U.S. Open Reads: Early Monday Edition

us open icon.jpgDon't forget, if you want to send Geoff Ogilvy your congratulations, check out this post where you can do so. And if for some reason you need relive this site's live blog of the final round, the here's the link.

From Lawrence Donegan's game story: The tall, rangy Australian has been the best kept secret in the game for some time. No longer.

Mike Aiken focuses on Monty.

Doug Ferguson files the first of many Phil collapse stories, with a comparison of Phil's finish to Jean Van de Velde at Carnoustie.

David Ginsburg says Ogilvy was a bit lucky but also says that he deserves credit for positioning himself to be the beneficiary of some good fortune.

David Normoyle's behind the scenes journal at USOpen.com offers some great stuff about NBC's effort to interview Phil, a smooth last moment question by Bob Costas courtesy of an earpiece assist, and other great inside the ropes stuff you won't read elsewhere.

Mark Soltau has some insider tidbits from the locker room on the Golf Digest blog.

Golfonline has a nice slideshow of pictures, including a priceless shot of Vijay looking at Ian Poulter's all pink outfit.

If there was any doubt the media let us down this week, check out Seth Davis's report on the Ogilvy press conference.

Just sat in on Geoff Ogilvy's sparsely-attended winner's press conference. In fact, if you removed the Australian writers from the room, you would have probably had as many people in attendance if Tadd Fujikawa, the 15-year-old amateur from Hawaii, was the one holding forth.

I certainly don't say that to disparage Ogilvy. Not at all. He is the champion of the United States Open, and his name will be engraved on that trophy alongside the greatest who ever played the game. He is also no fluke. Ogilvy is ranked 17th in the world, he has won twice on the PGA Tour (including the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship earlier this year) and he was 5th on the PGA Tour's money list coming into the Open.

Matthew Rudy scores big points for taking on the USGA setup and questions the point of trainwreck golf. My Lord, someone in Wilton isn't afraid to tell it like it is!

But something is fundamentally wrong here. Players aren't encouraged to make decisions at a U.S. Open venue. They're encouraged to thread it down 25-yard-wide fairways, hit it to the middle of the green and hope that one of those 20-footers snakes in for birdie every once in awhile. Maybe you'll catch a lie in the rough. Maybe your ball will bury in the bunker. Maybe you'll make one more double than the guy in your pairing and you'll blow it all.

And finally, round 4's eye-opening stats:

Cost of rough on the 17th hole Sunday: -.086

Field's fairways hit Sunday: 46.1%

Cost of rough on the non-tiered rough holes: .507 (5), 943 (6), .356(11)

Fairway hit % on 15 Sunday: 23.8%

Ogilvy's Post Final Round Comments

First, Ogilvy's TV transcript:

Q. Talk about the chronology of coming down and seeing what happened with Phil, and maybe from your 17th hole?

GEOFF OGILVY: 17, I thought I was in a bit of trouble. Obviously I was way in the boonies, had a terrible lie, tried to go for a bit too much but thought I had to at that point. I thought 4 under was going to be the number because Monty just made birdie on 17, and I thought one of them was going to finish at about 3 or 4. Left it in the rough, missed the green. Yeah, wow, chipped it in. Just scary. What do you say? I mean, a shot that you wait your whole life to chip it in in a situation like that when you need to, and then you do.

Monty was on the fairway on 18, and I thought he's going to hit the green and make a 4 and I'll have to make a birdie. I hit the best drive I hit all week right there. It wasn't in a divot; it was my end of a divot, so it didn't really affect how I hit the ball. It might have slowed the ball down because of the sand, but in the air I thought it was going pretty close, I have to say. I was pretty happy with my second shot.

After the first time all week it kind of hits and spins back. There have been some big bounces out here so it's weird. It's flying another foot, it's right down the hill. I thought I'll get this up and down and I'll lose by a shot, that's what I thought. It was a tricky chip shot, and I hit a good shot and made the putt, and I thought 2nd in the Open is pretty good. That's a good spot.

Phil is probably going to think about that one for a while because that's hard to swallow. I thought I would make a playoff because 18 is a hard hole, but I never thought that would happen.

And now this really nice bit of information and insight, followed by a candidate for rallykiller of the year.
The greens here are so well designed, you've just got to play the hole backwards before you start. You've got to know if you're going to miss the tee shots you're going to miss the shots because they're narrow, extremely narrow. So if you're going to miss it, you've got to miss it on the correct side so you can run it up near the green to a spot where you're going to have a chance of getting it up and down.

On a good golf course you have to think backwards like that. Augusta National you have to think backwards. I like a golf course that makes you think that way. St. Andrews makes you do that.

I enjoy that aspect of golf, you know, just really plotting my way around there and thinking about it.

Q. You're going to be the first Australian since '95 to win a major.

Why would you want to get him to expand on those interesting thoughts when you can remind him for the ninth time that he's the first Aussie to win a major since Elk at Riviera!

