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Mickelson Seeks Putting Magic for Historic Win
Matsuyama, Spieth, Fowler Enjoy Young Stars Group
Kaymer Surges to US Open Lead
PINEHURST, June 13, 2014 (AFP) - Germany's Martin Kaymer birdied three of the last five holes Thursday to fire a five-under par 65 and seize a three-stroke lead after the first round of the US Open.
The 2011 PGA Championship winner, coming off a victory in last month's Players championship that ended a drought of nearly three years, fired the lowest US Open round ever at Pinehurst to seize command.
"It's nice if you have just won before," Kaymer said. "I needed a win. I needed it for my confidence, for all the work I put in the last couple years, to show it was all worth it.
"I see things very positively right now."
Zimbabwe's Brendon de Jonge, Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell, American Fran Quinn and South Korean-born American Kevin Na shared second on 68 with a huge pack another stroke adrift.
Kaymer opened with a birdie, made another at the par-5 fifth, took his lone bogey at seventh but opened the back nine with another birdie.
Then came a birdie binge that began at 14 and continued with a 12-footer at 16 and an eight-footer at 17. At 18, he rolled an approach eight feet past the cup but sank the putt coming back to complete a stunning round.
"I made a few putts at the end. I made a lot of good shots and finally I made some good putts," Kaymer said. "I didn't make many mistakes. It was nice to finish with a par on 18. It was an awkward up and down."
The 29-year-old from Dusseldorf was shocked the turtle-backed greens were receptive to shots after being hard and fast in practice rounds.
"I was surprised the course played very soft," he said. "They must have put more water on the greens. I was able to stop the ball.
"Overall I just hit very good shots. I could avoid bogeys. If you stay around level par, you aren't going to be too far from winning the golf tournament."
De Jonge opened with three-putt bogeys at 10 and 11 then battled back with birdies on three of the last five holes on the back nine and another at the fifth.
"It was nice to get it back after that start," he said. "I just told myself everybody is going to make some bogeys at here.
"Anything under par is very pleasing."
McDowell, the 2010 US Open winner, and Na, who only made the field by cracking the world rankings top 60 four days ago, each eagled the par-5 fifth.
"I clipped it just perfect, right in the center," Na said after chipping in for his eagle.
McDowell sank a 12-foot putt, also aided by the receptive greens.
"That was an unexpected opportunity," McDowell said. "I wasn't expecting it to be quite that receptive. Certainly got fortunate."
Others were not so lucky.
- Scott, Watson well back -
World number one Adam Scott struggled to a 73, making four bogeys against a lone birdie, while reigning Masters champion Bubba Watson stumbled to a 76.
"I just didn't make the putts I needed to make," Watson said. "To shoot six-over is not where you want to be after one day. This week I'm just not very good."
Scott, the 2013 Masters winner, was not ready to write off his chances for a second major title this week.
"I'm a little disappointed," Scott said. "I played better than what I ended up shooting. You have to scramble hard at a US Open, especially this one, but not too much damage done.
"I can shoot five or six shots better tomorrow if I have a nice day around the greens."
Reigning British Open champion Phil Mickelson, a six-time US Open runner-up trying for a win to complete a career grand slam, opened on 70.
"I putted OK," Mickelson said. "I didn't give any away on the short ones but I didn't make any of those I needed from 15 to 20 feet to have a really good round."
Rory McIlroy, coming off a win at Wentworth last month, birdied the 18th from 10 feet to finish on 71.
"I stayed patient and got rewarded with a birdie at 18," McIlroy said. "It was a grind out there at times but to shoot plus-one was a solid day. I just have to work on my speeds on the greens."
Mickelson Seeks Putting Magic for Historic Win
PINEHURST, June 12, 2014 (AFP) - Phil Mickelson is switching grips and checking alignment to find his touch on the 15- to 20-foot putts he says he must start making to win the US Open.
The six-time US Open runner-up, trying to win the event to complete a career grand slam, fired a par-70 Thursday to put himself solidly in the title chase.
But the reigning British Open champion, who turns 44 on Monday, lammented not taking better advantage of moist greens where shots were holding better than under the usual hot and dry conditions.
"I feel good on short putts but I have got to make some of the 15- to 20-footers that make a good score around here," Mickelson said. "I've got to make some of those that make the difference."
Mickelson was thrilled at his success with the driver on the wide fairways of Pinehurst, where natural sand and brush grass lurks for errant tee shots.
"I didn't miss a fairway with a driver. It's an unusual thing for me," Mickelson said. "The driver felt really good. That's the club that's going to help me play well this week.
"The one club that's hurting me is the putter, so I've got to get that turned around the next couple of days."
Mickelson has altered his putting grip to a claw style this week in order to have a better feel for putts compared to his struggles earlier this season on the greens, woes that have kept him from a top-10 US PGA result this year.
"That's not a long-term thing. I like putting conventional," Mickelson said. "It might be weeks, it might be months, it might be days, hours, I don't know. It's just one of those things.
"Last year I putted just so well and I've kind of over-done what I was doing and I've got to kind of settle back in."
