ROYAL Birkdale sent some big names packing on Friday when the cut fell at the British Open.

World top-tenners Geoff Ogilvy (No.3), Stewart Cink (No.6) and Vijay Singh (No.10) were all casualties and they've headed home to join the injured No.1 Tiger Woods watching the weekend's action on television.

Others to depart were last year's US Open champion, Angel Cabrera, and Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez, the man who tops the European Tour's money list.

World No.3 Ernie Els nearly joined them, but he squeezed in right on the cut at nine over, as did English hopes Lee Westwood and Paul Casey.

Past winners of the Old Claret Jug fared poorly with Paul Lawrie (1999), Mark O'Meara (1998), Tom Watson (1975, 1977, 1980, 1982 and 1983), Mark Calcavecchia (1989) and John Daly (1995), who finished a whopping 29 over par and at the bottom of the pack, all axed.

Sandy Lyle (1985) had already departed after walking off the course in disgust after 10 holes of his first round on Thursday.

But there was a long-overdue return to form for the 2001 champion David Duval.

Having made just one cut in 12 US PGA Tour events this year, the 36-year-old former world No.1 was desperate for some glimpses of his past form. He comfortably made it through to the weekend at two over, not a bad effort for a player ranked 1087th in the world.

Defending champion Padraig Harrington is three shots off the lead, trying to become the first European to win consecutive British Opens since James Braid in 1905-06.