And now, for the sit down with the writers and Rand Jerris hosting. We join in with him talking about 17, which NBC didn't show us much of.
17 is the birdiable one out of the throw. I hit a drive to the left, had a terrible lie off the fairway. At that point, after I hit my second shot there, I'm still in the long stuff 100 yards from the green, and it's not really looking very good here. Let's get some damage control and get in as good as you can.

I actually hit a pretty decent shot and missed the green, but pretty close to catching the slope and having a 10 or 12 footer. I was just hung up in the rough, and I thought now you're really done for.

My caddie, Squirrel, he said, "Just chip it in. Why don't you just chip it in (laughter)." You wait your whole life to have a chance to chip one in the last three holes of a major, but when you do it, it took me by surprise a little bit. You try to make it go in, but you don't expect it.

Then on 18, I thought, well, if I knew Monty had hit the fairway, and he was at 4 and I was at 5, I thought he's on the fairway, he's going to make a 4 or a 3. I started almost patting Monty on the back earlier. I thought it was pretty impressive because he was 1 under for the day at that point. That's pretty good golf right there.

Then I saw him three putt and I figured he made bogey. I thought, "Well, now Phil is the only one in front of me." I thought, "If you can get it close here and make birdie, you have a chance." I knew Phil had parred 17 before I even hit off the 18th tee.

Then hit a great shot, kind of ballooned a bit, but I still thought it was good. It was all over the pin and it needed to go forward another couple of feet, and I thought I had hit my career shot there. But it caught a soft bounce and came all the way back down the hill. And then I thought I was really done for. I mean, you're not going to do it from here.

I hit the chip shot that I had to hit and made the putt that I had to make. I thought, "Make this and come in second in the Open on your own. That's a pretty good result."

I was hitting that putt thinking this may get me in a playoff. I mean, I was pretty nervy over it, it was a pretty big putt. But I never thought Phil would make bogey at the last. He ended up making double, and it's got to be a hard one to swallow for Phil because he's obviously been the outstanding player at majors in the last eight or nine months. Ever since Augusta, he's been playing well in majors. The first time he won Augusta, he's been there most every time.

He's obviously worked out the major formula, he'll hit it on the green, make a par, make New York happy, but it worked out in my favor. Sometimes things go your way and sometimes they don't, and I'm glad it happened in the U.S. Open.

Q. Can you talk a bit about whether it helped playing with a pink Ian Poulter and whether that took some of the tension away from you?

GEOFF OGILVY: Well, what can you say? A guy turns up with a pink golf bag and pink pants. My caddie actually said, "What do you think Ian is going to wear tomorrow," because it's the last day of a major and you knew he was going to wear something that everybody notices. He's been quite calm with what he was wearing this week. It's all pink, the bag and everything. It kept the New Yorkers pretty happy. They had quite a bit to say. It was quite entertaining hearing what they were coming up with.

I guess in New York they're going to yell at somebody, and they tended to yell at the guy who's dressed in pink (laughter).

And...
Q. Geoff, congratulations, mate. What do you think this will do for Australian golf and most of the other Australians in the field, most of them with their PGA TOUR card, particularly Australian golf?

GEOFF OGILVY: Hopefully Australians will win four majors in a row or something, who knows. Australian golf has been struggling the last two or three years. There's five different guys who have won already this year. That's pretty impressive for a country with 18 million people or 19 million people. Hard to explain why it's so good at the moment.

Again, it's a snowball effect. One guy plays well we all used to go to Europe, but now everyone seems to come here because this really is the only place to play at the end of the day if you want to prepare for the majors.

Now everyone is coming here it seems like to see if they can get in as part of golf on the U.S. Tour. I mean, I don't know, Australian golf is pretty strong at the moment. Hopefully we get a bunch of majors in the next four or five years. There's plenty of guys that can do it.

And... 
Q. Can you tell us where you were watching Phil play that last hole and what that scene was like for you?

GEOFF OGILVY: Yeah, it was pretty surreal. How many times do you watch a telecast and you watch the guy who's just finished, watch the guy come up the last. I must have done it a thousand times, watching the guy watching the TV (laughter). And that was me (laughter).

I was watching it in the scorer's hut for most of it. I just signed my card and sat there. There was a TV in there. Then they moved me into the locker room because I guess probably give Phil a bit of space. He didn't want me sitting in his chair when he came into the scorer's hut. Then I got out there and watched the actual moment when Phil didn't chip it in in the locker room.

Q. You've won a major and your life is certainly going to change. How do you think you're going to cope with that?

GEOFF OGILVY: Hopefully well. Hopefully well. Hopefully I don't change at all. I mean, I'll be a more confident player and on my resume it looks better to know that I did it. Hopefully I don't change very much. I don't really want to. Hopefully I don't have a post bash major slump. I've never won a major so I don't know how I'm going to go from now on.

