Watson shares Open lead; Woods out

TURNBERRY, Scotland, July 17 (UPI) -- Tom Watson holed a 40-foot putt on the final green Friday to share the 36-hole lead with Steve Marino at the British Open.

Tiger Woods, meanwhile, suffered a rare major championship meltdown. He missed the cut in a major event for only the second time in his career.

At age 59, Watson became the oldest player ever to lead a major championship, rebounding from a rough start in the wind and rain to shoot a 70 and complete 36 holes over the Turnberry course in 5-under 135.

Marino, who was born three years before Watson won the fifth of his British Open titles, shot a 68 early in the day before waves of rain swept through the area. Marino is trying to win his first professional tournament.

Watson, who began the day a shot out of the lead, suffered four straight bogeys and then came back during the worst of the weather. When his closing putt crept into the hole from the edge of the 18th green, Watson gave a kick with his right leg in celebration.

Mark Calcavecchia, British Open winner 20 years ago and less than a year away from his 50th birthday, was in third at 136 following a round of 69.

Calcavecchia would be the oldest major championship winner if he could pull off a victory, but Watson would shatter the record. Julius Boros was 48 when he won the 1968 PGA.

Tied for fourth at 137 were Ross Fisher, Retief Goosen, Kenichi Kuboya, Vijay Singh and first-round leader Miguel Angel Jimenez.

Woods, meanwhile, played a six-hole stretch in 7-over par, shot a 74 and missed the cut by one with a 145 total.