First major title and a US Open at that – photo USGA – Jeff Haynes
Just two weeks after one of his most gut-wrenching moments in golf and perhaps even life, Spaniard Jon Rahm has won his first major title and become the first Spaniard to win the US Open.
At the Memorial Tournament two weeks ago, Rahm was forced to withdraw from that event after taking a six-shot lead through 54 holes, being informed of a positive Covid 19 test as he walked from the 54th green that day.
It would have left many resentful of what appeared to be an unfair decision and the manner in which it was carried out, but Rahm took it on the chin, took an enforced two weeks away from the tour and now, on the southern coast of California and at a venue what has meant so much to him, he has won his greatest title.
“You know, I think I said it yesterday in an interview,” said Rahm in an interview immediately after his win had been confirmed. I’m a big believer in karma, and after what happened a couple weeks ago I stayed really positive knowing good things were coming.
“I didn’t know what it was going to be, but I knew we were coming to a special place, I knew I got breakthrough win here and it’s a very special place for my family, and the fact that my parents were able to come, I got out of COVID protocol early, I just felt like the stars were aligning, and I knew my best golf was to come.
“I have a hard time explaining what just happened because I can’t even believe I made the last two putts, and I’m the first Spaniard ever to win a U.S. Open. This was definitely for Seve. I know he tried a lot, and usually we think a lot about him at the Masters, but I know he wanted to win this one most of all. I just don’t know how to explain it.”
Torrey Pines was the scene of Rahm’s first PGA Tour victory more then four years ago and where he proposed to his now wife and, thus, the venue has significant sentimental value to him.
“I’ve said it once — I’ve said it a million times and I’m going to say it once again. It reminds me a lot of back home. It’s not exactly the same, but the coastline, the weather, the property, this is basically a good summer day where I grew up, and these poa annua greens is something I know and I understand and I grew up on, and I think it’s something that really resonates with me. I’m really confident in it.
“Like we just said, everything that’s happened here, I don’t know why, but every time we come here, we’re just happy. As soon as we land in San Diego, it’s like, we are in our spot. Again, once again, we were in our spot, and I was able to come out on top.”
The victory will take Rahm back to the number one position in world golf, a standing he held, albeit briefly, 12 months ago.
Rahm’s final round of 67 allowed him to come from three shots off the 54 hole pace to win by one over Louis Oosthuizen, but that brief summary alone hardly describes a dramatic final day in which as many as ten players had genuine chances of emerging as the winner.
Through nine holes of today’s final round the defending champion, Bryson DeChambeau, had taken the lead outright before Oosthuizen joined him when he too birdied the 9th. At that point the pair was one ahead of Rahm, Rory McIlory, Collin Morikawa, Brooks Koepka and Mackenzie Hughes.
DeChambeau parred the 10th but at the 11th he started an almost inexplicable run of dropped shots which would eventually see him finish with a back nine of 44, a round of 77 and an eventual share of 26th place.
As the afternoon wore on, it appeared that the chances were narrowing to Rahm, Oosthuizen and Koepka but it would be two sliding left to right putts of 20 feet or so at the 17th and 18th which gave Rahm the outright lead, forty minutes or so before Oosthuizen was due to finish.
Louis Oosthuizen acknowledges a sympathetic crowd after finishing one shot short of a playoff – photo USGA
Oosthuizen kept his hopes alive when he made a fine 8-foot second putt for par at the 16th but then surprisingly hit his tee shot into the penalty area to the left of the fairway at the 17th and took bogey. He was now two behind and needing an eagle at the last to force a playoff.
When his drive had missed the fairway, the unlikely task became almost impossible and although he would make a birdie to finish one behind, the title went to Rahm.
Oosthuizen finished runner-up in a major title for the 6th occasion, his only success coming in 2010 when winning the Open Championship by a massive seven shots.
Oosthuizen, though, did little wrong. His round of even par 71 was hardly an implosion and he said as much after his round.
“I played good,” he said. “Just fell a little short again. It was Jon played a great round of golf, 4-under today on that golf course is a really good score. I could see early on what was happening with the leaderboard at the end and knew that I need to push at the end to do something.
“Right now I didn’t win it. I’m second again. No, look, it’s frustrating. It’s disappointing. I’m playing good golf, but it’s not — winning a major championship is not just going to happen. You need to go out and play good golf. I played good today, but I didn’t play good enough.
