Friday, August 30, 2013

Dufner takes run at PGA leaderboard and history

Steve Keating August 9, 2013

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Jason Dufner (L) of the U.S. shakes hands with compatriot Steve Stricker on the 18th green during the …

By Steve Keating

ROCHESTER, New York (Reuters) - Jason Dufner brightened up a dreary day with a charge up the PGA Championship leaderboard and a run at golf history, carding a seven-under 63 on Friday to match the best score for a round at a major.

Just hours after Webb Simpson thrilled the rain-soaked crowd with a 64, equaling the Oak Hill course record, Dufner went one better, becoming just the 24th player to shoot 63 at one of golf's four major events.

His bogey-free round also shot the laid-back American to the top of the leaderboard with a two round total of nine-under 131, giving him a two shot advantage over Australia's Adam Scott (68) and the American pair Matt Kuchar (66) and Jim Furyk (68).

Britain's U.S. Open champion Justin Rose (66), Swede Henrik Stenson (66) will start Saturday's third round one stoke further back at six-under.

Tiger Woods, stuck in a five-year major-victory drought, was unable to work his way up the leaderboard, scrapping to a level par 70 to sit a distant 10 back of the leader.

"It's tough when you're chasing history," Dufner told reporters. "You will be the first one to do something. I don't think I've been the first to do anything in my life.

"So it was a little nerve-wracking for a Friday. It's usually the pressure you might feel towards the end of the tournament but I got through it.

"I made a couple of pars, and I wish I had that putt on the last hole back again."

While the galleries were electrified by the 36-year-old's composed and masterful display, Dufner was typically blasé, showing not a hint of emotion when his approach at the second spun back into the cup for an eagle or when his approach to the 18th landed 12-feet from the hole.

As Dufner walked onto the green sizing up the historic putt, the crowd fell quiet, then groaned when it slowly rolled to halt short of its target.

"Obviously had a fantastic day today in a major championship, chased a little bit of history," said Dufner. "Came up a little short on that last putt but all-in-all I'm excited."

As the rain disappeared and the sun began to peak out from behind the clouds, there was more drama unfolding with the late starters attacking a defenseless East course with gusto.

With the sun-setting, K.J. Choi was poised to challenge the record, reaching six-under for the round with two holes to play but a bogey ended his run and he signed for a 65.

The early starters were greeted by dark skies and pounding rain at stately Oak Hill Country Club but the soggy conditions could not prevent some of the contenders from getting off to hot starts.

Scott, the joint overnight leader alongside Furyk, teed off on the back nine in the worst of the conditions but the Masters champion was unbothered by the downpour, picking up a birdie on his opening hole.

"It was raining pretty hard on and off and the course was playing tough," said Scott.

"So it was nice to get off to a good start while the tough conditions were out there and I managed to hang on.

"The course is obviously softening up and I'm sure some guys will take advantage of that but so far so good for two days."

The heavy favorite coming into this week after romping to a seven-stroke victory at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Sunday, Woods was unable to take advantage of the soft conditions.

"I made my share, I missed my share. Just the way it goes," he said. "Obviously I'm going to have to put together a really good weekend.

"I'm going to have to do my job and shoot a good round."

Defending champion Rory McIlroy (71), eager to turn his game around after a poor season by his standards, looked headed for an early exit until a late turnaround down the stretch.

The Northern Irishman's play was as gloomy as the early weather until he roared back with four birdies over his final seven holes to get back to level par 140 for the tournament and make the cut.

(Reporting by Steve Keating' Editing by Julian Linden)

Dufner fires record-tying 63 to join major club

Mark Lamport-Stokes August 9, 2013

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Jason Dufner of the U.S. reacts after missing his putt on the 17th green during the second round of the …

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

ROCHESTER, New York (Reuters) - American Jason Dufner came agonizingly close to shooting the first 62 at a major before settling for a record-tying 63 in Friday's second round of the PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Open.

Needing a birdie at the par-four last to etch his name into golf's history books, Dufner left his 12-foot uphill putt 18 inches short of the cup, then tapped in for par to complete a seven-under score.

