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17

Jun
Sun

What the stats project for Day 4 at the U.S. Open

Seven notable third-round stats that indicate how the U.S. Open might unfold Sunday, provided by Golf World contributing writer Brett Avery, who compiles the Rank and File statistical sections for the magazine's coverage of the major championships and other significant events.Ernie Els (T-4) is second to last in fairways hit among players who made the cut at Olympic, but he's tied for first with only 80 putts. Photo by: Harry How/Getty Images 1. Once again the first six holes of The Olympic Club hammered most players senseless and sent some contenders spinning out of control. The last four players off the first tee were a combined 12 over par on that stretch: co-leader Jim Furyk (70) and John Peterson (72) were two over; Tiger Woods (75) was three over and David Toms (76) five over. Conversely, Lee Westwood (67) played those holes one under and co-leader Graeme McDowell (68) even par. One scenario for the fourth round would see an early starter posting anumber and seeing whether it holds up. He probably would need to escape thefirst third of the course largely unscathed and capitalize over the last third. Here are the top eight players heading into Sunday and how they have navigated the first through sixth and the 13th through 18th: --McDowell (209): one over; six under (no bogeys) --Furyk (209): one over; one under --Jacobson (211): four over (no birdies); even --Westwood (212): four over (doubled No. 1 Thursday); one under --Ernie Els (212): eight over (one double); one under (one triple, one eagle) --Blake Adams (212): eight over (two doubles); one under --Nicholas Colsaerts (212): five over (two doubles); two over The field is a cumulative +2.497 at the first six and +0.766 at the last six. 2. Graeme McDowell has broken par in the fourth round in his last three majors: 70 in the 2010 Open Championship at St. Andrews (T-23), 69 in the '11 U.S. Open at Congressional (T-14) and 68 in this year's Masters (T-12). Furyk, on the other hand, has done it only once in his last 18 closing rounds in majors. To Furyk's benefit, however, that only time since the 2006 PGA Championship was a 70 in this year's Masters (solo 11th). Jacobson? He's made the cut in 13 of 23 career majors and has broken par Sunday just once (70 in the '03 Open Championship, T-6). His fourth-round scoring average in majors is 73.308. 3. Five of the top seven players through 54 holes are from the international contingent: McDowell (Northern Ireland), Jacobson (Sweden), Westwood (England), Els (South Africa) and Colsaerts (Belgium). If Furyk, Adams or another U.S. entrant were to win, it would mark the first time the host country won three consecutive major championship titles since the 2006 Open Championship through '07 Masters (Woods, Woods, Zach Johnson). It would make the first time three different U.S. competitors won consecutive majors since the 2003 U.S. Open to 2004 Masters (Jim Furyk, Ben Curtis, Shaun Micheel, Phil Mickelson). PS: International players have won six of the last eight Opens. 4. Because you're bound to read or hear repeatedly that Westwood has the most top-three placings in majors without a win since the 1934 inauguration of the Masters, here's the background. He's been runner-up twice ('10 Masters and Open Championship) and placed third on five occasions ('08 U.S., '09 Open Championship and PGA, '11 U.S. and '12 Masters). That ranks Westwood ahead of Colin Montgomerie (five seconds, one third) and Doug Sanders (fourseconds, two thirds). 5. Driving is eminently important in the Open but Ernie Els has hit only 13 fairways, better than only one of the 72 players to make the cut (Branden Grace, six). Hitting greens in regulation is also vital, although Els ranks T-57 this week with only 27. He's erased all those problems, however, with his putter. Els is tied for first in the field with only 80 putts. He has placed in the top 20 in fewest putts among those making an Open cut only three times (and not since 2004). 6. It doesn't tell us a thing about the fourth round, but it's fun anyway: When Furyk won the 2003 U.S. Open at Olympia Fields, Woods had won "only" eight majors. 7. As long as we're at it: The first four Opens at Olympic were won by men in their 30s (Jack Fleck, 33; Billy Casper, 34; Scott Simpson, 31; Lee Janzen, 33). That would seem to favor McDowell (32), Jacobson (37),Westwood (39), Adams (36) and Jason Dufner (35) among the top 13 players, or those leading or within four shots. [h/t PGA Tour] -- Brett Avery