“I definitely left a few birdies out — not birdies, but a few putts or shots out there. I’m not going to — I took the tee shot on at 17, and I knew it was a crucial hole for me to take it on and give myself a birdie opportunity. I didn’t pull it off, but standing on that tee again (17th), I’ll probably do the same thing, taking a driver and taking the shot on.
“I feel like I had my shots, I went for it, and that’s what you have to do to win majors. Sometimes it goes your way, and other times it doesn’t.”
Harris English’s round of 68 would see him eventually finish 3rd alone, birdies at his final two holes elevating him to his best finish in a major championship, one place ahead of his previous best of 4th in this event last year.
Adam Scott finished as the leading Australian in 35th place one shot ahead of Wade Ormsby, with Marc Leishman 64th and Matt Jones 65th.
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Gabi Ruffels best in slow week for Australasians
Gabi Ruffels – performing well in an overall disappointing week for the Australasians – photo PGA of America
Rookie US based Victorian professional, Gabi Ruffels, heads the Australasian contingent as the 2021 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship north of Atlanta enters tomorrow’s final round, but she is some 12 shots behind the joint 54 leaders, Lizette Salas and Nelly Korda.
Ruffels surged back from an opening round of 76 on Thursday with a second round 65 but today she was unable to build on that improvement, adding a third round of 72 to be tied for 17th.
Lydia Ko is the next best of the down under brigade but, in what has been a disappointing week this far for the group, she is currently tied for 42nd, with Minjee Lee 52nd and Su Oh 56th.
Ruffels turned professional in February of this year and has played on both the Symetra and LPGA Tours since. Her outstanding amateur career included a win and runner-up finish at the US Women’s Amateur Championship and much success while attending college in California.
Ruffel’s second round of 65 was highlighted by a barnstorming finish in which she birdied her final four holes but today it was a two birdie two bogey affair and while not losing any ground she did not make the move she was not doubt hoping for after the heroics of Friday.
Ruffels received an exemption to play the event and was delighted to do so.
“It’s been great,” said Ruffels after round two. “I was so grateful to get the exemption into a major. I didn’t even know that was possible. I found out last Monday, I’m pretty sure, before the Meyer, and I was super pumped to have two events. This is my last exemption on the LPGA. So hopefully, I can finish it on a good one.”
Ruffels previous best in a major championship was when 13th at last year’s US Women’s Open so a good round tomorrow will assist her to her best result at this level.
The leaders, Salas and Korda have burst clear of the field, opening up a gap of five shots over ANA winner, Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit, Italian Giulia Molinaro and Frenchwoman Celine Boutier.
Neither Salas, nor Korda, has won a major title, Korda with five LPGA Tour victories to her name and Salas one.
Scores
Joint leader Nelly Korda chasing a first major title – photo PGA of America
Jason Day puts US Open disappointment behind him
Jason Day – file photo
Jason Day has put behind him the disappointment of last week missing his first US Open since 2011 by producing a second round of 62 at the Travelers Championship near Hartford in Connecticut and he leads by one over course specialist, Bubba Watson, and Kramer Hickock.
Day was forced out of the Memorial Tournament a few weeks ago with a bad back and was unable to attend final qualifying for the US Open after slipping out of the automatic qualifying criteria for the event itself.
“Yeah, body is okay, just stiff,” said Day. “It’s sore to get onto the other side of the golf swing, so any time going left was a little bit sore. It is what it is. I haven’t had time to really rest it since I kind of put it out. I think having a couple weeks off was great, but you just need a little bit more time is what it is.
“Well, I mean, sometimes when you do have sort of an injury or stiffness, even if you’re sick, sometimes you can come out and play some good golf. I was fortunate enough to not really get in my own way today.”
Day also made comment about reverting back to his previous putter which yielded results.
“Well, I tried the SIK putter and just going back to something that felt I guess a little bit more square to me. I was looking down at the putter and just wasn’t lining up correctly. To me felt a little bit closed.
“So that kind of crossed — I crossed myself up and wasn’t trusting my line. So going back to the Spider, which sits a little bit more open for me, I can trust the line that I’m aiming at.”
Day’s last seven starts have resulted in not one top 30 finish so this represents a significant turnaround for the 12 time PGA Tour event winner but in order for him to win on Sunday he will need to get past the man who has won here on three occasions and been runner-up once, Bubba Watson, amongst others.
Watson spoke of his relationship with the course and how he feels about being back here.