Known for his unflappable and ultra-laidback persona, the 36-year-old became the 24th player to shoot a 63 at a major on a day when Oak Hill's East Course was ripe for plundering after being rain-softened during the week.

Dufner holed out with a sand wedge from the fairway to eagle the par-four second, then reeled off five birdies over the next 13 holes on the way to a two-shot lead in the year's final major, at nine-under 131.

"It was a great day for me, a good day to get out there and score," Dufner told reporters after tying the PGA Championship low for 36 holes, and improving the course record at Oak Hill by a stroke.

"Obviously the rain, the soft golf course made it scoreable but to join history, to shoot a 63 in a major, is pretty unbelievable, and to be leading the tournament is even better. Hopefully it will propel me to a great weekend."

Asked whether he had been aware of how his own round stacked up to the record books, Dufner replied: "I knew that nobody had shot 62, and the course record (of 64) I had heard on TV earlier in the week.

"So I knew where I stood and you couldn't have a better putt for a chance at history on the last hole but I just didn't quite hit it hard enough."

CHASING BIRDIE

Dufner, a double winner on the PGA Tour, was delighted with his first two shots on the final hole as he chased a sixth birdie of the day.

"I hit a great tee shot," he said. "Then I was a little bit in between clubs, in between a five and a six-iron, from 203 yards (for his approach), so I went with a six and left it in a perfect spot.

"The greens had gotten a little bit slower, obviously a little bit bumpier and I probably didn't hit the best putt, probably the worst putt I hit of the day, which is a little disappointing.

"But all in all, it's a 63, and my name is on top of the leaderboard, so that's a great position to be playing from. If I could do it over, I guess I would hit the (birdie) putt harder."

Dufner's closest bid for a major victory came in the 2011 PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club where he led by five strokes while playing the fourth-last hole before losing steam.

He ended up losing the title in a playoff with PGA Tour rookie Keegan Bradley, but believes that experience, and his two victories on the U.S. circuit last year, can only stand him in good stead at Oak Hill this week.

"Atlanta is probably the best I've ever hit it in my career for that specific week," he said.

"I played really flawless there for 68 holes or 69 holes. That's probably the best I've hit it in my career. Today, I scored better.

"I've got more experience now playing in these major championships, winning a couple of events, being close to winning some more events since Atlanta, so that will always help."

Asked whether he was as laid-back on the inside as his demeanor suggested, Dufner smiled: "I'm probably like everybody else but I can hide it a little bit better.

"Today was a little bit unusual because just of the buzz that was going on with the round that I was producing. Usually get that buzz towards the end of the championship.

"When you're chasing history, it's tough. But in my head, I was just trying to get further and further away from the field, trying to make birdies."

(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes; Editing by Frank Pingue/Greg Stutchbury)

Dufner has 36-hole lead with record round of 63

PGA.COM August 9, 2013

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Jason Dufner became the 12th player to shoot 63 in the PGA Championship on Friday.(Getty Images)

By Paul Newberry, Associated Press

PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- Jason Dufner got on quite a roll after he holed out from the fairway for an eagle at the second hole.

Not that anyone could tell.

The laid-back player who gave us "Dufnering" hardly showed a lick of emotion during his relentless march toward the record book.

Then, finally, with a chance to do something that had never been done -- shoot 62 in a major championship -- the significance of the moment finally got to him.

Dufner left a 12-foot birdie putt a good 18 inches short, settling for a 7-under 63 that tied the major scoring record at the PGA Championship on Friday.

"I showed a little bit of nerves there," he conceded. "That's one where you'd like to gun it when you have a chance at history. But I was able to two-putt and share a little bit of history."

Indeed, it was quite a round.

Dufner became the 12th player to shoot 63 in the PGA Championship. Steve Stricker was the most recent to do it, in the opening round two years ago at the Atlanta Athletic Club.

Overall, it is the 26th time a player has shot 63 in a major. It has been done at all four of golf's biggest events.

"The history of the game is something dear to my heart," Dufner said. "To be part of history, to be there forever, is a neat accomplishment. I never thought a guy from Cleveland, Ohio, would be able to do the type of things I've been able to do."