17

Jun
Sun

Woods' Saturday only reaffirms his vulnerability

Tiger Woods watches a shot from the rough on the 16th hole during the third round at Olympic. Photo by: Jeff Gross/Getty ImagesSAN FRANCISCO -- Tiger Woods squinted into the setting sun. He wanted to follow the flight of his pitching wedge shot from the 18th fairway. Where'd that go? It was a question he'd been asking all day long. More often than is good for an immortal, he discovered he'd hit shots in places he didn't intend to visit. You see it, Joe? Woods's caddie, Joe LaCava, indicated the ball had gone right. Huh? The ball sat atop gnarly grass just past the green's right fringe, 20 feet from the hole. Now what? "Brutal lie," Woods said later. "Nasty." Related: 20 things that have happened since Tiger's last major On a day filled with questions, Tiger Woods came with no answers. From what was neither a brutal nor nasty lie -- the ball sat up -- Woods hit a chip that flew six inches short of the green. There it bounced in long grass. Unhappily for Woods, it caromed sideways, still 15 feet from the hole, the kind of mess every hacker makes twice a day. Two putts for Woods, another dispiriting bogey -- his sixth of the round after having made only five in the first 36 holes. On a day when he might have shown us the Old Tiger, he was the Same Old Tiger. He shot 75 and from atop the leader board, he fell to a tie for 14th. He'll go into Sunday's final round five shots behind leaders Jim Furyk and Graeme McDowell. It was 2:45 p.m. Saturday when Woods came to the putting green. As on many days since he collided with karma and that hydrant, he was the object of the golf world's attention. But this day was different -- different because in the Open's first two rounds, he had reminded us of how good he once was. It was different, too, because, for the first time in three years, he came to work having slept on the lead in a major championship. Hard to imagine, how omnipresent he was -- winner of 14 majors -- and now how long he has been away. He won the U.S. Open in 2008, limping on a bad knee and a splintered leg. He lost the 2009 PGA Championship in the last round, to Y.E. Yang. That was the first time he had lost a major when leading after 54 holes. In the nine majors since -- he missed two of them with injuries -- he has finished no higher than fourth (three times) and has been in contention on a Sunday only once, and then just briefly, last year at Augusta. Related: Rory vs. Tiger: The new rivalry? Of all the questions hanging with Woods, there has never been one asking if he could play brilliantly. We have seen those lightning flashes. We saw one in that 2010 Masters when, suddenly, there he was, with four holes to play, facing putts to make the tournament his. There was a time, when it mattered most, Woods rolled them all in; that Sunday in Augusta, they all stayed out. And not until this week's U.S. Open on the merciless Olympic Club course did we see even a glimmer of the Tiger who for so long dominated the majors. As he built a tie for the lead at 36 holes here, Woods had shown such control and resolve that, yes, it could be argued, he was about to make the world his again. A bridge walkway brings players from the putting green to Olympics' first tee. It is perhaps 15 feet above the thousands of golf fans gazing up at the heroes. At 2:58 on this afternoon, Jim Furyk crossed the bridge. Hearing cheers and applause, the veteran smiled broadly and waved to the people, happy to be there. Then came Woods, who heard much louder applause and raucous calls of "Go get 'em, Tiger!" He cared only enough to touch the bill of his cap, once. Why so grim? Better than anyone, maybe, he knew there was a harsher question to be answered. Could he keep the flickering flame of brilliance alive? The answer came quickly. No. As precise as he had been with every club in the bag for two days, he was imprecise on this day. He missed the first green, 50 yards short from the left rough. He left his tee shot short on the par-3 third. He left a wedge short on the short par-4 sixth. All bogeys. At the eighth, he three-putted from 35 feet, not even touching the hole with his second from three feet. At the 17th, a short par-5 where birdies must be made, he dumped a 200-yard shot into a bunker 30 yards short and right of the green. An ugly par. Then came the 18th, uglier yet. "I struggled on the greens," Woods told reporters. He never could adjust to speeds slower than expected, he said. "It was a tough deal to adjust to." Well. On a day when Woods' iron play was ragged, one is reminded of Ben Hogan's wife, Valerie. The story is, she had grown weary of the great man's complaints about his putting. She suggested, "Hit it closer." As for Sunday's final round, Woods did his best to portray the kind of confidence that once came naturally. "I'm definitely still in the ball game," he said. "I'm only five back, and that's certainly doable on this golf course." He also said, "It's just patience. It's just a few birdies here and there. It's not like where you have to go out there and shoot 62 and 63. This is a U.S. Open. You just have to hang around." Hang around? Never, not once, did Tiger Woods hang around and win a major. Every time, 14 times, he has been on the lead going to Sunday. Common folks hang around, all those guys who might maybe perhaps win if everything falls right. And there is the answer to all the questions. This Tiger Woods is just another guy who can win. -- Dave Kindred Follow @davekindred !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");

