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Mickelson Holds Firm at US Open
Day Boosts Aussie Hopes at US Open
Korean-Born Amateur Brings US Open Thrills
English Trio Poised for Major Breakthrough
Nightmare Open Rounds Drop Tiger, Mcilroy Well Back
Oldie but Goodie Stricker Eyes Major Breakthrough
Mickelson Holds Firm at US Open
ARDMORE, June 16, 2013 (AFP) - Phil Mickelson repelled a host of challengers in the third round of the US Open on Saturday to hang onto his lead after a dramatic day of jousting among the world's top players.
The American started the day with a one-stroke lead, saw six different players overtake him, and then rebounded at the death to move back ahead by the smallest of margins on one-under 209.
It was a compelling afternoon which gave the big crowds at Merion Golf Club an ever-changing tableau of golfing fortunes and it set the stage for a dogfight on Sunday with 14 players grouped within six strokes of the leader.
And once again, magical Merion came out on top, with only Mickelson remaining under par as the gnarled old course bared its fangs.
Three players -- Charl Schwartzel (69), Steve Stricker (70) and Hunter Mahan (69) -- were one back on level par 210, with Luke Donald (71), Justin Rose (71) and Billy Horschel (72) a further stroke back.
The 42-year-old crowd favorite Mickelson, seeking a US Open win after a record five runner-up finishes said that he relished the challenge of being leader going into Sunday.
"I love being in the thick of it," he said.
"I've had opportunities in year's past, and it has been fun, even though it's been heart breaking to come so close a number of times and let it slide.
"But I feel better equipped that I have ever felt heading into the final round of a US Open."
Mickelson and in-form countryman Horschel started the day in the lead at one under but were soon reeled in by the hungry, chasing pack.
Australia's John Senden, with one win in 10 years on the US tour, briefly took over before being joined by world top tenners Rose and Donald.
Then Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters champion, made his move as the fancied English pair, both of whom are aiming to become the first from their country to win the US Open since Tony Jacklin 43 years ago, briefly faltered.
Former world number one Donald rejoined the South African atop the leaderboard at one under with his second birdie of the day at the eighth and, for the first time in the round, there was clear water between the leaders and the rest of the field.
Schwartzel and Donald stayed ahead for several holes before American Mahan emerged from the pack with four birdies in seven holes down the back nine to become the seventh player on the day to edge his nose in front.
But after Schwartzel, Mahan and Donald all bogeyed the tough par-three 17th, Mickelson got the biggest cheer of the day when he birdied the same hole.
That put him back ahead for the first time since he bogeyed the third hole and put him in sight of the prize he says he cherises the most.
Mahan, seeking his first win in a major at the age of 31, said Sunday's finale over Merion's tough last two holes could be something special.
"It's the teeth of the course," he said. "You just don't know what's going to happen. It's going to be a very, very exciting finish because I don't think any lead is safe."
Schwartzel said that his breakthrough win at Augusta National two years ago would stand him in good sted.
"It helps a lot to know that I've got a major under my belt, so I don't have to worry about getting the first one," he said.
"Obviously you want to get more and more and more, but that monkey is off the shoulder, so I can go ahead and concentrate on trying to finish off a golf tournament."
There was no place on the leaderboard, however, for the two biggest names in the game -- Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.
Four strokes back of the lead at the start of the round and playing together for the third day in a row, the American and the Ulsterman got off to the best of possible starts by sinking 12-footers for birdies at the first.
But McIlroy drove out of bounds at the second for a bogey and they both dropped shots at the par-three third after under-cooking their tee-shots.
They both then bogeyed the fifth as the much-anticipated challenges from the two top-ranking players in the world badly fizzled out.
By the time they trudged off the course, Woods (76) and McIlroy (75) were respectively nine and eight shots adrift of the leaders and, to all intents and purposes, out of contention.
"It certainly is frustrating," said Woods.
"At Augusta (Masters) I was pretty close and I had the lead at one point and I hit that flag and ended up in the water.
"This week I was cleaning up the rounds and I'm one shot off the lead starting the last day without any three putts. And I'm playing well enough to do it and unfortunately just haven't gotten it done."