But I'm taking a bit of time off the next few weeks to get ready for Hoylake. It's going to actually be my next golf tournament actually. A few weeks to think about it, let it sink in. British Open is one of my favorite tournaments in the world. Hopefully I can play well there again.

Q. Forgive me, but I didn't get a chance to see that chip on 17. Can you just kind of set it up for me, exactly where the ball stopped and how many feet you were shooting at and what the loft was on the club?
Holy cow! A writer asking forgiveness for not having seen the action. A first!
GEOFF OGILVY: It was my lob wedge, 60 degrees. It was in the semi rough, not the heavy stuff, but it was kind of near the heavy rough. The heavy stuff was kind of four inches behind my ball, which made it a little bit more awkward than you'd want it. It was a 30 foot chip shot, 25 foot chip shot, downhill, left to right. I put about four putts on the back nine that looked like they were going in and they missed low, dived low right at the end. This chip shot looked low the whole way. I thought it was going to miss low the whole way, and for some bizarre reason, it hung on and went in. It's just, wow. You try to chip it in, but when it does go in, it's pretty surprising.

Q. Was it from the front right?

GEOFF OGILVY: I was chipping from just short of pin high left.

And finally...

Q. Which club did you grow up playing at?

GEOFF OGILVY: The first bunch of golf I ever played was at Sandringham Golf Course, which is the golf course across the road from Royal Melbourne. You turn right in the gate of Royal Melbourne, you turn left to go to Royal Ann. You'd pay eight bucks to play there on Saturdays. Then I joined Cheltenham Golf Club, which is right next door to Victoria Golf Club, which is the golf course I'm still a member of today.

Q. Talk about your mental process and how it's improved over the years. Can you pinpoint why and what happened to help you in that process?

GEOFF OGILVY: There was not like a lightbulb, it wasn't like an epiphany or anything. It was just a gradual realization that for the most part the best players out here are the best because they're the best up here. It's just the maturing process. If you're at 18, you don't want to hear that; you just want to hear you've got to hit the ball good and then it'll take care of itself. You go through and you play with guys, you do it yourself, you kind of self destruct and you get down on yourself.

And then you play with guys and see it from another perspective and see another guy self destruct and kind of get in his own way, if you like. The longer you play, you get older and wiser and smarter and start realizing that it's not very constructive to have anything but an exemplary attitude.

Tiger Woods is the best golfer in the world because he's got the best brain. He hits the ball well, but there's plenty of guys that hit the ball well. But he's got the best head. He's probably got the second best head in history next to Jack, and it might turn out that Tiger's might be more impressive than Jack's. Nicklaus' was obviously the best because his brain was the best, no doubt.

You just slowly come across the realization that you'd better be smarter about it, I guess. I don't know.

Mickelson's Post Final Round Comments

From ASAP:

Q. Talk about the disappointment that you must be feeling.

PHIL MICKELSON: Well, I still am in shock that I did that. I just can't believe that I did that. I am such an idiot. I just couldn't hit a fairway all day. I just couldn't hit a fairway all day.

I tried to go to my bread and butter shot, a baby carve slice on 18 and just get it in the fairway, and I missed it left. It was still okay, wasn't too bad. I just can't believe I couldn't par the last hole. It really stings.

As a kid I dreamt of winning this tournament. I came out here and worked hard all four days, haven't made a bogey all week and then bogeyed the last hole. Even a bogey would have gotten me into a playoff. I just can't believe I did that.

Q. What happened on the second shot? What was your lie like?

PHIL MICKELSON: I had a good lie. I had to hit a big carving slice around the tree and over cut it, just like I over cut the tee shot and some of the other shots. Obviously, in hindsight, if I hit it in the gallery and it doesn't cut, I am fine. I can still make bogey, even par. I ended up hitting the tree.

Q. You were trying to go around the tree, not over it?

PHIL MICKELSON: Around, yeah.

Q. When it didn't clear, what ran through your mind when you didn't do that?

PHIL MICKELSON: Again, I just couldn't believe it.

Q. Was there something that was right in your eye?

PHIL MICKELSON: I was far enough back where I could move it around and get it up on the green, or certainly by it. I had a nice lie and just over cut it, just cut too quick right in the tree.

And you have to love his honesty...

Q. The second shot on 18, how close was that to being a perfect shot, maybe a foot or two?

PHIL MICKELSON: No, it wasn't that close. It over cut quite a bit. It had to go through it. Instead it hit a branch and went right back at me.

And this could get the award for most ridiculous question:

Q. About the Open, you weren't the only one who had trouble coming down the stretch. Colin double bogeyed the last hole, as well. What is it about the Open that creates such anxiety with you guys?

If I'm Phil, I just say sayonara at that point. He's a Saint for continuing...

