Day 1 of the U.S. Open goes to Merion

Day 1 of the U.S. Open goes to Merion











Eric Adelson June 13, 2013 9:12 PMYahoo Sports





ARDMORE, Pa. – Somewhere, Bobby Jones is laughing. So is Ben Hogan. So are all the golf ghosts brought to the brink of exasperation by this little devil of a golf course outside Philadelphia.



The ghosts of old Merion Golf Club are surely cackling at those who underestimated this place. Skeptics said it was too short, too small, too easy for the U.S. Open. They said its sub-7,000 yards couldn't contain the big hitters of today.

Well, any of those who fretted about the teeth and heft of this course should spend Friday parked by the fifth hole. That's the one that gave up all of two birdies on Thursday against 56 bogeys and 17 double bogeys. That's 88-over par.

Start at the tee box and look out at what the players are facing: bunkers and a creek on the left, rough on the right. First shot into the wind, second shot uphill (ball above feet) 200 yards (if you're lucky) to a green that ripples like a fresh bed sheet in the breeze.





View gallery.

Tiger Woods reacts on the 5th hole during the first round of the U.S. Open. (USA Today)Chandler Withington, who was a pro here for six years before moving to Hazeltine in Minnesota, knows all the nastiness the fifth can offer. On Thursday he took a photo of Bubba Watson from the apron and tweeted it with the message, "Can't be short right on 5, Bubba." Bubba bogeyed.



Withington knew the worry about the place was overdone. He was here in August of 2009 when torrential rains basically flooded the course. Initial panic gave way to calm, as the course drained quickly. If Merion could deal with that, Withington knew, it could deal with whatever's left over from Tropical Storm Andrea.

That's because of the rough, creeping in on every fairway, threatening a certain bogey or worse. Leave the driver at home (which early leader Phil Mickelson has done in order to bring five wedges) because far is frightful when the thatch is in play. And the thatch is always in play. So a string of birdies, and any momentum, is at risk when a player gets a little loose with his aim and ends up in the tall stuff.

Tiger Woods missed the fairway on the very first hole Thursday, landed in the right rough, and tweaked his wrist trying to escape it. He tweaked the wrist twice more before play was called due to darkness. He's 2-over, facing a 5-foot par putt at 11. The No. 1 player in the world might be in trouble.

Truth is, everyone might be in trouble. Merion will grab at the heels of any golfer who threatens to run away with this tournament. After Thursday, only six players had a score of better than 1-under; and of those, only Mickelson is in the clubhouse with in improbable 3-under 67 after flying through the night from his home in California.

"The golf course is playing about as easy as it could and yet Merion is really fighting hard," Mickelson said. "We are all struggling because it's such a penalizing golf course. It's penalizing if you miss the fairways, very difficult if you miss the greens, and it's not a given to two putt on these greens. … It's a course that's withstood the test of time, and it's challenging the best players in the world this week."

The rest of the leaders still have holes to play in Round 1. That includes leader Luke Donald, who is 4-under through 13 holes. Donald, along with Lee Westwood (-1), leads the conversation of best players never to have won a major. Well, he's in contention, for now anyway.

For now because the final stretch of golf at Merion is the toughest, leading up to the 18th, which has yielded two birdies against 47 bogeys and 14 doubles. So even if a leader heads to the final hole on Sunday with a shot or two as a cushion, well, good luck.

There have been whispers all week about the risk of playing here at Merion, and that the U.S.G.A. might never come back with its biggest tournament.

A lot of weary pros are going to quietly hope so.

Luke Donald Silently Leads the 2013 US Open

Luke Donald Silently Leads the 2013 US Open











Adam Fonseca June 13, 2013 11:29 PM


COMMENTARY | Call him the Forgotten Knight, butEnglishman Luke Donald has snuck his way into the lead at the 2013 US Open. Currently at 4-under par, Donald
holds a one shot lead over Phil Mickelson heading into Friday.







Granted, Donald's first round was suspended on hole No. 14 due to darkness following a Thursday rattled with weather delays. He will resume and finish the final five holes of his first round on Friday morning before beginning his second round later in the afternoon.

The former world No. 1 has yet to win a major championship in his career and is frequently mentioned in the conversation of the "best player to have never won a major". As the Mirror Sport website reports, Donald was pleased with his play overall, which included a stretch of three consecutive birdies on his back nine.

"Those are kind of the holes you want to make an easy score if you can," Donald said about holes 11, 12 and 13 at Pennsylvania's Merion Golf Club.