Two of the best rounds of the day came from American Rickie Fowler, who had a 67 to stay in contention at three over, and Australian Jason Day, who carded a 68 to move up to two over.
Day Boosts Aussie Hopes at US Open
ARDMORE, June 16, 2013 (AFP) - Adam Scott's hopes of back-to-back major wins may have vanished, but Jason Day's form at the US Open has kept alive hopes of an unlikely Australian Grand Slam.
World number three Scott, who became an instant national hero in April when he became the first Australian to win the Masters, only just squeezed into the weekend on seven over.
He needed a third round somewhere in the 60s on Saturday, but instead, a three-over 73 left him 11 shots adrift of leader Phil Mickelson and out of contention.
John Senden and Mathew Goggin had been the leading Australians going into the third round, but though Senden briefly had sole possession of the lead after a birdie-bidie start, they both fell away.
Senden settled for a 74 which put him six strokes behind Mickelson, while Goggin had a 76 and is nine shots adrift.
Stepping forward was 25-year-old Queenslander Day, who had a two under 68, the second-best score of the third round, which hoisted him into contention at two over.
Day came close to winning the Masters in April, before his putting let him down over the last few holes, and he has a runner-up finish at the US Open, albeit eight strokes behind 2011 champion Rory McIlroy.
The four majors, he said brings out in the best in him.
"Really, the majors are kind of where it's at," he said.
"I think that it really defines a career. I mean, you're playing against the best players in the world at the highest level on the toughest golf courses, and I think that I just really enjoy playing in front of a lot of people and playing against the best."
Day also takes heart from the form of the Austraian contingent on the US tour this year and he is aware that the first Australian to win the US Open in 1981 was David Graham at the same Merion Golf Club hosting this week's tournament.
What could be more appropriate that winning again for the green and gold to make it two majors for Australia this year with two to go?
"It would be good for the Aussie Grand Slam. That would be really nice," he said when asked what it would mean to win on Sunday.
"I think that Australian golf is in good shape right now, especially with how everyone's playing. Goggin and Senden this week are playing great.
"It would mean the world to me if I could win my first major here. I've had a couple of opportunities to win before, but to actually win on I think one of the toughest US Opens that I've ever played, to know that my game is good enough to compete and win out here on this golf course, would be great.
Korean-Born Amateur Brings US Open Thrills
ARDMORE, June 16, 2013 (AFP) - Eighty years after the US Open was last won by an amateur, a 19-year-old South Korean-born amateur raised hopes Saturday that the feat might be repeated this weekend at Merion.
American Michael Kim, ranked 12th in the world among amateur players and considered among the top US college golfers, birdied four of the first six holes on the back nine to reach third place at level par for the event.
But the teen's stunning third round came crashing down over the final three holes, with bogeys at 16 and 18 and a double bogey at the par-3 17th leaving him at one-over 71 for the day and four-over 214 after 54 holes.
"It was a great day and it has been a great week and I'm just looking forward to tomorrow," Kim said.
In 10th place, only five strokes behind leader Phil Mickelson, Kim has a chance to make history on Sunday by winning on the same course where legend Bobby Jones completed a sweep of the 1930 US and British Opens and Amateurs.
"I didn't really know what to expect coming in, honestly, just wanted to make the cut. I thought that would be a pretty good week," Kim said. "I come in here with not too much expectations and just trying to keep it that way."
Making a run up the scoreboard could also prove a distraction for a sectional qualifier who is slightly starstruck this week.
"I kept looking at the leaderboard, not because I wanted to know how I was doing in the tournament, but it was so cool to see my name next to those names like Mickelson, (Luke) Donald, (Charl) Schwartzel," Kim said.
"It was just an incredible feeling."
Not since John Goodman in 1933 has an amateur won the US Open, but this year marks the 100th anniversary of the first time it happened, Francis Ouimet's epic 1913 upset of British stars Harry Vardon and Ted Ray.
Kim's effort had another historical aspect, stirring memories of the 1971 US Open at Merion when amateur Jim Simons led by two strokes after 54 holes and was only one stroke adrift before a closing double bogey doomed his bid.
"At 15, kind of went through that what if situation in my head -- what if I won or what if I did this," Kim said. "But it was cool and I tried to snap back out of it, but I hit an awful tee shot on the next hole."