Mickelson's caddie, Jim Mackay, tipped him off to something this week that he's working on.
"My eye alignment has not been over the ball. It has been over the top of it, and that's been throwing my lines off. When I hit good putts, they're not going in because it's a distorted view. If I could fix that, I don't feel like I'm hitting bad putts, I'm just missing them a little bit on the sides.
"I don't feel like it's far off."
Mickelson likens his odds at Pinehurst to those at Augusta National, where he has collected three Masters green jackets.
"I get a similar feeling that I get at Augusta where I don't have to be perfect," he said. "I can miss shots. I can miss greens and still get up and down. I always have a chance."
That's why Mickelson, who sees himself with many more US Open chances to come, is especially excited this week.
"I do still have 100 percent confidence that I'll be able to break through and get one," he said. "I do feel this tournament gives me a great chance."
Matsuyama, Spieth, Fowler Enjoy Young Stars Group
PINEHURST, June 12, 2014 (AFP) - A hard-hitting trio of golf's young stars shined in Thursday's first round of the US Open, each of them making a unique charge to stand among the leaders at Pinehurst.
Japan's 22-year-old Hideki Matusyama, coming off a victory two weeks ago at the Memorial, and 20-year-old American Jordan Spieth, the Masters runner-up, fired one-under par 69s to stand one stroke off the pace.
And American Rickie Fowler, who donned kickerbockers in a one-day tribute to the late Payne Stewart, the 1999 US Open winner at Pinehurst known for the unique garb, fired a 70 to stay in the hunt for his first major title as well.
"We're trying to take some of the majors away from the older guys," said Fowler.
The group opened on the back nine, with Matsuyama starting with a birdie at the par-5 10th. He took a bogey at 16 and two more just after making the turn, but closed well with three birdies in his final five holes, the last on eight.
"The birdie at eight was the best shot of the day," Matsuyama said through a translator. "Putting was the strong part of my game today.
"This is really a difficult, demanding course. It was difficult to hit the greens in regulation with the undulations. Just one shot at a time tomorrow. I will do my very best."
Matsuyama, ranked 13th in the world, enjoyed his spotlight moment with fellow young stars.
"I had a great time with the two of them," he said. "Rickie played very well. Tee to green was impeccable. he didn't make as many putts as he normally does but he played a solid round."
As for Fowler's knickerbockers, Matusyama liked the look but noted, "I don't think I could pull it off but he can."
Fowler recalled sobbing as a schoolboy when he heard of Stewart's death in a plane crash four months after his Open win.
"I started crying in the car," Fowler said. "It was tragic to the whole golf world.
"It was cool to give a little tribute to him. I loved watching him play and learning how much he was loved."
Spectators passed along their appreciation as well, although the praise he appreciated most was a thumbs up from Mickelson, who was on the 18th green with Stewart when he hit the winning putt 15 years ago.
"It was great to get the calls from fans out there. It was a special day," Fowler said. "It was special because fans were saying so much. It made me think about Payne when I was out there."
Spieth said he felt like a kid on Christmas morning when he saw water and overcast skies had made the greens a bit receptive early.
"Ideal scoring conditons, if that's such a thing at a US Open," he said. "The greens were more receptive to start. Got off to a good start."
A three-putt bogey at nine, his final hole, cost Spieth a share of the lead.
"Under par at the US Open, I would take it all four rounds," Spieth said. "All in all a solid day. I'm very pleased with the start. I could improve with how I hit the ball and putting, but scoring-wise I'd take it.
"I wouldn't trade the position I'm in."
Scores on Thursday after the first round of the 114th US Open Golf Championship at par-70 Pinehurst:
65 - Martin Kaymer (GER) 34-31
68 - Kevin Na (USA) 34-34, Graeme McDowell (NIR) 34-34, Brendon de Jonge (ZIM) 34-34, Fran Quinn (USA) 34-34