“When you come off the U.S. Open everything seems easier. Even though there is thick rough you feel like you can play out of it. You can still move the ball forward.
“Obviously with the new design there is couple bunkers that are tricky, said the left-hander. “As long as you stay out of the bunkers you can still move the ball forward and you feel like you have a chance to hit the green.
“That’s really what I’ve felt over the years, is that I can play no matter where the ball ends up.
“You know, again, first time I ever played here it was a different sponsor and I shot I think a 74, 74 without looking it up, and I was like, man, I’m never coming back here.
“Then Travelers started coming around to everybody and saying, Hey, we’re going change the range. The old range here where you couldn’t hit driver, not supposed to hit driver. So they said they were going to change that and start doing better for the players and caddies, trainers, physios. So there was a lot of things they were going to amp up and then golf was the last thing they were worried about.
“So brought a different atmosphere. The crowd got behind it, the community. And then as you know, finding my way through life you do different things in your life that are so impactful, meaningful, and going in the — to the different places around here, Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, seeing that, feeling that, the energy of these kids, listening to their songs that they sang for me and my wife at lunch, was amazing.”
Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman are the next best of the Australians after Day, the Olympic pairing tied in 20th place at 5 under and four behind the leader.
Cameron Percy and Matt Jones are another shot back in 35th place, Lucas Herbert 48th and Adam Scott just making the cut in 58th place and seven from the lead.
Wade Ormsby heads weather delayed BMW International
Wade Ormsby- photo Getty Images
South Australian, Wade Ormsby, has the clubhouse lead on day one of the BMW International Open in Munich, his opening round of 65 leaving him as the only player amongst the four tied on that score to have finished their rounds when inclement weather forced a postponement of play.
Play will resume at 7.30 on Friday morning with Sam Horsefield, Masahiro Kawamura and Sebastian Garcia Rodriguez also on that score but with still holes to play when they return.
Ormsby, who played well when midfield at last week’s US Open at Torrey Pines, was quickly back into the swing of things after returning from the US although it took him a couple of days to get the jetlag out of his system.
“I was definitely upside down yesterday,” he said referring to his travel fatigue. “I got a few hours sleep last night, so I feel much better today but yesterday I thought I was going to be in trouble for the week but somehow it sorted itself out.
“I had a nice start. Holed a few putts. I have been swinging pretty good the last week and a half but the putter hasn’t been cooperating, but it did today, so that’s how you can shoot those numbers.
“I guess you have to reset a little bit. Every golf course is different in each way but the greens are pure here, and soft, that is the biggest different between this week and last week. Obviously the rough is not as bad, but I knew I was hitting it good, so I just had to be a bit more direct at flags, a bit more aggressive I guess, and hole some putts to make some birdies.”
Ormsby has recorded only one top ten since his second Hong Kong Open win in late 2020 but there has been several recent signs of his game progressing nicely despite his almost veteran status (41) on the European Tour.
West Australian, Min Woo Lee, is just one shot off the pace after his round of 66, reversing a horror run to date in 2021, missing five of eight cuts thus far.
Dimi Papadatos was another Australian to make a good start when he opened with a round of 67 to be tied for 10th although many players are still to finish off round one.
European Tour event debutante, 19 year old Elvis Smylie from the Gold Coast of Australia, playing this event on invite, began slowly with a round of 76 to be well back.
Scores
Seven Australasians tackle KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
2019 champion, Hannah Green – photo Getty Images Yong Teck Lim
Women’s golf plays its third major of 2021 when the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is played this week at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek in Georgia north east of Atlanta.
The venue has a rich history in staging championship golf, having hosted three PGA Championships, one US Open and a Women’s US Open in addition to several other USGA events and a Ryder Cup.
This, though, will be the first occasion the layout has staged an event on the LPGA Tour, the prizemoney in 2021 increasing to its largest ever. US$4.5 million is up for grabs, the winner to take home a first prize of US$675,000.
Seven Australasians are in the field, headed in terms of world ranking by New Zealand’s Lydia Ko who will be joined by Australian and 2019 champion Hannah Green, and her fellow Australians Minjee Lee, Katherine Kirk, Su Oh, Sarah Kemp and Gabi Ruffels.
Sarah Jane Smith is also entered but she is currently 5th on the alternate list and unlikely to get a start.
Australians have won this event on four occasions, twice by Karrie Webb, once by Jan Stephenson and when Green won two years ago.