"Obviously the weather conditions are making the course a lot softer, and you can attack the pins a little bit more. So it's playing as gentle as it might play so far, and obviously this afternoon not much wind."

"If you were going to make a score, today was a good day," Donald continued. "I've obviously got five holes left and five pretty tough ones to finish, but really happy with the way I started my round."

Donald's best finish in a major championship is third place, which he accomplished at both the 2005 Masters and 2006 PGA Championship. He also managed a tie for fifth place at the British Open last season. While he has threatened tournament leaders on numerous occasions, Donald has yet to break through into the major championship winner realm.

Donald's next five holes are no walk in the park. Hole Nos. 14 - 18 at Merion Golf Club are playing as difficult as any past US Open venue, forcing most of the field over par in no time.

Assuming Mother Nature can hold off for the next three days, Donald has his best opportunity to add a major title to his resume this week. Of course, he'll also need to withstand a surging and consistent Phil Mickelson, who has made it explicitly clear that he is on the top of his game.



Adam Fonseca has covered professional golf since 2005. His work can also be found on the Back9Network. He currently lives in Chicago with his wife. Follow Adam on Twitter at @chicagoduffer.

Tiger scuffles through Round 1 of U.S. Open

Tiger scuffles through Round 1 of U.S. Open











Eric Adelson June 14, 2013 10:27 AMYahoo Sports





ARDMORE, Pa. – Tiger Woods is back – way back. Like, six shots back. After one round.



Is he too far back?

At right around the time the East Coast arrived at work Friday morning, getting ready for a Father's Day weekend watching the three best players in the world compete for a major, the three best players in the world were getting their scorecards vandalized by a par 3 17th hole that can make a grown man cry.

Woods, already five shots off the lead held by Phil Mickelson, landed in the front-left bunker. Rory McIlroytried a high hook and missed the green. Adam Scott did best of all, landing 40 feet short of the cup.

But these guys are good, as the saying goes. They know how to recover, right?

Woods missed the green with his bunker shot. McIlroy missed the green with his chip shot. Scott three-putted.

All three carded bogeys. All three finished their first round over par. Scott is at 2-over, McIlroy and Woods are both at 3-over.

The much ballyhooed threesome of the world's top three turned out to be more pain than pleasure – especially considering a couple of the early round shots from the thick rough here at Merion Golf Club left Woods wincing away pain in his left arm. He said his arm bothered him on "a few shots." Asked what he felt on those few shots, Woods conjured Clubber Lang and quipped, "Pain."

In his last 12 majors, Woods has only eight rounds under par. And only four of his 78 victories have come when he's entered the second round with a score over par. Woods said his round could "easily" have been under par if he'd made a few putts, and, well, he'll have to make those putts if he's going to get back to scratch.

The good news? Woods still has golf's best mental game, and Merion will crush some spirits ahead of him. After the end of Round 1, only five players were under par – leader Mickelson (-3) and Luke Donald (-2) among them. The British-Open-like breeze here is giving everyone wind burn on this Friday, and the flagsticks without flags are not helping players figure out what their shots will do in flight.

"I think everyone thought that as soon as the course got wet it was going to play easy," said Donald. "The scores certainly aren't showing that. The tough holes are extremely tough."

The 17th told the story on Friday, as former major winner Angel Cabrera found the left bunker and couldn't get to the green with his second. Former major winner Zach Johnson came along in the next group and landed in the right bunker, needing to take a drop after an unplayable lie. By the time the marquee group arrived at the tee, there was a bottleneck on the 17th green that would make a Broad Street cabbie bang his fist on the steering wheel.

The wind even fooled with Woods on his short second shot out of the bunker. "I hit a good pitch," he said, "and the wind killed it."

They all had to write down 4s and then go to 18, which is already among the toughest holes in Open history.

But it's not over for them at 17 on this chilly Friday. Woods, and his highly-ranked playing partners, will have to be back again Friday for Round 2.

Golf-Four-way tie for lead at Congressional

Golf-Four-way tie for lead at Congressional










June 29, 2013 8:07 PM


* Castro chips in from 80 feet to complete foursome on top

* 10 players within three shots of the lead (Adds details, quotes)

June 29 (Reuters) - A tumultuous day at the AT&T National ended with a four-way tie for the lead heading into Sunday's final round at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland.

Roberto Castro chipped in from 80 feet after hitting his approach into the water to save par at the 18th and complete a 71 to join the group at seven-under-par 206 along with Andres Romero of Argentina, and Americans Bill Haas and James Driscoll.

