Page 19 - ARUBA TODAY

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SPORTS Friday 14 June 2019
U.S. Open

Continued from Page 17 tempt at the career Grand
Slam, opened with a 72
Oosthuizen holed out for that certainly didn’t hurt
eagle from 95 yards at No. him, but only two birdies
11, his second hole of the held him back. Two of his
day. bogeys came from miss-
“It’s a very soft start to a ing the fairway with an iron
U.S. Open, which is a good off the tee. The other was
thing,” Rory McIlroy said a careless three-putt — he
after a 68, his first sub-70 missed from 22 inches.
round at the U.S. Open Dustin Johnson was only
since he won at Congres- one shot better, and he
sional in 2011. “They can could have been a lot
do whatever they want worse except for a magnifi-
with from here. It’s not as cent short game, no shot
if you’re starting with a better than his flop shop
course that’s in the con- from well behind the eighth
dition like a Sunday, and green to 2 feet. He nearly
then you get three days drove the green on No. 4, Aaron Wise hits from the rough on the sixth hole during the first round of the U.S. Open Championship
and it sort of starts to get a dangerous shot because golf tournament Thursday, June 13, 2019, in Pebble Beach, Calif.
away from you.” the coast line hugs the right Associated Press
Two-time defending cham- side. Why driver? last year at Shinnecock end when he caught his only had 8-iron to set up his
pion Brooks Koepka and Ti- “Because I’d bogeyed Hills. He also has runner-up drive off the toe and it hit eagle.
ger Woods played in the af- the last two holes,” John- finishes in the British Open off a rock framing the left “Very fortunate, and hap-
ternoon. Koepka reached son said with a wry smile. “I and the Masters. side, bounding down the py we capitalized on a re-
4 under through seven needed a birdie.” His big break came at the fairway. From there, he ally lucky break,” he said.q
holes until a bogey on No. That wasn’t impatience
8, while Woods had three that often dooms chances
birdies to atone for a dou- at a U.S. Open. That was
ble bogey on par-3 fifth. He recognition that scores
was 1 under through seven. were to be had, and this
Scott Piercy made bogey might be the best day.
on the 18th for a 67. He was Fowler picked up three
the first player to get every- birdies in seven holes,
one’s attention when he dropped a shot at the turn
made three birdies and an and added three birdies
eagle through the open- on the back. It’s the sec-
ing six holes — the scoring ond time in three years at
holes at Pebble — and was the U.S. Open he has start-
5 under. Graeme McDow- ed well — he had a 65 in
ell saw the score when he the first round at Erin Hills —
walked off the 10th green but the focus is on how he
at the start of his round and finishes.
quipped to his caddie, “All Even though he’s 30, with
the USGA radios are going seven victories on the PGA
off and they’re saying, ‘Turn Tour and European Tour
off the water — NOW!’” combined, Fowler is on that
McDowell won the last U.S. list of best without a major,
Open at Pebble Beach perhaps because he’s had
in 2010 when it was so dif- so many top finishes. So the
ficult he made only one start was important.
birdie in the final round “It was very stress free,”
and no one broke par for Fowler said. “You never feel
the week. Even as he saw in cruise control at a ma-
low scores on the board — jor, especially a U.S. Open,
he had a bogey-free 69, but the execution was very
one of 16 rounds in the 60s good today. ... It was the
among the early starters worst I could have shot,
— McDowell feared what so that’s a good thing. I’m
was to come. What really happy with the start. You
got his attention was Phil can’t go out and win it up
Mickelson being some 30 the first day, but you can
feet above the hole at No. obviously take yourself out
1, which should ordinarily of it and you’re having to
have been a lightning fast fight back.”
putt. Mickelson left it short. Schauffele also appears
“I don’t think level par wins poised to break through
this week,” he said. “Care- in his third full year on tour.
ful what you wish for, be- He first gained attention
cause I think we’re going to with his tie for fifth in his
see it come the weekend.” U.S. Open debut two years
Mickelson, in his fifth at- ago, and he tied for sixth