Bests
Fresh and new, trusted and true
Alias.
Even though he has five top-20 finishes on the PGA Tour this season, John Merrick, still comes in a distant second to the protagonist of David Lynch’s 1980 film “The Elephant Man” in name familiarity. That could change should the 26-year-old make the Open his first victory. Merrick is tied for 11th place.
Questions, questions.
Is the best feeling in golf making an eagle by sinking a 66-foot putt on the 13th hole of the U.S. Open? Perhaps holing out a shot for birdie from off the green on the 17th hole? Or maybe it’s making another eagle putt on the 18th to take the lead in the tournament? Let’s ask Tiger Woods, shall we?
Worsts
Things head downhill fast
Lefty’s new view.
After waxing poetically all week about his “once in a lifetime opportunity” to win a major championship on his hometown course, San Diego native Phil Mickelson said he is looking forward to breaking through and winning his first U.S. Open next year at Bethpage Black in New York. That kind of mental shift can happen after shooting a third-round 76.
Major setbacks.
Last year, Stuart Appleby had the third-round lead entering the final round of the Masters, bogeyed the first hole Sunday and went on to finish seventh. Following Saturday’s 8-over-par 79, the Australian fell from the top spot to a tie for 19th.
Hole of the day
614-yard, par-5 13th.
Not long after it took Phil Mickelson three shots to negotiate the final 20 yards from the fairway to the green on the 13th hole, Ernie Els did exactly the same thing from the opposite side of the hole. Of course, their struggles were in stark contrast to the eagle-3 that Tiger Woods made there in his round, courtesy of a 66-foot putt.