Hannah Green’s form in 2019 has been outstanding having finished once runner-up and twice third and although she disappointed at the recent US Women’s Open it might be that she is favoured to be the best of the down-under group.
Green’s increased length from the tee in 2021 is working to her advantage and has moved her past Minjee Lee as Australia’s leading ranked female golfer.
Lydia Ko has a good record in this event without winning. She has been runner-up on one occasion and once 3rd, the runner-up finish after losing a playoff to Brooke Henderson.
Ko played very well early in 2021 but her more recent form has been below that level. Her resurgence earlier in the year however gave hope to her legion of fans and it might be that she can continue that this week.
As is the case in many of her major appearances, Minjee Lee has played well but more often than not below the level she displays in regular season events. In six starts in this event she has yet to record a top ten and in her 2021 season to date she has been twice fifth in her only top tens in nine starts.
Katherine Kirk has struggled for much of the season and if she was the beat her previous best of 16th in this week’s event it would be considered a significant improvement on her year to date.
Su Oh’s year has also been well below her capabilities although she did show improvement last week when 15th at the Meijer LPGA event in Michigan after being very much in contention heading into the final round.
Sarah Kemp has missed seven of ten cuts at the KPMG LPGA Championship but two top five finishes in events this year suggest she can expect improvement.
Gabi Ruffels is playing this event for the first occasion and while still relatively new to the professional ranks she appears to have a good future at this level. She has played well on occasions in big events including when 13th at last year’s US Women’s Open when considerably less experienced than is the case now.
John Rahm bounces back to win US Open Championship
First major title and a US Open at that – photo USGA – Jeff Haynes
Just two weeks after one of his most gut-wrenching moments in golf and perhaps even life, Spaniard Jon Rahm has won his first major title and become the first Spaniard to win the US Open.
At the Memorial Tournament two weeks ago, Rahm was forced to withdraw from that event after taking a six-shot lead through 54 holes, being informed of a positive Covid 19 test as he walked from the 54th green that day.
It would have left many resentful of what appeared to be an unfair decision and the manner in which it was carried out, but Rahm took it on the chin, took an enforced two weeks away from the tour and now, on the southern coast of California and at a venue what has meant so much to him, he has won his greatest title.
“You know, I think I said it yesterday in an interview,” said Rahm in an interview immediately after his win had been confirmed. I’m a big believer in karma, and after what happened a couple weeks ago I stayed really positive knowing good things were coming.
“I didn’t know what it was going to be, but I knew we were coming to a special place, I knew I got breakthrough win here and it’s a very special place for my family, and the fact that my parents were able to come, I got out of COVID protocol early, I just felt like the stars were aligning, and I knew my best golf was to come.
“I have a hard time explaining what just happened because I can’t even believe I made the last two putts, and I’m the first Spaniard ever to win a U.S. Open. This was definitely for Seve. I know he tried a lot, and usually we think a lot about him at the Masters, but I know he wanted to win this one most of all. I just don’t know how to explain it.”
Torrey Pines was the scene of Rahm’s first PGA Tour victory more then four years ago and where he proposed to his now wife and, thus, the venue has significant sentimental value to him.
“I’ve said it once — I’ve said it a million times and I’m going to say it once again. It reminds me a lot of back home. It’s not exactly the same, but the coastline, the weather, the property, this is basically a good summer day where I grew up, and these poa annua greens is something I know and I understand and I grew up on, and I think it’s something that really resonates with me. I’m really confident in it.
“Like we just said, everything that’s happened here, I don’t know why, but every time we come here, we’re just happy. As soon as we land in San Diego, it’s like, we are in our spot. Again, once again, we were in our spot, and I was able to come out on top.”
The victory will take Rahm back to the number one position in world golf, a standing he held, albeit briefly, 12 months ago.
Rahm’s final round of 67 allowed him to come from three shots off the 54 hole pace to win by one over Louis Oosthuizen, but that brief summary alone hardly describes a dramatic final day in which as many as ten players had genuine chances of emerging as the winner.
Through nine holes of today’s final round the defending champion, Bryson DeChambeau, had taken the lead outright before Oosthuizen joined him when he too birdied the 9th. At that point the pair was one ahead of Rahm, Rory McIlory, Collin Morikawa, Brooks Koepka and Mackenzie Hughes.
DeChambeau parred the 10th but at the 11th he started an almost inexplicable run of dropped shots which would eventually see him finish with a back nine of 44, a round of 77 and an eventual share of 26th place.