Long-hitting Jason Kokrak, who powered a 349-yard drive at 18 on his way to finishing a 70 for 207, one stroke better than Tom Gillis and South Korea's Charlie Wi.

Wi made nine birdies, including seven on the front nine, on his way to a 65.

On a long, hot day for many players, who had to come in early on Saturday to finish their weather-interrupted second rounds, there were dramatic swings on the leaderboard at the long, rough-lined layout where numerous pins were placed on the edge of trouble.

Haas had nine birdies and only five pars in a three-under 68 that included a triple bogey and three other bogeys.

"Certainly, could have been a 6, 7, 8-under day," said Haas. "But it also could have been a 4, 5, 6-over day if I hadn't putted well."

"You can't blame being tired, it just was a long day and I didn't feel it with the golf swing. Luckily when I did hit a good shot, I was able to make a putt."


Jordan Spieth, a 19-year-old who began the round sharing the lead with Castro, took an early two-shot advantage after opening the round with two birdies to reach nine under par before he slipped back to four under, three strokes off the pace.

Romero, who had to finish five holes to complete his second round, made four birdies on the front side in the third round to climb to 10 under par and seize a three-stroke lead.

But the Argentine double-bogeyed the 11th, where Haas also tripled, and bogeyed the 12th to set up the logjam at the top as player fortunes rose and fell throughout the round.

Castro fell from the lead he had shared with Spieth heading into the round as he bogeyed the second hole and double-bogeyed the third.

But he worked his way back with four birdies, including ones at 16 and 17, as the leaders faltered to make it a foursome atop the leaderboard going to the final round.

Driscoll's round was relatively dull with five birdies and just two bogeys. He shot 68 and is the only player in the field with three rounds in the 60s.

"It's not perfect golf, but you don't really have to play perfect golf sometimes," Driscoll said.

"If you're just patient and putt well and have a good short game.

"There is no let-up. Every hole is long and tough. The rough is up. it's just 18 tough holes out there."

Because of a threat of poor weather on Sunday, players will again go off both tees in groups of three beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET (1230 GMT) with the final groups teeing off two hours later.

(Reporting by Larry Fine in New York,; Editing by Gene Cherry/Greg Stutchbury)

Park heads towards U.S. Open title

Park heads towards U.S. Open title










June 29, 2013 8:32 PM

.

View gallery
Inbee Park of South Korea hits her 2nd tee shot during the third round of the 2013 U.S. Women's Open …


(Reuters) - South Korean golfer Inbee Park forged to a four-shot lead after the third round of the U.S. Women's Open at Sebonack Golf Club in New York on Saturday, giving her the chance to win the first three major championships of the year.

Park fired a one-under 71 in the third round, the only player in the field to post a sub-par round in red figures in difficult winds, to move to 10-under 206, four shots clear of compatriot I.K. Kim (73) at six-under 210.

England's Jodi Ewart-Shadoff (74) appears the only other legitimate challenger at three-under with Korea's Ryu So-Yeon (73) and American Angela Stanford (74) the only other players under par, nine off the pace at one-under in a tie for fourth.

"The wind was a bit stronger than (Friday), so the conditions were tough." Park said. "The pin positions were tough, a lot of long irons hitting into the greens.

"It was just a very tough day, but I think I battled it really good out there.


"I had my tough times in the middle but ended up finishing very good, so I'm happy with that."

The 24-year-old Park is keeping the dream of a grand slam alive having already won the Kraft Nabisco Championshipand the LPGA Championship earlier this year.

Should she prevail she will not only claim a fourth major but will be just the second LPGA Tour player to win the first three majors in a season.

Mildred (Babe) Didrikson Zaharias won all three majors played in 1950, the Titleholders Championship, the Women's Western Open and the U.S. Women's Open.

"It's tough not to think about it ... I just try to think that's not a big deal," Park told reporters.
View gallery."
Inbee Park of South Korea tees off on the 5th hole during the third round of the 2013 U.S. Women's O …

"If I want to do it so much, it's just so tough and it puts too much pressure on you. I try to not think about it so much.

I'm just going to try to do the same thing that I did for the last three days. It will be a big day, but it's just a round of golf, and I just try not to think about it so much. I just try to concentrate on whatever I'm doing on the golf course."

Park would be just the fourth woman to win three majors in a calendar year, joining Zaharias, Mickey Wright (1961) and Pat Bradley (1986).

