Hamilton, Singh join Campbell as clubhouse leaders

An American finally shot to the top of the leaderboard at the 133rd Open Championship, but it's not anyone you would guess. Journeyman Todd Hamilton, who broke through for his first PGA Tour win in March at the Honda Classic, shot a stellar 4-under 67 Friday to join Fiji's Vijay Singh and New Zealand's Michael Campbell as clubhouse leaders at blustery Royal Troon.

TROON, Scotland (AP) -- Making a bid for one of two majors he hasn't won, Vijay Singh put together a solid 1-under 70 Friday that was good enough to give him a share of the early clubhouse lead in the British Open.

Singh, whose chance to win the Open last year came apart on the last three holes at Royal St. George, played the difficult back nine without making a bogey to tie Michael Campbell and 38-year-old American journeyman Todd Hamilton at 4-under 138 after two rounds.

First-round leader Thomas Levet of France was 2 under through four holes and 7 under for the tournament, while England's Paul Casey was at 5 under.

"I know I have to go out there and grab it," Singh said. "I was given chances before and I didn't take them and I am in great position again this week."

Singh has won the Masters and PGA Championship, and needs the British and U.S. Opens to complete his personal Grand Slam. After posting his early score Friday, though, he was more concerned with the immediate future.

"It would be nice," he said. "I'm playing well, which is the best way to attack them, and if you feel good about your game then you have a good chance of achieving that."

The early leaders didn't include Tiger Woods, though he briefly flirted with the top of the leaderboard before finishing with an even par round that put him at 141, three behind the clubhouse leaders.

Woods, winless in his last eight major championships, appeared to be on his way a a low round when he made two early birdies. But he missed a 3-footer for par on the seventh hole and then 3-putted from off the green on the ninth.

Woods, whose lone British Open win came four years ago at St. Andrews, shot a 71 that included nine pars heading into the wind on the back nine and was at 1-under 141. He was one of the few Americans on a leaderboard crowded with international players.

"I'm right in the championship," Woods said. "I've got a great chance of winning this thing coming into the weekend."

The most international of Opens lived up to its reputation in the opening round Thursday, offering up an eclectic collection of international players at the top and a pair of unlikely leaders in Casey and Levet.

That was no different on Friday as Campbell took a piece of the lead and Scotland's favorite son, Colin Montgomerie got to 4 under on the course.

The wind that had been so calm a day before picked up some in the morning, then faded again as the day wore on.

Campbell followed his opening 67 with a 71 that included a birdie on No. 8 after his tee shot took a fortunate bounce off a mound while heading toward a deep bunker.

"You're just trying to grind out some pars," Campbell said. "Four under after two rounds is pretty good I think."

Also at 4 under was Hamilton, as unlikely a contender as you'll see.

Before winning the Honda Classic this year, the 38-year-old Hamilton was a journeyman who played the Japanese Tour while making eight attempts to qualify for the PGA Tour. Hamilton, who lives in McKinney, Texas, holed his second shot on No. 7 for an eagle on his way to a 67.

U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen, trying to win his second major championship in a row, played a remarkably steady round on a course that usually plays fairly easy on the front nine and much more difficult on the back. He made a birdie on the seventh hole and 17 pars for a 70 that put him at 3-under 139.

"I didn't really play that well, but I had a lot of good up and downs," Goosen said.

Mike Weir, meanwhile, birdied three straight holes on the front side on his way to a 68 that put him at 3-under 139 through two rounds. Kenny Perry, one of the few Americans on the leaderboard, birdied the 18th hole for a 70 to tie Weir.

That has something to do both with the increasingly better play of international players -- who have won the last six tournaments on the PGA Tour this year -- and the fact that 52 PGA Tour pros didn't even try to qualify to fly across the ocean for a major championship.

Before this, Americans had been on a nice streak in the Open, winning six of the last nine as well as the last five held at Troon.

Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.