As the afternoon wore on, it appeared that the chances were narrowing to Rahm, Oosthuizen and Koepka but it would be two sliding left to right putts of 20 feet or so at the 17th and 18th which gave Rahm the outright lead, forty minutes or so before Oosthuizen was due to finish.
Louis Oosthuizen acknowledges a sympathetic crowd after finishing one shot short of a playoff – photo USGA
Oosthuizen kept his hopes alive when he made a fine 8-foot second putt for par at the 16th but then surprisingly hit his tee shot into the penalty area to the left of the fairway at the 17th and took bogey. He was now two behind and needing an eagle at the last to force a playoff.
When his drive had missed the fairway, the unlikely task became almost impossible and although he would make a birdie to finish one behind, the title went to Rahm.
Oosthuizen finished runner-up in a major title for the 6th occasion, his only success coming in 2010 when winning the Open Championship by a massive seven shots.
Oosthuizen, though, did little wrong. His round of even par 71 was hardly an implosion and he said as much after his round.
“I played good,” he said. “Just fell a little short again. It was Jon played a great round of golf, 4-under today on that golf course is a really good score. I could see early on what was happening with the leaderboard at the end and knew that I need to push at the end to do something.
“Right now I didn’t win it. I’m second again. No, look, it’s frustrating. It’s disappointing. I’m playing good golf, but it’s not — winning a major championship is not just going to happen. You need to go out and play good golf. I played good today, but I didn’t play good enough.
“I definitely left a few birdies out — not birdies, but a few putts or shots out there. I’m not going to — I took the tee shot on at 17, and I knew it was a crucial hole for me to take it on and give myself a birdie opportunity. I didn’t pull it off, but standing on that tee again (17th), I’ll probably do the same thing, taking a driver and taking the shot on.
“I feel like I had my shots, I went for it, and that’s what you have to do to win majors. Sometimes it goes your way, and other times it doesn’t.”
Harris English’s round of 68 would see him eventually finish 3rd alone, birdies at his final two holes elevating him to his best finish in a major championship, one place ahead of his previous best of 4th in this event last year.
Adam Scott finished as the leading Australian in 35th place one shot ahead of Wade Ormsby, with Marc Leishman 64th and Matt Jones 65th.
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Improved week for Victoria’s Su Oh
Su Oh in action this week – photo Getty Images / LPGA
Victorian, Su Oh, has produced her best finish of the 2021 LPGA Tour season when finishing 15th at the Meijer LPGA Classic in Grand Rapids in Michigan.
Oh, currently ranked 106th in the Rolex World Rankings for female golfers, struggled to a final round of even par 71 on the low scoring Blythefield Golf Club layout and finished a massive nine shots from the winner Nelly Korda but her performance will give a lot of confidence as the LPGA Tour season heads into the second half of the year.
Oh slipped from 4th overnight to her eventual share of 15th but with a best of 24th in her previous nine starts this year it has been a significant improvement.
Oh did start the year well in WPGA events in Australia, winning one and finishing runner-up in the other but she has struggled to regain that form in the US to date.
Katherine Kirk was 29th, Hannah Green and Gabi Ruffels 45th and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko 61st.
Korda, at 25 under par, won by two shots over Ireland’s Leona Maguire who is establishing herself as a force to be reckoned with on the LPGA Tour in just her second season.
The LPGA will now play one of the majors in the world of women’s golf, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Georgia.
The winner Nelly Korda – Gregory Shamus Getty Images
Three way tie for US Open lead
Louis Oosthuizen – photo USGA Kohjiro Kinno
20 players are within five of the 54-hole lead at the US Open at Torrey Pines and as they head to their various hotels rooms ahead of tomorrow’s final round, each and every one of them will feel that they are just one low round from a possible US Open title.
South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen, Canadian McKenzie Hughes, and the man who has either led or shared the lead after each of the three rounds to date, American Russell Henley, share the lead at 5 under, two shots clear of previous US Open champions, Rory McIlroy and defending champion, Bryson DeChambeau.
But, with the likes of major champions, Collin Morikawa, Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka all within a maximum of five of the lead then tomorrow promises much for anyone capable of fashioning a round in the mid 60’s to come from behind and win.
Oosthuizen, the 2010 Open Champion, holed a 50-foot putt for eagle at the final hole today to join Henley and Hughes in the lead and although Henley might well have stolen the outright lead over his final two holes, he eventually did well to save par at the last to remain in a share of the lead he has held since his opening round of 67.