That was the start of trouble for Kim. It was the last three holes that snared him as they did almost all of the other leaders.
"I didn't feel that nervous, but I definitely think I was, looking back on it, and made just a few loose swings and just a couple bad putts," Kim said.
"Probably on 16 I got a little nervous, a little too excited. But I was pretty calm the entire day."
Kim was so unprepared for the Open that he arrived on Monday without a caddie and with some help was linked with Merion bagman LaRue Temple, who at 30 has caddied at Merion almost half his life.
"It has been great so far," Kim said. "He has been a great help."
Kim has a running bet with world number one Tiger Woods about winning the US Open and the amateur will start five strokes ahead of his hero on Sunday.
"If I do finish in front of him, great," Kim said. "If I finish behind him, that's fine."
No matter how he fares on Sunday, Kim has had a thrilling experience already.
"It has been pretty special," Kim said. "It's been definitely a memorable week and one that I'll probably never forget."
English Trio Poised for Major Breakthrough
ARDMORE, June 16, 2013 (AFP) - English trio Luke Donald, Justin Rose and Ian Poulter are all still in the hunt at the US Open after Saturday's third round, but poor finishes left them with ground to make up.
They all have the same goals this week at Merion Golf Club.
The want to finally win a first major after years of frustrations, to become the first Englishman to win the US Open since Tony Jacklin 43 years ago, and the first to win a major since Nick Faldo 17 years ago.
Success for one of them would make him an instant sporting hero back home in Britain and clear the way for further tilts at major titles without the heavy weight of expectations on his shoulders.
Both Donald and Rose were in the lead or in a share of the lead during the third round, but Donald closed with a double bogey six and Rose bogeyed the last two holes.
Donald said that fatigue could have been a factor in his fluffed approach shot to the tough 18th, which saw his ball disappear into thick rough to the right of the green.
He could only hack out to the back of the green and he took three to get down from there.
"I should have done better. It was disappointing," he said.
"But I'll take the positives out of today, a really solid 16 holes of golf that I played and I'm only two back."
The 35-year-old Donald said that if he had inspiration to draw for Sunday's showdown, it would be from the player who leads him by two shots -- Phil Mickelson.
"When you look at Phil, he started winning majors around 34 or 35. So I think that I have some time on my side, luckily, in this game.
"Of course that's my goal. I want to win majors. I got to number one in the world and I've won a great amount of tournaments around the world, but I would dearly love to win one of these."
The inspiration for 32-year-old Rose comes from another source, Australia's Adam Scott, who finally won his first major at the same age in the Masters in April.
"I feel like this week's been a good learning curve for me. I've not stumbled, but I've worked," he said.
"Like Adam Scott, for example, he knows exactly what's worked for him in terms of preparation for majors and I feel like this week's been a big learning curve for me for what I can take forward as well."
Rose, like Donald, is two shots behind Mickelson, but says that such is the severity of Merion, especially over the last five holes, that no lead is safe until the last putt drops and he fancies his own chances.
"One or two shots on this golf course can disappear in a heartbeat," he said.
"There's a lot of momentum swings out here. I feel like I'm in great position.
"If you would have said to me Thursday morning, 'Hey, this is where you're going to be entering Sunday,' I would absolutely have taken it."
The task for Poulter is tougher as the 73 he shot left him six shots off the pace set by Mickelson with nine other players -- including Donald and Rose -- ahead of him.
That was due to an errant tee-shot at the 15th, which he said was the only stain on what had otherwise been a solid enough round of golf.
"I hit one poor shot all day; that was that tee shot on 15," he said.
"I hit the same club, the second time around hit it in the middle of the fairway, hit it to 12 feet, easy double bogey."
Nightmare Open Rounds Drop Tiger, Mcilroy Well Back
ARDMORE, June 16, 2013 (AFP) - World number one Tiger Woods and second-ranked Rory McIlroy played together for the third round in a row on Saturday at the US Open, but it was most assuredly not third time charmed.
Both golf stars stumbled out of contention entering Sunday's final round at punishing Merion Golf Club, with Woods 10 strokes off the pace of 54-hole leader Phil Mickelson and McIlroy nine shots adrift.
