Experience overrated, says contender Calcavecchia

TURNBERRY, Scotland (Reuters) - Former winner Mark Calcavecchia, with characteristic humor, played down his British Open experience after staying in contention for the title in Friday's second round.

The 49-year-old American, competing in his 23rd Open championship, defied shifting winds and occasional rain to eke out a one-under-par 69 on Turnberry's Ailsa Course.

That left him at four-under 136, one stroke off the lead, in pursuit of his first victory since the 2007 Tampa Bay Championship.

"I think experience is way overrated," Calcavecchia told reporters after mixing four birdies with three bogeys. "All that means is I've hit more bad shots than all the guys that are 20 years old, and they're lingering in my brain."

For a brief moment, he allowed himself to ponder the prospect of winning the year's third major on Sunday.

"What it would mean for me to win this thing would be beyond description," the burly American said. "Certainly we're only halfway done. There's a long way to go so I'm not going to entertain that thought yet."

TITLE HUNT

Calcavecchia, who won the 1989 edition at nearby Royal Troon, was delighted to be in the title hunt after compiling two top-10s and five missed cuts in 14 PGA Tour starts this season.

"This is about the second time of the year I didn't struggle to make the cut, so I'm just happy with that," he said with a smile.

"I'm usually choking so bad coming down the last few holes on Friday because I want to play the weekend. I felt great today. Even when I was two over through five, I knew I was going to make some birdies somewhere."

Although a 13-times winner on the PGA Tour, Calcavecchia felt he had let a similar number of victory opportunities slip through his fingers over the years.

"There's no question I should have won at least 20 tournaments," he said after covering the back nine in two-under 33. "I've had 27 seconds or whatever and another 25 thirds or something. It's a lot.

"I probably gave 10 of those away, and the rest of them I made good rallies to finish second.

"I still think I can win. If not this week, maybe somewhere later on this year down the road, or it might not happen until I get to the (senior) Champions Tour. But it will happen again."

(Editing by Tony Jimenez)