Oosthuizen had also shared the opening round lead, but he entered today’s final round one behind the pairing of Henley and England’s Richard Bland. Although he was four off the lead of Henley through ten holes of his round, the South African’s powerful finish saw him join the lead.
Perhaps buoyed by his experience in finishing runner-up on five occasions in major championships since his win at St Andrews in 2010, Oosthuizen explained his ongoing approach to major championships.
“Definitely a lot more patient than what I was when I was young,” said Oosthuizen. “I think I was too dumb really when I won the Open to get nervous and to know what was going on. I was playing great golf in 2010, and I love St. Andrews, and the golf and the golf course sort of — I took a lot of it — that week had a lot of confidence that week.
“Playing it in 2015 five years later (he lost a playoff) I was a little bit more cautious around the golf course knowing where you shouldn’t go and how to play the course. So you definitely grow playing major championships. The more you play, the more you learn something about how you play in those tournaments.
“I mean, look, the two that really hurt was the playoffs. That’s so close to winning. I lost to a great golf shot in 2012, and in ’15 I probably had an opportunity. I missed a short putt on the 17th in the playoff. Those ones take a little longer to get over.
“You know, the other ones, just good weeks and good results. Could have been better but taking more positive out of it than anything else.
“But I need to go out — there’s a lot of great players up there that’s got a chance of winning this, and I just need to go out and play as good as I can tomorrow.”
Mackenzie Hughes – photo USGA Chris Keane
You could be forgiven for thinking there were question marks over the form reversal of two of the joint leaders, Henley and Hughes, Hughes having missed his last five cuts on the PGA Tour and Henley finishing no better then 70th in any of his last four starts.
Hughes has won once and been runner-up twice on the PGA Tour, but that victory came more then five years ago. He wasn’t letting his recent form slump get in the way of his attitude for tomorrow’s big test and his form reversal was not as surprising to him as others.
“I wouldn’t say surprising. I don’t think I’m ever surprised when I play well. I wouldn’t say I necessarily expected to be in the last group this week, but I know that my game is good enough to win on the PGA TOUR. I’ve done it before.
“This is a bigger stage, but again, it’s the same — you do the same things. It’s an 18-hole golf course and 72 holes, so I just need to do a lot of the same things I did to win that tournament, and I’ll draw back on some of those experiences, but yeah, I’m excited for where I’m at and for the round tomorrow.
“You get goosebumps thinking about it, so I know I’m going to be nervous tomorrow. I essentially played today around the lead all day. I think I was only ever a few back the entire day, so it felt — I think it’ll feel different tomorrow being in that last group, but you do the same things. You mentally tell yourself the same things, and I’ll be referencing my yardage book and my notes a lot.”
Russell Henley – photo Jeff Haynes USGA
Henley’s round of 71 was impressive given the circumstances and that he hit only 43% of fairways in round three.
“I didn’t hit it quite as well on the back, but never been in that situation before, so overall I felt pretty comfortable and excited to play tomorrow,” said Henley.
“It definitely wasn’t a perfect back nine, but hit a lot of good shots, a lot of good recovery shots. Felt like I was thinking well. Just a little better execution. Definitely capable of playing better, and I think I can do it, and we’ll see.
“I think my ball-striking has gotten progressively better since I’ve been on Tour, and my putting had gotten worse. And so I’ve started working with Ramon Bescansa on my putting, and I think I was like 190-something in putting a couple years ago in ’19, and this year — I’m not as good now, but about four or five tournaments back I think I was around the top 50.
“So, my putting is better. I feel like I’m still hitting it pretty well, and I feel like I’ve just spent a lot more time on my short game, chipping and just bunker shots, everything. Just spending a lot of time doing it. I spend a lot of time at home with Larry Mize in Columbus, Georgia. We do a lot of chipping contests and I’ve learned a lot from him out of the bunker.
“I would say just a combination of everything. I’ve gotten a little bit stronger in the gym. I’ve been working with trainer the last year and a half and feel like I’m playing with no pain in my back like I kind of was a little bit in ’19. Everything feels a little bit cleaner, and I feel a little bit more confident about everything. We’ll see what happens.”
Adam Scott took over as the leading Australian with a round of 71 to be tied for 31st, three ahead of Wade Ormsby and Marc Leishman and now six ahead of the 36 hole Australian leader Matt Jones who slumped to a round of 79.