"It's certainly frustrating," Woods said. "I was feeling like I was playing well this week. I just didn't make the putts I needed to make. I'm playing well enough to do it and unfortunately just haven't gotten it done."
Woods, a 14-time major champion who has not won a major title since the 2008 US Open, struggled to a six-over par 76 to stand on nine-over 219 after 54 holes -- 10 strokes behind leader Phil Mickelson in a share of 31st place.
McIlroy, the 2011 US Open and 2012 PGA Championship winner, fired a 75 to stand on 218, a share of 25th, but the Northern Ireland prodigy realized his title hopes were gone.
"It would take something unbelievable and the scores aren't that low out there," McIlroy said. "I guess, if I play well, try and get in the top 10, that would be realistic."
"You get on the wrong side of the greens and it's just frightening because I didn't feel like I played too badly.
"I was trying to get myself back into it, but it's tough. If you're just not 100 percent on top of your game, it's going to expose some of your flaws or weaknesses."
Both Woods and McIlroy opened with 12-foot birdie putts then followed with seven bogeys each the rest of the way. McIlroy added a birdie at the seventh to finish ahead of Woods but neither looked anywhere near major-winning form.
"We both struggled today," Woods said. "We both didn't get ourselves back in the tournament. We did what we needed to do at the first hole and got off to a nice start. He made a mistake at the second and I made a few mistakes on the front nine myself."
Woods, nagged by a left arm injury, was short of the green in deep rough at the par-3 third and made bogey. He found a fairway divot and left a putt short to bogey the fifth and his approach at six rolled back down a slope to him to set up another bogey.
Woods opened and closed the back nine with bogeys and botched a two-foot par putt at the 16th.
"At least I started well," Woods said of the lone birdie putt he made on Merion's malevolent greens.
"Basically I just didn't have the speed right this week and it certainly showed," Woods said. "I didn't make anything today. I just couldn't get a feel for them."
McIlroy sandwiched four bogeys in five holes between his birdies then made more at nine, 11 and 15 to seal his fate.
"I just went into a bad stretch there," he said. "I thought that maybe I would have a few chances and I just wasn't able to take advantage of those."
McIlroy, who struggled early this season after changing equipment, said his game is coming around despite his horror-show round.
"I don't feel like it's too far away at all," he said. "It's just a matter of believing and staying patient and working hard and knowing that you work on the right thing, you're going to turn it around."
That self-belief, however, has been hard to come by, as has the swing motion he desires.
"I think it's confidence and fluidity. I don't have any other way to explain it," McIlroy said.
Oldie but Goodie Stricker Eyes Major Breakthrough
ARDMORE, June 16, 2013 (AFP) - Steve Stricker would become the oldest champion in US Open history and the second-oldest in major golf history if he can pull off his first major title on Sunday at the US Open.
The 46-year-old American fired a par 70 in Saturday's third round at Merion to stand on level par 210, sharing second with Hunter Mahan and Charl Schwartzel but only one stroke behind four-time major winner Phil Mickelson.
"To win a major would be unbelievable," Stricker said. "But I'm not trying to think about that yet. I'm just trying to execute the shots that I know how to do and take one shot at a time and go from there.
"It would mean a lot. It really would. But it's going to be a challenge tomorrow."
Stricker would surpass Hale Irwin, who won the 1990 US Open at age 45, as the oldest winner of the event and would trail only Julius Boros, who was 48 when he won the 1968 PGA Championship.
Stricker, who this year adopted a part-time schedule in order to spend more time with his family and focus his efforts for major tournaments, also would be two weeks older than Old Tom Morris when he won the 1867 British Open and about a month older than Jack Nicklaus when he won the 1986 Masters.
Age has taken some things from Stricker but left him with the skill and patience to grind out pars and make the most of the few chances Merion offers.
"I'm not the longest hitter in the field," he said. "There are some holes out here that I have to really work hard to make pars on. It's a long course for me."
Stricker knows that younger rivals can take different approaches but his must be calculated and precise.
"I've got to play smart golf. I've got to not make any mistakes," Stricker said. "That's the biggest thing. And it's a course where it's tough to come back from. You've got to take advantage of some of those shorter holes and give yourself some opportunities."