PHIL MICKELSON: Well, it's a hard test of golf. I mean, it's just hard. Fairways are tight, they're brick hard. I hit two good 4 irons right in the middle of the fairway, on 15, on 11. Neither one stayed in the fairway. I mean, they were perfect 4 irons in the middle of the fairway. It's just hard to hit fairways here, and I made it look extremely difficult.

Q. We know that every U.S. Open course pinches the fairways and grows the rough. Do you feel that Winged Foot may be our toughest U.S. Open venue because of the severe contours of the greens?

PHIL MICKELSON: I don't know why it has played out as the toughest venue, but it certainly is the toughest U.S. Open venue we play, and the scores certainly reflect that.

Montgomerie's Post Final Round Comments

A bizarre session between Monty and the media:

Q. Talk about the last hole.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Thank you, yeah. The last hole I played was 17 actually, so that was good (laughter). 17 was a drive outright and a 5 iron through the trees and a 40 foot putt. That was the last hole of golf I played.

Q. How difficult was this?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: This is as difficult as it gets. You wonder sometimes why you put yourself through this. I doubled the last there and Phil holed a very good putt to double the last. It's a very tricky hole, but it shouldn't be that tricky from the fairway. I did the hard thing, hit the fairway. That's my strength normally. I hit the wrong club for my second shot. We put ourselves into poor position after two shots, and then it was difficult from then on because that green is very fast.

Geoff holed a great putt for a par to avoid a four way playoff there, and all credit to him. He was the last man standing, really. It was the last man in.

At my age I've got to think positively. I'm 43 next week, and it's nice I can come back to this tournament and do well again, and I look forward to coming back here again next year and try another U.S. Open. Disaster (laughter).

And a little more sarcasm...
Q. Did thoughts of a victory come to you once you made that great putt at 17?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: No, you don't think about winning when you're one ahead with one to play, no (laughter).

Q. What was the yardage on the second shot

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Not at all, no thoughts of victory at all. I was just having a Sunday game, just a game with Vijay, just a few thousand people watching, that was all (laughter).

Q. Yardage on the second shot at 18?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: 172.

Q. Did you switch club?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: I switched from a 6 to a 7. I thought adrenaline would kick in. I usually hit the ball ten yards further in that circumstance. I caught it slightly heavy and it went slightly right. It was a poor shot, no question about that, and I put myself into poor position.

Q. You referred to this as a disaster, and yet the winner is 5 over par. Would you say it was a fair test of golf?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Very fair test of golf. Par means nothing, it's the total that counts, and 285 is actually a very good score around here. It's a very demanding test, the most demanding test we've ever had, and 285 is a great score because actually it's par 72 anyway. There's no problem with plus 5, no. I think the USGA set the course up very well, and all credit to them.


Furyk's Post Final Round Comments

From ASAP:

Q. A couple of guys have talked about the grass on the greens and how even a two or three foot putt really was at the mercy of the grass. How difficult was it coming in to concentrate on any lines when you know it's going to wiggle?

JIM FURYK: It's wiggly, and you have to just get out there and hit as best a putt you can and hit it solid and hope it works out. If your putting is a touch off and you get on greens where the ball is going to wiggle, it'll play with you pretty good.

I really felt like I stroked the ball well this week, felt like I hit a lot of good putts. I kind of could tell whether it was me or whether it was wiggling, but if you're just a little off, sometimes you start doubting, did I push it, I don't know. It's difficult conditions out there.
And...
Q. (Inaudible).

JIM FURYK: Pin placements were difficult, but I don't think you'll hear any whining about unfair or anything like that. I thought the golf course was tough, but it was playable, and I thought they did a good job with the setup.

Q. With Phil having his success in majors, do you think anybody else will start adopting his path of taking days to examine major venues in the future?

JIM FURYK: You know, I think a lot of guys come to major venues beforehand, it's just y'all don't follow them around with a radar (laughter). I think a lot of guys do stuff like that, and it's just not heard of very often. It's hard to get a feel for how a golf course is going to play four weeks before because it's not in U.S. Open condition. You can get a look and get a feel for where the holes go, but it's tough.

 

Harrington's Post Final Round Comments

From ASAP:

Q. Is it the course or is it the pressure that just got to everybody here at the end?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: It's a combination of the two. Without a doubt, you're looking at a difficult golf course. You get slightly out of position and then you get slightly out of position at the end of a U.S. Open, it's tough, definitely. It's a combination of both things. At the end of the day, the guy who wins the U.S. Open chips in on 17. That was just a phenomenal chip he hit at 18. That's what the winner does.

Another guy, it's either bogeys or double bogeys the last, that's what it is. The winner does do the things right at the end of the day, but he's only a hair's breadth from being like the other guys. It's getting into position and hoping the cards fall at the right place at the right time.

Is Ogilvy's Par On 18 One Of The Best Ever?

ogilvy.jpgBefore the world gets carried away with analyzing Phil's play, and they focus (rightfully) on the Ogilvy chip in at 17, consider Geoff's play on 18.

