After an ugly opening round of six-over 76, Eric Cole was discussing flights back home with his wife. However, that will have to wait because his second round of six-under 64 means he sits at even par after two rounds. With a projected cut line at one-over, Cole is very unlikely to miss the cut. Despite the round of 64, some incidents from yesterday still influenced today’s press conference conversations, one of them being a moment when Cole almost fell.

“I think there might have been a couple of “oohs,” like “oh,” that type of reaction. They were probably worried if I was okay. Yeah, I don’t know. It’s the first time I’ve slipped over here,” Eric Cole said at the press conference when asked about the reaction of the crowd to that incident. “I didn’t fall down, but I was about to fall down. I went like this, like an ugly version of Scottie Scheffler’s.”

When playing on the 18th tee during the 2026 Cadillac Championship, Scottie Scheffler almost fell. The World No. 1 has unusual footwork during his swing. Although it produces elite results, his swing is unconventional. This led to a momentary loss of bodily stability after the tee shot. However, Scheffler was able to balance himself. Eric Cole, too, didn’t fall, but as he pointed out, the incident was a less flattering version of what happened with the 20-time PGA Tour winner.

🤔 golf trivia

This Should Be an Easy One, Right?

01/10

How Many Players Are Within Five Strokes of the Lead After R1?

59394015

Oops, bogey!

But don’t worry, there’s still the back 9 to prove your high golf IQ

PLAY GOLF TRIVIA

Richard Boxall has a similar story associated with the Open 1991 at Royal Birkdale. The English professional was only two shots short of the lead after two rounds. He was paired with Colin Montgomerie for the third round. However, while playing on moving day, his leg snapped as he hit a one-iron off the tee.

Eric Cole faced this incident on the 11th tee of the opening round. His right foot slipped, and he barely made contact with the ball. As a result, the ball just tumbled down 25 yards into thick grass.

“Then my tee shot on 11, my right foot completely slipped, and I fell down, and I hit my tee shot from here to the end of this tent with a driver. And we never found the ball. It just rolled into this gunch. So I had to re-tee. That was another double,” he added.

Earlier, he had made a double-bogey on the 8th, and then another one came on the par-5 17th.

There are many similar incidents, but what caught notice is the crowd’s reaction. One may remember the legions of fans heckling Wyndham Clark during the final round of the US Open. Earlier, during the Ryder Cup 2025, none of the English professionals were spared. Considering the magnitude of such incidents and the importance of maintaining decorum, the R&A announced The Open Commitment, which listed a code of conduct. As a consequence, Cole’s near fall wasn’t followed by laughs and jokes. Instead, he was met with increasing concern.

Despite the poor start, Eric Cole has a chance of playing the final two rounds. And it was likely his father’s advice that helped him secure a spot for the weekend.

Eric Cole’s father had some choice words on playing the Open Championship

After turning pro in 2009, Cole made his debut at the Open in 2024. He carded rounds of 72-73-72-73 to finish six-over 290. He finished T-31, matching several notable players, including Justin Thomas and Dustin Johnson. This is his second appearance at the Open Championship, and this time, he received some excellent advice from his father.

“Best story, I’m probably not going to say on a mic, but best advice would be to — best advice is the bounce. So the ground is so firm here that irons that I would use, or he would use even back in the day in the United States, have a little bit more bounce than would be ideal over here. So I grind a little bit of the bounce off my irons when I come over here. That’s the best advice,” Eric Cole said when asked about the best story or best advice from his father.

Both of Cole’s parents are professional golfers themselves. His mother, Laura Baugh, is an LPGA professional who won the 1973 LPGA Rookie of the Year award. His father, Bobby Cole, is a South African golfer who clinched the 1977 Buick Open and became the youngest winner of the British Amateur in 1966.

Since his father has played the Open Championship multiple times and even achieved some success, heeding his words seems more than reasonable. It would certainly be helpful to Eric Cole, but how much he benefits from it and how far he goes at Royal Birkdale remains to be seen.