17

Jun
Sun

U.S. Open: The Shots That Defined the U.S. Open

These are the shots that shaped the outcome at Olympic Club

17

Jun
Sun

U.S. Open: Fourth Round Birdies and Bogeys

Who were the winners and losers on Sunday at Olympic Club? It's time to take a closer look with another edition of birdies and bogeys.

16

Jun
Sat

In Olympic, Davis finds the beauty in the beast

SAN FRANCISCO -- Even before the final round is played Sunday, a winner has emerged in this U.S. Open. The Olympic Club has made a strong case this week that it belongs in the group right behind Oakmont as one of the most difficult -- and best -- golf courses in the United States. Playing as sort of a cross between Pinehurst No. 2 and the Old Course at St. Andrews, with balls bouncing willy-nilly and chasing into runoff areas or into deep, gnarly rough, this gem in view of the Pacific Ocean has been masterfully maneuvered by USGA executive director Mike Davis to provide a challenging but fair test where par is pure. A view of the 18th green from the gallery at Olympic Club. Photo by: David Cannon/Getty Images After 54 holes, only Graeme McDowell and Jim Furyk among the 156 players who began the week were under par -- and just barely at one under. And imagine if there had been any significant wind? The first six holes at Olympic Club -- probably the most challenging opening half-dozen holes on any golf course on the planet -- played a combined 951 strokes over par through the first three rounds. Back in 1999, John Philp, the mad man of Carnoustie, responded to complaints from players about the course's difficulty by saying: "Hogan would have figured it out." And that is what Olympic Club offers -- it can be figured out, if you are playing really well. When players at the 1999 Open Championship complained early in the week that scores were too high, Philp responded by saying: "Par is an arbitrary number. If it takes 290 to win, shoot 290." And that is exactly what the winning score was at Carnoustie Related: 10 Ways to win at Olympic Davies has sort of been John Philp with a warm and fuzzy side since taking over course setup duties for the USGA in 2005. He has yet to whiff, although he has frequently taken conditions to the very edge, making it extremely difficult to get the ball close to the hole. Players constantly fear that one day he will lose control of a golf course, and that fear is part of the mind game Davis plays with them. "Today I felt the course played probably the fairest of the last couple of days," Ernie Els, a two-time U.S. Open winner, said after a 68 got him to two-over par, three behind McDowell and Furyk. "I felt it was a bit more moisture in there and the flag positions were fine; and if you played proper golf today you could shoot under par." That is exactly the point. There is a reward at Olympic Club if a player has the patience to avoid taking risks at the wrong time. "Today it was playable," Els said. " Tomorrow if it's really firm, you won't see a score under par. The course is really difficult. So we'll see." One of those who couldn't handle Olympic Club on Saturday was Tiger Woods, who pretty much played his way out of contention with a 75. Related: Olympic Club's famous members through the years Davis, meanwhile, continued to show his imagination and whimsy in the course setup. The third hole, a par 3, played at 256 yards Saturday while No. 7, a par 4, measured 268 yards. The par-3 15th was only 107 and was followed by the par-5 16th,which at 671 yards is the longest hole in U.S. Open history. Water was applied to all greens overnight and more was added Saturday morning in an attempt to get to the same firmness as the first two rounds. The greens settled into a speed in the mid-12s on the Stimpmeter. "I really played the golf course the way it's supposed to be played or meant to be played," said Martin Kaymer, who made six birdies on his way to a 69 that got him to four over par. "[I hit] cuts into certain holes and then high draws into some greens." That's what Olympic Club is all about -- if it is to be had, you have to hit the right shots. There have been some complaints, especially about the closely mowed run-off areas on No. 17 and the fact No. 16, when it was tipped out at 671 yards for the third round, had only 37 percent of the field hitting the green in regulation -- unheard of for a par-5 hole. Still, the overwhelming sentiment is that the setup has so far been fair. "If you're hitting the ball well, you can give yourself a few chances and I've been hitting the ball well," Lee Westwood said after a 67 got him to two-over par. "I played a pretty soft golf course last week and after the first hole missing it short side and getting a big bounce right, it was a bit of an eye-opener. So I snapped into U.S. Open mode quickly that, 'Oh, yeah, short siding yourself is not good at the U.S. Open.' I realized that very fast." That is part if the challenge of the U.S. Open: Can you adjust to the changing conditions? So far, Davis has been able to find the genius in the Olympic Club. And from the looks of the leader board -- five former U.S. Open champions among the top 14 after 54 holes -- both Davis and the Olympic Club have provided a true major championship test. -- Ron Sirak Follow @ronsirak !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");