Perfect drive, finds a divot, hits a flush approach that actually sneaks a peak at the main green floor before rollling off. He then hits a brilliant lob shot to about 4 feet above the hole, makes a downhiller for par which he knew was probably good enough to get him a shot at a playoff.

Every shot was incredibly clutch! 

Live Blog Sunday

7:28: NBC wraps things up, did a good job as always (18 was iffy), they plugged a few things, but sign off sounding dejected. I'm not. Way to go Geoff!!! You earned this win!  

7:22: You parred last four...Costas...to salvage par, you're thinking what? Geoff: he thought Colin had made 5, not 6. He says he was thinking playoff, never thought he'd win it outright.  Costas asks about Norman in 1984. Geoff says one of his first memories of the game. He said he first came to the course for the first time a week ago Monday. Was impressed with what he saw. Costas asks about what it means to be about to become a father. Phil politely declines interview. He and Amy are watching trophy ceremony from scorecard signing area.

7:20: Walter Driver announces the U.S. Open champion, Geoff Ogilvy. Geoff thanks fans and all of the Aussie's in the crowd. He says it's a special place, tougher than he's ever see, to hang on, he doesn't have the words. Costas interview starts.

7:09: Phil doesn't do it, Johnny calls it one of the great collapses in U.S. Open history. GEOFF OGILVY IS THE U.S. OPEN CHAMPION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Class guy, great name speller who has overcome all of the Gee-offs and Geolf's, and who is a great friend of the game as it should be played!!! Way to go Geoff!

7:08: Maltbie's in shock, seems to be questioning gambling nature of shot from fairway.  

7:05: What a scene, it's loud, the crowd has convened on the fairway in classic Open fashion. The light is beautiful. Phil blasts over green. Will have to make shot from buried lie in hay to win. 

7:00: Phil catches elm flush, doesn't advance it far. Roger says tough shot. He hits this one high and left in sand and buries. Ogilvy watching. NBC dejected.

6:59: Johnny laments death of precision golf. Even Hogan couldn't hit some of these fairways Johnny, come on! 

6:58: Ogilvy makes it!!! Clutch!!! +5, Phil in trees at +4. NBC doesn't sound so elated.

6:56: Maltbie reports Phil has an opening for a big slice. Johnny says he feels like he's watching Seve. 

6:55: Ogilvy hits "perfectly" (Johnny) to about 4 feet. AWESOME shot under the circumstances! 

6:51: Poulter in pink is +9. Ogilvy hits stellar shot out of divot, gets to green front top, rolls back down. Tough up and down. Phil sprays it way left off Champions tent! Johnny can't "believe he didn't hit four wood there," I can't believe the USGA could put a tent that close to play. Vijay hit it in the last group too.

6:49: Ogilvy is in divot, horrible lie. It's down to two as Monty three putts to double 18.

6:47: Monty hits lob shot way too strong. Everyone is on the 18th hole. Phil +4, Geoff +5, Monty +4 but heading to +5.

6:45: Ogilvy safely in 18 fairway at +5, may be in divot, hard to tell how the lie is. Johnny thinks it's iffy, Hicks isn't so sure. 

6:43: Monty switches clubs, says "what kind of shot is that" as it ends up short in hay. Mickelson two putts on 17 for par.  NBC is showing him looking at board so he knows where he stands. 

6:42: Koch says Ferrie has handled himself well as Ferrie screams obscenity and starts to take swing at his bag with club. 

6:40: Mickelson hits miraculous cut recovery to middle of 17 green, threading trees.  

6:38: Ogilvy chops his way around 17, chips in from the left rough for PAR!!! One to go, Phil's in the garbage can on 17...literally. David Fay is not asked for a clarification, keeping his mute status in tact.

6:33: Monty pacing on 18 tee. He asks someone to stand still. Stripes it.  Phil's in the tents on 17.

6:26: Mickelson out of hay buries badly in 16 bunker, explodes it out nicely to fringe, MONTY birdies 17!!!!! They're dancing in the streets of wherever he loves to wash his car to get his mind off those terrible things that writers write about him.

6:23: NBC logo in lower left of screen quietly has gone to color now that we are close to Sportscenter worthy highlights. 

6:21: Johnny: "The course has just pulled everyone down a little." 

6:20: Phil takes a lot of practice swings on 16, seems like more than normal, hits it into the tall stuff on 16 but ball is visible. Ogilvy has just hacked out of there, reaching the approach cut with a tough up and down, hits a great shot 3 feet short and makes key par.

6:15: Phil is heard saying his putt on 15 is not an easy two putt. Leaves first 5 feet short but just sneaks par putt in the left side.

6:12: Furyk misses birdie chance on 17, Phil still clear by two. Commercial break includes the Tiger-Earl ad. Brand moment. 

6:09: Dottie's says there's more brown grass than green between Padraig and hole, and that things are getting "toasty out here." 