69 - Brandt Snedeker (USA) 31-38, Henrik Stenson (SWE) 35-34, Matt Kuchar (USA) 32-37, Brendon Todd (USA) 34-35, Jordan Spieth (USA) 36-33, Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) 34-35, Dustin Johnson (USA) 34-35, Harris English (USA) 34-35, Keegan Bradley (USA) 33-36, Francesco Molinari (ITA) 36-33
70 - Henrik Norlander (SWE) 35-35, Lucas Bjerregaard (DEN) 35-35, Marcel Siem (GER) 37-33, Ian Poulter (ENG) 35-35, Phil Mickelson (USA) 36-34, Joost Luiten (NED) 36-34, Russell Henley (USA) 34-36, Rickie Fowler (USA) 35-35, Aaron Baddeley (AUS) 38-32, Brooks Koepka (USA) 33-37, Mark Wilson (USA) 35-35, Jimmy Walker (USA) 34-36, Victor Dubuisson (FRA) 35-35, Steve Stricker (USA) 35-35, Charl Schwartzel (RSA) 36-34, Paul Casey (ENG) 37-33, JB Holmes, 36-34, Jamie Donaldson (WAL) 35-35, Noh Seung-Yul (KOR) 33-37, Danny Willett (ENG) 36-34
71 - Pablo Larrazabal (ESP) 37-34, Patrick Reed (USA) 35-36, Boo Weekley (USA) 36-35, Webb Simpson (USA) 35-36, Rory McIlroy (NIR) 36-35, Zach Johnson (USA) 33-38, Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG) 37-34, Chris Kirk (USA) 35-36, Billy Hurley (USA) 35-36, Oliver Goss (AUS) 35-36, Garth Mulroy (RSA) 34-37, John Senden (AUS) 38-33, Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) 35-36, Zac Blair (USA) 35-36
72 - Daniel Berger (USA) 35-37, Erik Compton (USA) 35-37, Scott Langley (USA) 38-34, Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP) 37-35, Justin Rose (ENG) 33-39, Nicholas Lindheim (USA) 37-35, Graeme Storm (ENG) 37-35, Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) 37-35, Bill Haas (USA) 37-35, Stewart Cink (USA) 35-37, Gary Woodland (USA) 38-34, Jason Dufner (USA) 33-39, Bernd Wiesberger (AUT) 36-36, Toru Taniguchi (JPN) 36-36, Bo Van Pelt (USA) 36-36, Kevin Tway (USA) 34-38, Simon Griffiths (ENG) 35-37, Cody Gribble (USA) 35-37
73 - Sergio Garcia (ESP) 37-36, Jason Day (AUS) 36-37, Stephen Gallacher (SCO) 36-37, David Toms (USA) 39-34, Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 36-37, Jeff Maggert (USA) 37-36, Shiv Kapur (IND) 38-35, Smylie Kaufman (USA) 37-36, Clayton Rask (USA) 34-39, Alex Cejka (GER) 38-35, Joe Ogilvie (USA) 35-38, Jim Furyk (USA) 38-35, Shane Lowry (IRL) 35-38, Adam Scott (AUS) 36-37, Retief Goosen (RSA) 38-35, Geoff Ogilvy (AUS) 33-40, Kim Hyung-Sung (KOR) 35-38, Rod Pampling (AUS) 36-37, Luke Guthrie (USA) 39-34, Ryan Blaum (USA) 36-37
74 - Chad Collins (USA) 37-37, Lee Kyoung-Hoon (KOR) 35-39, Roberto Castro (USA) 35-39, Matt Jones (AUS) 37-37, Angel Cabrera (ARG) 37-37, Kenny Perry (USA) 36-38, Craig Barlow (USA) 35-39, Liang Wen-Chong (CHN) 35-39, Matt Dobyns (USA) 37-37, Maverick McNealy (USA), Oliver Fisher (ENG) 37-37, Casey Wittenberg (USA) 36-38, Andres Echavarria (COL) 37-37, Ernie Els (RSA) 37-37, Hunter Mahan (USA) 37-37, Ryan Palmer (USA) 35-39, Jim Renner (USA) 35-39, Chris Doak (SCO) 40-34
75 - Rob Oppenheim (USA) 39-36, Brian Stuard (USA) 38-37, Andrea Pavan (ITA) 36-39, Kevin Kisner (USA) 36-39, Lee Westwood (ENG) 37-38, Billy Horschel (USA) 37-38, Kevin Sutherland (USA) 39-36, Justin Thomas (USA) 37-38, David Oh (USA) 38-37, Ken Duke (USA) 41-34, Justin Leonard (USA) 36-39, Y.E. Yang (KOR) 35-40, Darren Clarke (NIR) 38-37, Graham DeLaet (CAN) 37-38, Kevin Streelman (USA) 36-39, Hunter Stewart (USA) 36-39
76 - Matt Every (USA) 37-39, Ryan Moore (USA) 36-40, Nick Watney 38-38, Max Kieffer (GER) 36-40, Brian Campbell (USA) 39-37, Steven Alker (NZL) 38-38, Niclas Fasth (SWE) 36-40, Hudson Swafford (USA), 35-41, Bubba Watson (USA) 38-38, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (ESP) 38-38, David Gossett (USA) 39-37, Sam Love (USA) 35-41
77 - Brett Stegmaier (USA) 39-38, DA Points (USA) 39-38, Jonas Blixt (SWE) 38-39, Brady Watt (AUS) 39-38, Will Grimmer (USA) 35-42, Kevin Stadler (USA) 39-38, Luke Donald (ENG) 37-40, Cory Whitsett (USA) 40-37, Azuma Yano (JPN) 39-38
78 - Cameron Wilson (USA) 40-38, Aron Price (AUS) 38-40, Robby Shelton (USA) 39-39, Nick Mason (USA) 38-40, Anthony Broussard (USA) 40-38
79 - Robert Allenby (AUS) 39-40, Tom Lewis (ENG) 42-37, Bobby Gates (USA) 40-39, Lucas Glover (USA) 37-42, Andrew Dorn (USA) 43-36
80 - Chris Thompson (USA) 38-42
81 - Kiyoshi Miyazato (JPN) 42-39
82 - Brandon McIver (USA) 40-42, Donald Constable (USA) 42-40