Adam Scott leads the Australians – photo USGA Jeff Haynes
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Matt Jones heads Australians through 36 at Torrey Pines
Matt Jones in action this week -Photo USGA Robert Beck
Matt Jones leads the Australians at the completion of round two of the US Open at Torrey Pines, a second round of 71 having him at 1 over par for the championship and one ahead of Marc Leishman.
A copybook birdie at the par five 9th (his last hole of the day) has Jones in a share of 21st position and nicely placed just six shots from the lead of Richard Bland and Russell Henley as the event heads into the weekend.
The performance by Jones reverses a horror run at the US Open to date, having missed the cut in all four of his previous appearances but after an opening round of 72 yesterday he was able to fashion a round of even par 71 today to make it into the weekend for the first time.
The two-time Australian Open champion won earlier in the season on the PGA Tour but his most recent form has left a little to be desired having missed the cut in his last two appearances and not recorded a top twenty since his victory at the Honda Classic.
Leishman is at 2 over par after an excellent round of 70 which was made even more impressive given his bogey to start and a double bogey to start the back nine.
Marc Leishman plays the 3rd hole today – photo USGA Kojhiro Kinno
Adam Scott was again forced to recover from a slow start when dropping three shots over his first three holes of round two. He fought his way back to be at 2 over for the round before a messy double bogey at his 14th hole had him with some work to do just to make the cut.
Scott parred his final four holes to finish at 3 over for the championship but he described his play today as ‘terrible’ and needs a big weekend if he is to make any significant progress.
Adam Scott – fought back to safely make the weekend – photo Darren Carroll USGA
Wade Ormsby was played well through his front nine holes and made the turn at even par. But he struggled over his closing nine holes for a back nine of 39 to be at 4 over and was forced to wait all day following his first tee time of round two to establish whether he had made it to the weekend. He had.
Cameron Smith’s round of 75 included two triple bogeys and a double bogey but after making the turn in 40 he produced three birdies early in his back nine to battle his way back into a possible place in the weekend field before a triple bogey at his 16th hole cost him any hope.
Smith finished at 5 over and missed the weekend by just one.
Brad Kennedy and Stephen Allan were the other two Australians in the field but both missed the cut by large margins.
SCORES
Adam Scott’s encouraging start at Torrey Pines.
Adam Scott in action today – photo courtesy of USGA Jeff Haynes
A 90-minute delay for fog prior to play getting underway on day one of the US Open at Torrey Pines will result in round one not being completed until Friday morning.
36 players were caught on the golf course when play was brought to a halt for darkness at 7.51pm California time.
When play was halted, all but two of the Australians in the field (Cameron Smith and Matt Jones) had completed their rounds, Adam Scott leading the way at 1 under par and just three from the lead held by Russell Henley and Louis Oosthuizen, Oosthuizen, though, still has two holes to play.
Smith is at even par and has two holes to play but he has found the fairway bunker at the 17th and might struggle to make par and Matt Jones, like Smith, is currently playing his 17th hole at 1 over with a 4 footer for par to negotiate when he returns.
Scott fought back from a slow start to his round after bogeys at his second and third holes had him on the back foot early. He birdied the par 5 9th after a sand save from the green-side bunker and then birdied the 17th from 20 feet.
He found the fairway bunker from the tee at the last but laid up and then converted an eight-footer for birdie to get himself into red figures for the first time. The round of 70 has him well placed ahead of an early morning round on day two.
Smith parred his first 14 holes before a bogey at the 15th but he bounced back immediately with a birdie from 20 feet at the 16th before being forced from the golf course when on the 17th.
Wade Ormsby did well in just his second US Open to be round in 1 over par 72 along with Matt Jones, Brad Kennedy and Marc Leishman are at 3 over after rounds of 74 and Stephen Allan opened with a round of 80.
Leishman bogeyed three of his last four holes after being well enough placed until late in his round, no doubt a huge disappointment given his love affair with the Torrey Pines layout.
Wade Ormsby – recorded a solid 1 over 72. Photo courtesy of USGA/ Chris Keane
SCORES
Scott and Leishman’s Torrey Pines records offer hope
Adam Scott with an admirer this week – photo courtesy of USGA / Darren Carroll
Of the seven Australians to tee it up at this week’s US Open at Torrey Pines, two, Adam Scott and Marc Leishman, stand out as players more than capable of handling the demands of the South Course layout at the public facility outside of San Diego.