6:07: Phil tries to hit silly 22 yard fairway on 15, does but ball rolls into intermediate cut, Monty hits it close on 16. Ogilvy has 30 footer on 15, just misses! He thought he had it.

6:03: Monty misses birdie putt on 15 to tie. Ferrie misses to get within 1. Phil has 2 fairways hit according to Johnny, doesn't matter as he birdies 14, leads by 2.

5:56: Furyk misses birdie putt on 16, Ogilvy's par putt on 14 goes up to edge of the hole and hops left. Harrington falls to +5. Phil hits it tight on 14 from the rough, shot of the tournament! 

5:55: Dan Hicks wins segue of the week when he says this feels like a game 7, then gets in plug for game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals. 

5:53: Ogilvy hits lofted shot by 14, Johnny wonders if he shouldn't be hitting more of a wristy, "stuccato" shot. Leaves wedge shot 8 feet above hole. NBC has sent Dottie Pepper ahead to Harrington's group where he hits it onto 16 green "poorly" in Johnny's words, Dottie says lie was pretty bad.  

5:50: Ogilvy has only 123 into 14 from the intermediate cut, hits it into rough long. Harrington misses 16 green left in rough. +5 is looking better all the time. 

5:48: Mickelson bogies 13, Harrington and Ogilvy are tied for the lead again. Those three would make for one amazing play...sorry.

5:46: Monty three putts 14. His first of the week. Amazing.

5:41: Furyk leaves birdie putt on 15th 8 feet short and bogies. Ogilvy in left greenside bunker on 13 facing impossible shot hits it perfect, takes one big bounce, hits hole and ends up 2 inches away. Easy par! Phil just hit it in the same bunker.  

5:32: Ogilvy leaves third shot short of ridge on 12, stays 1 back of Phil who has wedged out of rough and is still looking for first par-5 birdie. He misses, stays 1 ahead of Harrington, Furyk, Ogilvy and Monty.

5:30: Harrington's birdie putt on 14 stay on the ground, he pulls within 1 with it. Nine are within three shots of the lead.

5:27: "Widows will go on." This Merrill Lynch ad actually works on people? 

5:25: Furyk's birdie putt on 14 rolls horribly.  

us open icon.jpg5:22: Vijay hits ugly birdie putt on 12. Ogilvy drives in left rough, Dottie says worse lie she's see all week. Aussies are chanting something in the crowd. He wedges out, has "good angle" into green according to Johnny.  Harrington hits it close on 14 with chance to get within 1.

5:17: Phil birdies 11, Koch notes that it's feeling like yesterday when Phil took charge.

5:13: Okay, hate to say it, but playoff is looking likely. 

5:08: Ogilvy hits approach to 11 in bunker, ball buries. Koch says it'll be hard to keep on green. Dottie says he's aiming left of hole, but hits it at hole, leaving 10 footer downhill.  Back on tee, Phil in play at +4 after solid par. Ogilvy mises par putt, 4 way tie for lead with Furyk, Mickelson, Monty, three one back of lead (Ferrie, Singh, Harrington).

5:04: Wind is kicking up, Furyk hits hybrid on 13. 

5:00: Furyk gets within 1 after birdie on 12, Singh birdies 11 to get within 2. It's getting interesting...finally! 

4:58: Ogilvy makes clutch two putt on 10. Now has two birdie shots. 

4:54: Blimp shot of scene on 9 and 18 shows how close tents are to 18 fairway. Remember the days when they wouldn't put corporate tents so...oh forget it. 

4:52: Phil bogies 9 from same bunker as Ogilvy, now trails by one. 

4:50: Monty makes bogey on ten after missing tee shot on right bunker face. Falls one back of Phil and Geoff. Scottish writers conceding that they are going to have to follow their man despite the heat. 

4:39: Ogilvy gets awful bounce, but in good shape in left greenside bunker instead of rough. Phil takes aggressive swipe on 9, no more cutesy stuff. Ogilvy has wet lie in 9!? Leaves it 15 feet short. Makes bogey. Johnny says it's not a good bunker shot, but a long bunker shot from a wet lie is not easy, no matter who you are.

4:32:  Ogilvy hits it left on 9 into trees and trampled down rough. Miller says he may have tree troubles. Meanwhile Monty makes par putt to stay within 1 of Ogilvy. Ferrie misses by 10 feet on 8th hole birdie putt where only one has been all day. Phil two-putts.

4:27: Phil bombs it over trees on 8, no more Mr. Nice U.S. Open obedience golf guy!  

4:23: Phil plays 5-6-7 +2, Ferrie bogies and suddenly Ogilvy has a two-shot lead pending his play on the 8th where he's in the rough short. Pepper reports a bad lie. Ogilvy hits it about 15 fee short and left of the hole, makes bogey.

4:18: Okay maybe Ferrie's a little easier rattled than we thought. A "Superman" call from the gallery gets him riled up, even though NBC clearly shows it came after impact. He and Phil hit it over No. 7 green. 

