Grotty weather no handicap to high-flying Kjeldsen

By Tony Jimenez

TROON, Scotland (Reuters) – Soren Kjeldsen again showed he is one of those golfers who thrives when the weather is grotty and wet as he ignored miserable conditions to power to a three-under 68 in the British Open second round on Friday.

The 41-year-old Dane played flawlessly despite driving rain on the west coast of Scotland and winds gusting up to 15mph.

“These conditions are what I grew up in,” Kjeldsen told reporters at Royal Troon. “I’m certainly used to playing in bad weather.

“You don’t stay inside because you would miss too many days.I like playing this kind of golf, I like the battling mentality that you need.”

Kjeldsen has won four times on the European Tour, his most recent victory coming in extremely windy conditions at the 2015 Irish Open.

“I think what helped us a little bit today was that we played the front nine, even though we played it into the wind, we played it in decent conditions,” he said.

“I got into a nice rhythm and when the bad weather came I was already in a nice rhythm. From then on I just sort of held on.”

Kjeldsen wore a smile as wide as the nearby Firth of Clyde after coaxing in a long, curling putt for his third birdie of the day at the par-three 17th.

The Dane told Reuters in an interview held after his opening 67 on Thursday that he felt his game was back on track after a difficult spell in June.

“The last 18 months were really good and then I played poorly at last month’s U.S. Open and the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Ohio,” he said.

“But I turned the corner at the Scottish Open last week and now I’m feeling pretty good,” added Kjeldsen referring to closing rounds of 66 and 70 that earned a tie for 21st place in Inverness.

“I’ve worked harder over the last two years than I’ve ever worked before and it’s nice that it’s paying off. I feel really happy with everything now and the sky’s the limit.”

(Editing by Ken Ferris)