16

Jun
Sat

Overheard in the gallery on Saturday at Olympic

SAN FRANCISCO -- Welcome to Olympic Club, where only two men -- Graeme McDowell and Jim Furyk -- remain under par. A complete U.S. Open experience involves eavesdropping on spectator chatter. Below, some of the nutty exchanges we overheard in the gallery on Saturday. The crowds around the 18th hole were dense all day. (Photograph by Getty Images)--Spectator, after Nick Watney (who's wearing light blue pants) makes birdie on the first hole: "Baby blue, in da house! FRANK SINATRA!"--Man: "What's your favorite hole out here?" His buddy: "19th hole, dude. The 19th hole."--Girl, after cheers near the 11th green: "I'm not even paying attention." Her female friend: "Then why are you here?" Girl: "To look hot. To be seen. To pick up rich golfer guys."--Sitting by the 18th green, a man looks at the scoreboard and notes that David Toms bogeyed the 14th: "That's a pisser."Related: Sh-t Golfers Say --Spectator, to his buddy: "When I stand in the sun, I sweat. When I stand in the shade, I freeze my garbanzo off."--Guy, who spilled his beer on a woman: "Sorry, didn't mean to douse you there. Just pretend it's Chardonnay."--Spectator, as Beau Hossler hits his approach to the 18th green: "BEAU! Take me to the prom, BEAU!"--Man, to his buddy: "I was standing on a long line and a random guy started chatting me up. So I started talking about my garage remodeling. He stopped talking to me."--Man, after Tiger knocks in a par putt on the 11th hole: "Let's go Bucks!" Another spectator: "He went to Stanford." Man: "Yea, but my dad went to Ohio State. So that's my reaction when I get excited."--After Tiger hits approach onto the 12th green: "Tiger's a friggin' teacher. He teaches every hole."--Noting the lack of red numbers on the scoreboard by the 18th green, man says, "Bro, that board needs to start bleeding. Moving day without blood is boring."-Girl, to her female friend: "What's up with your hat?" Friend: "I just bought it, didn't want my scalp to burn. Do you like it?" Girl: "It's fine." Friend: "FINE?!" Girl: "Chill." Friend: "But this matters to me. This is my fashion show."Related: Overheard on Friday --Man watching marshals and police trying to stop spectators from crossing in front of the third green: "Shoot 'em! Shoot 'em all!"--Ashley Mayo Follow @AshleyKMayo !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");

16

Jun
Sat

Media: 'How does Johnny Miller have a job?'

