Adam Scott has real chance to erase his biggest nightmare

He now lies tied for second with American Zach Johnson, two shots behind clubhouse leader Danny Willett of England with overnight leader Dustin Johnson of the United States yet to begin his second round. Or so you’d think.

Old Course pressure is nothing new to Warren. One of them was for the Dunhill Links and he’s never really looked back since finishing fifth in that event here at St Andrews.

He was back. And he has returned with a vengeance.

As if to prove himself worthy of the great sage’s faith, Scott has swept into the final stages of this weather-ravaged Open with an unruffled serenity, not even dropping a stroke during a faultless second-round 67 that showcased all his links talents of lag-putting, exquisite chipping and low, raking long-irons into a gathering gale. But certainly from my position, if I were to come out on top tomorrow, it would be a special round of golf because one of the lot in front is going to get it going, there’s no doubt, ” he said. “That really did hurt, but I was so happy with the way I played generally that week that I could lift myself above anywhere I’d been before and the field for that week that I just wanted another crack at it”.

“I’ve had a couple of good looks at it since then”.

“It’s a totally different side of the game – you’re literally playing for your job and your livelihood”. “I’m playing well and I just want to hang around there and see what happens”.

“He (the rules official) just said there was no penalty and I felt like I just won the lotto”.

“I’ve got absolutely nothing to lose this weekend”.

Warren said he’d been handed a break when play was suspended due to flooding before his scheduled second-round tee time. No one emerged again until 10.08 with the saturated course now offering a raft of birdie opportunities with the sun shining and the wind yet to whip up, as it did later in the day. After a parting of the ways, they have been reunited this summer, the heady mix of some begging, flattery, the Old Course and that shot at redemption luring his caddie back.

Nevertheless, it would have been churlish of him to complain, having been lucky not to be forced out to combat the deluge earlier in the morning.

He said: “It was a long morning, obviously, with the delay”.

“I probably carried that chip into the Masters and maybe it got a little bit smaller, but still, I feel like I’ve been really close to lifting this trophy, and I’m very motivated to do it this weekend now that I’m in this position and I’d be very disappointed if I never did in my career when I got so close”. But it was a huge learning experience for me in exactly what is it like at that point in a major championship. I played really well past year and was just too far behind, and then at Muirfield I was leading on the back nine, and Mickelson finished great and I didn’t.

“I went back inside, sat in the players’ lounge again for about 45 minutes and then I ended up going to the auto and sat there watching Everybody Loves Raymond on TV and ended up falling asleep”. But I do feel comfortable.

“I’m getting more used to playing in tournaments like this”, he admitted after backing up an opening 68 with an equally impressive 69 for a seven-under-par halfway total. At the U.S. Open I got my name up there early on the first couple rounds and overall had a really good week there.