Stricker did that earlier this year, finishing second at the WGC event in Doral and making a solid start at the Masters before a last-day 75 dropped him to a share of 20th.
But his part-timer status has enabled Stricker to build confidence even after a month off the tour before coming to Merion.
"I really didn't know what to expect," Stricker said. "But I just figured that I'm in a good place mentally, I'm enjoying my time at home, so it all makes sense in my mind and I guess that's the most important thing."
"I'm pleasantly surprised and happy that I'm playing well and it shows that I can take this time off and still be competitive."
Collated scores on Saturday after the third round of the 113th US Open at at 6,996-yard, par-70 Merion Golf Club:
209 - Phil Mickelson (USA) 67-72-70
210 - Hunter Mahan (USA) 72-69-69, Charl Schwartzel (RSA) 70-71-69, Steve Stricker (USA) 71-69-70
211 - Justin Rose (ENG) 71-69-71, Luke Donald (ENG) 68-72-71, Billy Horschel (USA) 72-67-72
212 - Jason Day (AUS) 70-74-68
213 - Rickie Fowler (USA) 70-76-67
214 - Michael Kim (USA) 73-70-71
215 - Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (ESP) 71-72-72, Henrik Stenson (SWE) 74-68-73, Ian Poulter (ENG) 71-71-73, Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) 69-72-74, John Senden (AUS) 70-71-74
216 - David Lingmerth (SWE) 74-71-71, Paul Casey (ENG) 73-72-71, Charley Hoffman (USA) 71-73-72, Paul Lawrie (SCO) 76-71-69, Lee Westwood (ENG) 70-77-69, Bo Van Pelt (USA) 73-71-72, Ernie Els (RSA) 71-72-73
217 - Bubba Watson (USA) 71-76-70, Edward Loar (USA) 73-71-73
218 - Jason Dufner (USA) 74-71-73, Jerry Kelly (USA) 70-73-75, Rory McIlroy (NIR) 73-70-75, Mathew Goggin (AUS) 68-74-76, Morten Orum Madsen (DEN) 74-74-70, Brandt Snedeker (USA) 74-74-70
219 - Jamie Donaldson (WAL) 73-73-73, Pan Cheng-Tsung (TPE) 72-72-75, John Huh (USA) 71-73-75, Matt Kuchar (USA) 74-73-72, John Parry (ENG) 76-71-72, Padraig Harrington (IRL) 73-71-75, Matt Bettencourt (USA) 72-71-76, Tiger Woods (USA) 73-70-76
220 - Scott Langley (USA) 75-70-75, Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) 71-75-74, Adam Scott (AUS) 72-75-73, Kim Bi-O (KOR) 72-75-73, David Hearn (CAN) 78-69-73
221 - K.J Choi (KOR) 70-76-75, Webb Simpson (USA) 71-75-75, Sergio Garcia (ESP) 73-73-75, Carl Pettersson (SWE) 72-75-74, Marcel Siem (GER) 73-71-77, George Coetzee (RSA) 71-73-77, Russell Knox (SCO) 69-75-77, Geoff Ogilvy (AUS) 74-70-77
222 - Kevin Chappell (USA) 72-76-74, Josh Teater (USA) 74-74-74, Nicolas Thompson (USA) 72-76-74
223 - Martin Laird (SCO) 74-73-76, Scott Stallings (USA) 71-76-76, Steven Alker (NZL) 73-75-75, Dustin Johnson (USA) 71-77-75, Mike Weir (CAN) 72-76-75
224 - Alistair Presnell (AUS) 73-75-76, Jim Herman (USA) 76-72-76, Matt Weibring (USA) 75-73-76
225 - David Howell (ENG) 77-71-77, Martin Kaymer (GER) 76-72-77
226 - Michael Weaver (USA) 74-74-78, John Peterson (USA) 73-75-78, Kevin Phelan (IRL) 71-77-78
227 - Peter Hedblom (SWE) 70-78-79
230 - Shawn Stefani (USA) 72-73-85, Kyle Stanley (USA) 71-74-85, Simon Kahn (ENG) 74-74-82
231 - Kevin Sutherland (USA) 73-74-84
232 - Robert Karlsson (SWE) 74-72-86