(Getty Images photo) The Olympic Club is renowned for its U.S. Open villains, usually culled from its playing ranks (Jack Fleck, Billy Casper, Scott Simpson). On Saturday, it apparently identified one in the broadcast booth. NBC's Johnny Miller was eviscerated in the Twitter world throughout the telecast of the third round, criticism coming from all quarters -- fans, players, counterparts, even a player's wife. "How does Johnny Miller have a job when he speaks such nonsense???" Geoff Ogilvy's wife Juli wrote on Twitter. Peter Kostis, a CBS analyst, posted this when Miller called Graeme McDowell "a driving genius," who then drove it into the trees: "He's a driving genius! Whack, club hits ball, whack, ball hits tree, oops." Colt Knost, who missed the cut, weighed in: "According to Johnny miller every bad shot is BC of nerves!! There is such a thing as a bad swing. Sorry for being human" Then this from Tommy Biershenk, who must have missed Chris Berman's inane play on his name the day before, something to do with beer and shank: "Am I the only one that can do without Johnny Miller? #Mr.Negative." One viewer wrote on Twitter that "If I ever see Johnny Miller I am going to follow him the rest of the day and criticize his every move." The criticism began with Miller talking about the unusually nice weather in the San Francisco area this week: "It's always windy here half the time." He also drew viewers' ire by repeatedly noting how the course was softer than previous days, how Tiger Woods doesn't adjust well when green speeds change, and how Beau Hossler's swing reminded him of Colin Montgomerie's. A Twitter handle called Quorum Sports brought some needed perspective to the discussion: "I get worn down by Johnny Miller but he sounds like Adel (sic) to me after 48 hr Chris Berman self indulgence." He meant Adele, but point well taken. 'A groove low' Miller was ridiculed on Twitter when Tiger Woods hit his second shot at the sixth hole and Miller said that he could tell by the sound that he'd "hit it a groove low." The fact is that Miller called it a thin shot a split-second after Woods hit it and the ball, indeed, came up short. He got it right, as he so often does, notwithstanding his critics. 'Tiger actually gagged' Miller's appeal over the years evolved from his steadfast reluctance to pull his punches. He still has it, evidence of which came in this analysis of Woods early in Saturday's telecast: "He goes to the Masters and really fell apart, from pressure. The first time in his whole career I can say that Tiger actually gagged just a little bit because he wanted it so bad. He's going after Nicklaus's record, 18 majors." Laying up? Really? When Belgium's Nicolas Colsaerts, one of the longer players in teh game, laid up on the 268-yard par-4 seventh hole, the crowd voiced its displeasure. "Nice layup," one fan yelled. Then the crowd booed. "The longest hitter maybe in the world, on any tour, and he's laying up," Miller said, chuckling. Where's Sean Foley? Instructor Sean Foley has been missing from Woods' side during his warmup. Where's he been? NBC's Gary Koch had the answer. "I was talking to Sean early in the week," Koch said. "He said Tiger approached him right before the Memorial Tournament and said, 'I don't want you watching me warm up any more. I don't want you walking around with me in practice rounds.' "I asked Foley, 'how do you interpret that?' [He said] 'I love it. It means that Tiger is back to thinking about playing golf and not worrying so much about his swing before he goes out.'" Foley has been working with Woods post rounds. Massacre at the Olympic Club? It has become an article of faith in golf that when a U.S. Open is won with an under-par score that is unacceptable to the USGA, it enacts revenge the following year with its course setup (see the Massacre at Winged Foot in '74 following Miller winning the '73 Open with a final-round 63 at Oakmont). Lawrence Donegan cited this in the (U.K.) Guardian in writing about Rory McIlroy's early exit a year after winning the Open with a score of 16-under par. "Golf can be a humbling game, though this is clearly not enough for the masochists who run the US Open," Donegan wrote. "They demand humiliation, complete and in public, and they got it on a Friday of carnage at the Olympic Club in San Francisco which saw the scoring head north and Rory McIlroy head to the airport. "Not that the US Golf Association would be so impolite as to say as much in public but McIlroy's epic effort on the east coast provoked them into serving up a brute on the west coast." -- John Strege