Only Ben Hogan (1953) has won the first three majors of the year in the professional era of men's golf and prior to that only Bob Jones has won what is considered the grand slam.

Jones won the U.S. and British Amateurs and U.S. and British Opens in 1930.

While Zaharias won every major on offer in 1950, from 1955-1966 and 1983-2012 the LPGA held four majors though this year a fifth was added.

For a clean sweep the current world number one will also need to win the Women's British Open in August followed by the Evian Championship in September.

(Reporting by Ben Everill in Los Angeles; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

Korda fires caddie during U.S. .Women's Open

Korda fires caddie during U.S. .Women's Open









The Sports Xchange June 29, 2013 10:22 PMThe SportsXchange



Jessica Korda and her caddie weren't seeing eye to eye during the third round of the U.S. Women's open on Saturday and so she fired him.

On the spot. In the middle of the round.

The 20-year-old American golfer turned to her boyfriend,Johnny DelPrete, who was following her in the gallery, as a replacement and he carried the bag the rest of the way on a windy day at Sebonack Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y.

"I just told him, 'Johnny, grab the bag, let's go.'" Korda said.

The change did her some good. After finishing the front nine at 5 over par, Korda improved to 1 over on the back nine and completed the round with a 4-over 76. She's in sixth place at 1 over for the tournament, 11 shots behind leader Inbee Park, going into the final round on Sunday.

It is not like DelPrete is a novice. A professional golfer, DelPrete played on the Web.com Tour in 2012. But it was his first time as Korda's caddie.

"The first few holes I was very shaky, but my boyfriend/caddie kept me very calm out there and kept it very light," Korda said. "And it was kind of funny seeing him fumble over yardage."

Korda and her regular caddie, Jason Gilroyed, had a shouting match during the round -- on a day when difficult conditions sent scores soaring -- and that was it.

"We had a couple of disagreements here and there, and I wasn't in the right state of mind," Korda said. "I knew I needed to switch and just have a little bit more fun out there. It's a U.S. Open. It's tough out there. It just wasn't working out.

"It was tough for me because I care about Jason a lot. He is a great guy. That's just how it happens sometimes in life. That was one of those things today that it just unfolded. It was very hard for me to do. I'm not that type of person to take these things really easily. For me it was very hard to tell him that and it took a lot for me."

Korda's father, Petr, is a former Australian Open tennis champion who is carrying the bag this week for his younger daughter and Jessica's sister, Nelly. The 14-year-old is tied for 61st at 13 over after shooting a 79 on Saturday.

Dad will stay on Nelly's bag for the final round and DelPrete will stick with Jessica.

As for the future, Korda is not sure whether she will reunite with Gilroyed.

"I think everybody has problems every week," Korda said. "You blame the caddie, the caddie blames you. It's just up in the air. I just felt like enough was enough today. I just wasn't mentally ready for it."

Likely Monday finish to Greenbrier Classic

Likely Monday finish to Greenbrier Classic










July 7, 2013 5:35 PM


(Reuters) - The Greenbrier Classic was heading for a likely Monday finish after the final round was interrupted by a weather delay of just over three hours on Sunday at White Sulphur Springs in West Virginia.

Play was suspended due to the threat of lightning at 1:50 p.m. ET (1750 GMT), 10 minutes before overnight leaderJohnson Wagner was scheduled to tee off at The Greenbrier's Old White Course in pursuit of his fourth victory on the PGA Tour.

Though the final round eventually resumed at 5:00 p.m. ET, there was very little chance the lead groups would be able to finish the tournament on Sunday with sunset expected at 8:45 p.m. ET.

"With this cloud cover, I think we can play until about 8.30 p.m.," Slugger White, the PGA Tour's vice president of rules and competition, told CBS Sports.

On Saturday, the lead groups completed the third round in three hours 45 minutes. Final rounds generally take longer with players having to cope with the mounting pressure of a title on the line.


American Wagner, who fired a sparkling six-under-par 64 on Saturday to seize a two-shot lead after the third round, was prepared for all eventualities.

"Rain, sun, shine - it doesn't really matter," Wagner, 33, told CBS Sports. "I'm ready to play if it's tomorrow or Tuesday. I am just happy to be in this position."

Wagner, who won his most recent PGA Tour title at last year's Sony Open in Hawaii, will start the final round with a 14-under total of 196.

Fellow American Jimmy Walker, seeking his first victory on the U.S. circuit, was alone in second with Swede Jonas Blixt a further two strokes back at 10 under.

(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Gene Cherry)