed) was just typical. I hit a nice enough second shot to be short left, got a big bobble half way from the green, didn’t get up and three-putted from there. A camera had gone off from the grandstand at the tee. I nearly stopped but that didn’t make me get six.”
The veteran will have to draw on memories of Carnoustie all those years ago to inspire a last day surge through the field, and Warren last week’s near miss at the Scottish Open from even further back than he is now.
Warren is the more optimistic of the two it would probably be fair to say.
“The plan is exactly the same as last week,” he said. “Look at the scoring today, the guys who went out an hour or two before the last couple of groups all had good scores and the conditions were in their favour.
“It might actually work in our favour tomorrow. Hopefully the course is two or three shots easier. The back nine was certainly a lot tougher today than it was two or three hours before we got there.
“It’s a case of nothing to lose. I had nothing to lose today and I’ve absolutely got nothing to lose tomorrow.
“It was a great experience today, going out late in the third round of an Open.
“I’d been looking forward to it since I saw the draw yesterday. I would have loved to have given the crowd a few more birdies to cheer. Hopefully I’m saving them all for tomorrow.”
Lawrie said: “Carnoustie was set up pretty tough and if you got a low one you were always going to catch up shots. I don’t think you can come back here from that far back. But you never know. I’ve got an outside chance but I’ll need to be really good on the front nine.”