4:14: Ogilvy gets up and down on 7 after tee shot comes up just short. Ferrie makes another par, showing that he's not going away. 

4:12: Phil in bunker fronting No. 6, has tough shot, misses green. NBC times hang time of tee shot at 8 seconds. Hey, what happened to bunker cam?

4:07: Johnny compliments USGA for bringing temptation into play on No. 6. Phil pulls out driver, carries it to greenside bunker 307! 

4:06: Ogilvy lays up on 6, has 23 yards according to Pepper who says he got a big bounce. He knocks it 7 feet from the hole with a handy little bump and run. Sinks birdie putt, takes outright lead.

us open icon.jpg4:05: Monty has no three putts through 61 holes.

3:56: Phil is 141 from 5th hole, has fairway metal from ankle high stuff. Ball didn't go "three feet" according to Maltbie.  Johnny calls it a "crazy shot to try." Koch concurs. Phil pulls iron for fourth shot, safely on with long putt.  Will media ask him about it after the round!?

3:49: Monty lays up in rough on No. 6, it's ankle high rough. Phil drives in that ugly Fazio bunker on No. 5. Pitches out to rough! Ogilvy lays up, makes birdie to pull within one of Phil again.

3:48: Phil birdies No. 4 proving that it's all about hitting fairways and greens. Ferrie makes another par, Stricker holes out to pull within 3. Furyk bogies 7.

3:42: Monty birdies 5, moves to +3. Huggan must be excited!

3:38: Ferrie hits another fairway, Mickelson misses another fairway. Theme developing here? 

3:36: Johnny reports that No. 6 is playing 307, downhill.

3:30: Phil hits great 6 iron from 223 on No. 3. Ferrie makes nice two-putt, Phil misses birdie chance.

3:27: Els makes birdie on 18, finishes +13, is still limping. Ogilvy going riStriketroughght along, three pars in three holes. Looks solid.

3:24: Furyk birdies 5, Monty birdies 4, both within 3 of the lead. Phil leaves long putt short on 2, makes par, and things are getting interesting.

3:21: Dan Hicks reports it 94 degrees, one degree shy of record. 36% humidity. 

3:13: Ferrie misses 2 fairway, rips off glove, Johnny says it might be a little early to be ripping gloves off. Mickelson misses fairway too. NBC cuts to shot of boy making sand castle in East Course bunker!

3:07: Johnny says Phil is going up and over the tree, he goes under. Has wicked downhill putt for birdie, Ferrie hits it below hole. Both leave first putts way short but make pars.

3:03: Adam Scott drives 6, leaves eagle putt short, has made 3 birdies in a row to get to +7. Ogilvy two putts No. 1 for par, Poulter makes bogey.

3:01: Ferrie nails it down the middle, Phil bombs it into the trees, has great lie, uh, penalty doesn't fit crime lie-wise. Trees are in way though, so all is well.  

2:53: Rick Smith is still by Phil's side as the co-leader goes to the first tee. 

2:52: Ogilvy stripes it off No. 1 after Pouter's hook left that left him with a nice tight lie, we'll see about the view. 

2:33: Maltbie interviews Rick Smith while Rolfing goes to get a new mike. And boy was it worth it.

2:20: Johnny announces US players had better get their act together since the leaderboard is loaded with European players. 

2:18: Johnny says there are six or seven "really easy" hole locations. Tees are moved up on 6 and players are taking the bait. 

2:16: Mark Rolfing's microphone still doesn't work, Rick Smith's interview is interrupted. Dave Pelz is laughing somewhere.

2:09: Second reference to Johnny's 63. He says he thinks he was best player in the world, better than Jack at the time. Dan Hicks interrupts self love fest, wants to get back on subject of setup. Johnny seems lukewarm.

2:02: Inevitable "Massacre at Winged Foot" feature on NBC. Sandy Tatum repeats humiliate/identify line. Hale Irwin refers to self in third person.

1:43: "The Forte" is on with Bob Costas. For some reason we are talking about John Cook again today, just like yesterday. Oh, he wanted his son to play with him as a marker yesterday. Oy! The Forte mentions Ogilvy going to state dinner! I knew he had good stuff on those little cards.

1:42: Uh oh, 11 green is dying fast. Ernie just makes a birdie putt, cup is surrounded by brown grass.  

1:41: Adam Scott sets up to the ball, Johnny says its the best form in all of golf..."Tiger Woods in 2000." Zing! 

1:40: First Sunday reference to Johnny's final round 63...Dan Hicks says that's a 66 at Winged Foot this year. 

1:29: Maltbie interviews Ogilvy, he seems calm. No interesting questions asked. NBC misses the boat on asking him about recent state dinner invitation.  

1:20: Cut to Walter Driver who cracks smile after red light comes on, cut to photo op video at First Tee in Bronx, Walter takes credit for helping young man straighten out short game. Dan Hicks lobs "tough but fair" softball, says players are pleased, thanks Walter for all of his contributions to golf, Happy Father's Day, contract fulfilled. 