16

Jun
Sat

Lee Westwood's Saturday run gives him another chance to shed unwanted label

SAN FRANCISCO -- Here he comes again. Already seven times a top-three finisher in major championship play, Lee Westwood has given himself yet another chance to break his Grand Slam duck. After a nifty little third round of 67 at the Olympic Club -- five birdies, two bogeys -- the 39-year old Englishman sits at two over par for 54 holes. "I've probably been in contention in majors more than anyone else over the last three or four years," he confirmed. "So I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I'll go out and have some fun and see what happens. "Every time I've got myself into contention in one of these events I've learned something about myself. I've been up there in a lot of different ways: leading, coming from behind. So I've picked little bits out of all of those. But the main thing is just to go out there and believe that I'm good enough. I must be. I get myself into contention often enough." Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images Despite the fact that he has recorded more than 40 worldwide victories over the course of his 19-year professional career, such a positive outlook is somewhat new for the man from Worksop in the English Midlands. With so many near things and so much disappointment came inevitable introspection and questioning of his mind and method. "This is a golf tournament," he continued. "It's just a game of golf. I go out and play golf for a living on the best courses in the world and at the biggest tournaments. It's not a bad way to pass the time. "I don't take it too seriously. When you've been out here 20 years or so, I think it's time to relax, give yourself a break and enjoy it." Related: Lee Westwood's pre-shot checklist That, of course, hasn't been the easiest thing to achieve over the course of this particular week. With the Olympic Club playing so hard and fast, scoring well has been more of a grind than a game. He himself started the week with a double-bogey six at the opening hole. "Look at the players' faces out there," said Westwood, after making a 40-foot "bomb" for birdie on the 18th green. "They're looking pretty wound up and stressed aren't they? There aren't many smiles. Which is a shame. This is one of the biggest tournaments of the year and one that I assume everyone looks forward to." In prospect now for Westwood is yet another genuine chance to rid himself of the tag "best player never to win a major." It's a label he has long deserved and one, we can safely assume, he won't miss one little bit. -- John Huggan Follow @johnhuggan !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");

16

Jun
Sat

What to look for Saturday at the U.S Open

A gorgeous, unseasonably warm day in San Francisco will make for a compelling backdrop at Olympic Club, and great theater for a prime-time audience back East. What should we look for? Let's take a closer look with five questions. 1. Is this tournament Tiger's to lose? Four years ago, you would have said so. In fact, four years ago, we did say so -- and we were right. But Woods, as you've heard countless times, is a different golfer now. While he's coming off a win at Memorial and has employed an effective game plan of laying back off the tee and relying on sharp iron play to steer clear of trouble, Woods, as our John Huggan writes, is still prone to mistakes. He hasn't played a weekend round at a major in the last three years without a hiccup -- and his putter still isn't the sure thing it was under pressure. 2. What can we expect from the golf course? It's going to be hard. Like, really hard. Clear skies and a slight breeze may make for an ideal day for spectators, but it spells misery for golfers who have to negotiate a course that is baking out more by the minute. And that's not even factoring out some of Saturday's ridiculous hole locations, 12 of which are five feet or less from the edge of greens (among the most severe is the par-3 15th, which is playing just 108 yards Saturday). One year after Rory McIlroy torched Congressional to win at 16 under, it's doubtful anyone will be under par come Sunday night. 3. Will long hitters have an advantage on this course? Actually, no. Woods has been longer than Furyk and Toms through the first two days, but even he is only tied for 78th in driving distance, averaging 284 yards off the tee. Far more important is navigating Olympic's many doglegs and slopes to find the fairway (Woods is first in the field in driving accuracy) and subsequently, the green (Furyk is first in greens in regulation, Woods is tied for third). There are exceptions, of course, one being the controversial 17th hole and its dramatic fall-off area. As Woods learned the hard way on Friday, the only chance players have of getting home in two there is by sending a high-lofted shot into the green, which you can't do if you're not well down the fairway. 4. Who could emerge from the middle of the pack and make a run on Saturday? The Open is an unpredictable beast. It's always going to have its share of Gregory Havrets or Kevin Chappells, relatively obscure players who secure late tee times on the weekend. But among players with proven track records, it's hard not to notice someone like Jason Dufner or Matt Kuchar, both of whom are in the middle of big seasons, have the sort of solid, no-frills games that stand up well on weeks like these, and who begin Saturday just fours shots off the lead. You can thank us later when your bets pay off. 5. Is the Beau Hossler Era upon us?   Slow down. The 17-year-old Hossler's remarkable run here, which even included a brief appearance alone atop the leader board on his back nine Friday, may have conjured up comparisons to Francis Ouimet, but reality came quickly. After a five-hole stretch that featured three bogeys and a double dropped Hossler into a tie for ninth place, the rising high school senior now has the unenviable task of trying to make up ground on three major champions. We don't like his chances, but in the interest of the best possible storyline, we also hope we're wrong. --Sam Weinman Follow @SamWeinman !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");