Adam Scott will play his 20th US Open, although it is only his second such event at this particular venue but what he can boast is an impressive but restricted record in PGA Tour events at the clifftop layout high above the Pacific Ocean.
Scott has played the tour event, the Farmers Insurance Open, on only two occasions, in 2019 and 2021 and, on both occasions, he has performed with distinction.
Scott finished runner-up to Justin Rose in 2019 and earlier this year finished a solid 10th place behind Patrick Reed. In five of his eight competitive rounds in those events, he has recorded rounds inside the 60’s and although the US Open will offer a significantly more demanding layout than that at the Farmers Insurance Open, he will no doubt enjoy the fact that he has enjoyed good form on the course.
Scott is the only one of the Australians in this week’s field to have played the historic 2008 US Open won by Tiger Woods who managed to play 90 holes that week on almost one leg to defeat Rocco Mediate in a playoff.
At that 2008 US Open, the only other occasion other than his two Farmers Insurance appearances that Scott has played at Torrey Pines, he finished 26th, a final round of 70 standing out on a week of carnage for so many.
Scott knows however that in order for him to better his previous best US Open finish of 4th behind Jordan Spieth at the 2015 US Open at Chambers Bay, he will have to overcome a very difficult USGA set-up this week.
“Scoring is going to be tough,” said the 40 year old Queenslander on Wednesday. “I think it’s possible that you see, like often at a U.S. Open, a big dispersion in scores. I think there’s good scores out here, but you’ve got to be playing incredibly well tee to green.
“It is always advantageous playing from the short grass and hitting greens. I think more than most places we play on TOUR, somewhat like Riviera, if you’re greens in regulation you’re way in front of the game because it’s tricky around the greens and it’s tough putting, too. Easy pars at a U.S. Open sound good.
“I actually feel like coming off Memorial I did some nice work here in southern California on the game last week, so the confidence is up from where I finished at Memorial, which is a good thing. Obviously, the results have been few and far between, but I feel really good about where the ball-striking has kind of found itself, and that’s what’s been letting me down.
“I really don’t know how everyone else is feeling, but I certainly was disappointed at the PGA. I’ve worked hard the last month or so to kind of get myself in a place where I believe I can contend and win this major.
Leishman has a great record at Torrey Pines. He did not play the 2008 US Open as he was not at that stage a member of the PGA Tour but he did win the Farmers Insurance Open in 2020 and has been twice runner-up in other appearances there.
Like Scott, Leishman believes his game is in good shape ahead of this week’s examination.
“The game is feeling good,” said the Virginia Beach based Victorian.
“It’s a course I like. As far as U.S. Open courses, it’s as good as it’ll get for me. But it’s still going to be really tough. The confidence is good, but I’m never one to go into a U.S. Open overconfident by any means.”
Leishman is very much aware of the need for patience this week and is aware of the strategy needed for success at a US Open.
“On any U.S. Open I think it’s a case of hitting fairways. It always is. But probably even more important than that is leaving yourself in good positions around the greens, knowing where you can miss it, where you can’t miss it, putting.
“You’re going to have a lot of long par putts out here this week, and it’s going to be pretty important to hole a lot of them. Reading the greens is going to be important, but hitting your lines and just not getting ahead of yourself.
“Scoring will be tough. I think it’s going to be a firm U.S. Open, which is good. I don’t think they’re going to have to do too much to the course to make it really tough. It’s normally 10-ish under wins at the Farmers Insurance Open.
“The 6th hole is going to be a par-4, and then the greens are going to be running faster and be a lot firmer. So it’s going to be really, really difficult to hit greens even from the fairway. You’re going to have to hit good shots.
“Yeah, I think it’s going to be a typical U.S. Open, but it’s going to be sort of a U.S. Open/British Open hybrid sort of thing with how firm it’s going to be.”
When asked about the disappointing week for the Australians at the recent PGA Championship, Leishman was quick to remind the questioner of the disparity between the two courses.
“I mean, it was a very different golf course, different conditions. Yeah, I’m not worried about that one. You know, I think that’s probably the hardest major for Australians is the PGA, the way it’s normally set up. So yeah, definitely feel a little bit more optimistic about this week.”
Other than a very impressive week at the Masters however, Leishman’s form in recent months has been well below his best and he will need to rely on fond memories of a layout that clearly suits him to perform up to his potential.
Leishman is playing his 10th US Open but with four missed cuts and a best of 18th in his previous nine he needs sharp improvement if he is to continue his love affair with Torrey Pines.