1:18: USGA puff piece on their grants program. Talking core values and life skills. Feel good acoustic guitar. Marty Parkes says we're nurturing that next generation of golfers, hopefully teach them about traditions of game, so that over time the "faces will change (hint, hint, multicultural), but the values will remain the same."

us open icon.jpg1:01: Dan Hicks: "Johnny if you're a player you're in the locker room getting reads on these putts." Johnny: "Good point, good point," as they cut to all of the leaders out on the putting green. 

1:01: Johnny: "Vijay is possessed by golf...but he's a good family man too!" 

1:00: Dan Hicks reminds us that Monty is 0 for 56 in majors. 

12:55: First Villages ad appearance. Enjoy the best active years of your life in The Villages! 

12:49: Johnny and Bob Murphy agree that the hole locations aren't as tough as they thought. No wind to speak of, Stephen Gangluff is -3 on his round. 

12:45: Ian Poulter arrives in all pink outfit, Golf Digest's Marty Hackel is heard to scream "Fabulous" at the top of his lungs for all in media center to hear. 

12:42: We see Villegas hit into 12, but we don't know if he hit it close in two or three. If it was his second shot, he drove it past the crosswalk. 

12:37: Phil's early arrival documented, he's got a white shirt and a yellow shirt. Dave Pelz gets first glimpse of airtime in competition with Rick Smith.

12:30: The fun begins, big loud intro, and it looks really, really hot.

 

Rugge: "We are criticized, and probably rightfully so for letting technology go too far"

Stephen Edelson in the Asbury Park Press with the admission from USGA technical director Dick Rugge that marks the first time anyone at the USGA has acknowledged that maybe they've gotten something wrong:
"We are criticized, and probably rightfully so, for letting technology go too far over the past 10, 11 years or so," he said. "And I used to be on that side of the fence pushing the technology for TaylorMade. Now my job is to make sure it doesn't grow at the break-neck speed it has been growing at."
Unfortunately, we then get the groove campaign. But hey, it's a start.
So what is Rugge's primary focus right now?

A firestorm continues to rage concerning the golf ball. Many critics feel the one simple way to solve the sport's problems is to reduce the length the ball travels, even if it entails using a "tournament" ball to be played by the best players.

And while Rugge's department is in the final stages of a study on the ball, their primary focus right now involves making it more difficult to drive the ball off the tee.

"People who are relatively short but accurate ought to have as good an opportunity as the guy who is very long and inaccurate, and that isn't the case nowadays," Rugge noted.

U.S. Open Reads: Late Sunday Edition

us open icon.jpgMike Dudurich in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on the contingent from 2007 host site Oakmont visiting Winged Foot.

Advances in technology and the improved athleticism and talents of the players have forced changes in golf courses, but, in Oakmont's case, it's also going to force an adjustment in the practice range.

"We have to determine whether our range is long enough, whether we have to think about putting a net up at the end of the range to protect No. 17," Pohl said. "It's very much different from when we hosted the Open in 1994."

Must be the grooves.

Corey Kilgannon talks to "Privacy" onlookers and the NY Times runs a photo of the huge boat.

 

Anthony Cotton catches up with Dan Jenkins who moans about technology and the BCS. My man!

I hate what equipment has done to the game. I'm old-fashioned. I just think style and technique should be more important than driving it 350 yards, making a putt and "See you on the next tee." That's what the tour game has become because of equipment. It makes great old courses outdated. You can't have a U.S. Open anymore without an extra course to store all the hospitality tents.
Dan O'Neill answers the question of who exactly Kenneth Ferrie is.

Paul Forsyth in the Sunday Times on the criticism of the USGA and course this week. 
Their new man in charge of setting up the course, Mike Davis, has begun his tenure with a welcome nod to fairness and a refreshing attempt to ensure that plodders are not the only players rewarded at the US Open.

Davis, though, has two reasons for keeping a lid on the stimpmetre. The last thing he wants is another fiasco involving glass-like greens such as those his predecessor, Tom Meeks, presided over at Shinnecock Hills and Olympic Club. And on elevated putting surfaces that take a severe dive from back to front and have more ebb and flow than the Hudson River, it would be unreasonable to quicken the pace. Balls are already taking a ghoulish pleasure in rolling off on to the front fringe.


Hewitt: USGA Says Winged Foot Has to Redo No. 1

wingedfoot1greenBrian Hewitt reports on The Golf Channel's Post Game that his "USGA sources" say Winged Foot must rebuild the first green if they want to host the Open again (because it has to be treated so differently than the rest.)

That sounds like our USGA! Take a work of art and ruin it so they can treat all the greens the same for four days once every 20 years! Oh yeah, real logical.

Hewitt also reported the well known rumor that they plan to play No. 8 at Oakmont at 280 next year.