16

Jun
Sat

Beau Hossler shows poise well beyond his 17 years

SAN FRANCISCO--The thing about teenagers is they tend to have selective memories. Chances are, then, Beau Hossler will begin today's third round of the U.S. Open recalling how at one time yesterday afternoon he held the outright lead at Olympic Club as opposed to harping on the bumpy finish that left him four off the lead by day's end. Through 11 holes Friday, the 17-year-old from Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., sat at two under for the championship, gaining a new legion of fans as the high school junior claimed a one-stroke lead over Jim Furyk and Tiger Woods and looked more at ease than anyone wearing braces has any right to be when playing a major championship. Still, he had most of the front nine to play, where bogeys marinate among the tall cypress trees and sloping fairways. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)Wayward drives on the second, fourth and fifth holes led to two bogeys and a double bogey. By the time his round concluded, Hossler had posted a three-over 73, playing the last seven holes in five over. Hossler insists the pressure of being in the lead wasn't what led to his trouble, but rather just the difficulty of the course. "That's going to happen," he said. "You're going to have stretches, especially on those holes where you're struggling. Obviously, I think I got out of my rhythm a little bit on those tee shots, and those really killed me. But I don't think at all it was based on the stage, I think it was just based on making some bad swings and unfortunately at the wrong time." Related: Friday's winners and losers at Olympic Club Even as he struggled to get in the house Friday, eventually finishing T-9 through 36 holes, four back of Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk and David Toms, Hossler never showed any outward signs of losing his composure. It's a trait that has marked his game throughout his junior career. "He's always been very calm, very mature," said his mother, Amy Balsz. "That's just Beau." No doubt part of Hossler's comfort this year stems from the fact that this isn't his first major championship appearance. In 2011 he qualified to play at Congressional CC, allowing him to get all the first-time jitters out of the way so that when he became the first high schooler to earn a spot in back-to-back Opens since Mason Rudolph in 1950-51 he would be able to concentrate on his game rather than the spectacle of the championship. "Last year I felt a little bit uncomfortable, just couldn't really get in a rhythm because it was so different than anything I had experienced," he said. " But now I feel a little bit more familiar with it." Related: Golf's all-time biggest phenoms There's also the fact that physically Hossler is a more mature player than he was a year ago. He now stands nearly 6-feet, a few inches taller than at Congressional, and his body has filled out. As great as his physical assets might be, it's his mental stamina that might serve he the best. With a 4.0 GPA, Hossler is a model student who is hoping to accelerate his senior year of high school so that he can graduate in December and enroll early at Texas in 2013. Hossler's smarts allow him to make a clear assessment of what he needs to do to continue to have success this weekend at Olympic Club. "There's some things I really got to tighten up for the next couple days because I know the course is going to get harder," he said. "I feel like I'm in a good spot for me to reach my goal of low amateur." -- Ryan Herrington Follow @GWCampusInsider !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");