He is best known -- on the course, at least -- for squandering a four-shot lead with four holes remaining at the 2011 PGA Championship. He lost to Keegan Bradley in a playoff.

Dufner gained even more fame this year when a photo emerged of him slumped against a wall, his arms straight at his side, during an appearance in a school classroom. Fans took the Internet to post pictures of themselves in various states of "Dufnering."

He had plenty of momentum after the second hole, when a sand wedge from 105 yards landed above the flag and spun back into the cup. In what passes for emotion in Dufner's world, he doled out a couple of fist bumps to his playing partners.

That was it.

Dufner tacked on five birdies in his bogey-free round, which left him with a two-stroke lead as he walked to the clubhouse.

Dufner was at 9-under 131 midway through the tournament, tying the 36-hole PGA Championship scoring record held by six other players. Shingo Katayama and David Toms were the last to do it, at the 2001 PGA Championship in Atlanta.

But Dufner is hardly in the clear, not on a course that has been easy pickings for the world's best players with its rain-softened greens.

During a round that began in dreary rain and finished in bright sunshine, Webb Simpson shot 64 to tie the course scoring record that was shared by Ben Hogan and Curtis Strange. That lasted only a few hours, before Dufner came along to beat them all.

There were 60s all over the board.

Just not from Tiger Woods.

Mired in the longest major drought of his career, he plodded to a 70 that left him at 1-over 141 for the tournament, a staggering 10 strokes off the lead and facing the very real prospect of being 0 for 18 in the big events since his 2008 victory at the U.S. Open.

Others fared better.

Matt Kuchar shot 66, while 18-hole co-leaders Adam Scott and Jim Furyk both posted 68s, leaving all three tied at 7 under. U.S. Open winner Justin Rose, bouncing back from missing the cut at the Open Championship, shot 6-under 29 over his final nine holes for a 66 that left him three shots behind Dufner. Henrik Stenson also was 6 under after a 66 of his own. Robert Garrigus (68) and Steve Stricker (67) were 5 under.

Scott is a serious contender for fourth time in the last six majors.

"The platform has never been better for me to go on and win multiple majors," Scott said. "You've got to take the confidence and form of winning a major and run with it."

Last summer, he endured the bitter disappointment of losing an Open Championship that seemed all but locked up before he bogeyed the final four holes. Instead of moping about that defeat, Scott used it as a catalyst to win at Augusta National, where he defeated Angel Cabrera on the second extra hole.

Three weeks ago, Scott had another Sunday lead on the back nine of the Open Championship before fading with another run of bogeys.

"I'm playing well in the majors and giving myself a chance," Scott said. "I don't care if they call me the best player as long as I win on Sunday."

Simpson, a former U.S. Open champ, was 7 under through his first 15 holes and flirting with the major scoring mark before a bogey at the seventh -- his 16th hole of the round -- stemmed the momentum. He had one more birdie shot at the eighth, but missed a 10-footer.

"I was thinking about it coming down the last few holes," said Simpson, whose 4-under 136 total left him tied with a group that also included 2010 PGA champion Martin Kaymer.

Open Championship winner Phil Mickelson knew it was a day for going low, but his game wasn't up to the task. Lefty shot his second straight 71, leaving him 11 shots off the lead and probably too far back to contend for a second straight major title.

Defending PGA Champion Rory McIlroy was headed to the weekend after bouncing back from a tough start Friday. He played his first 10 holes at 5 over, but closed with four birdies for a 71 that left him even for the tournament -- nine shots behind.

"I've just got to try to get off to a fast start tomorrow," said McIlroy, who won last year by a record eight strokes at Kiawah Island. "I need to shoot something in the mid-60s to give myself a chance on Sunday."

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Pressel, 25, a seasoned veteran at Solheim Cup

EDDIE PELLS (AP National Writer) August 13, 2013AP - Sports

PARKER, Colo. (AP) -- It's a quick ride down the highway from this week's Solheim Cup to where Morgan Pressel introduced herself to America.

Eight years ago this summer, she was a 17-year-old amateur, a childhood prodigy from a blue-blood sporting family, who found herself a few good shots away from a playoff at the U.S. Open at Cherry Hills.

A virtually unknown player named Birdie Kim stole away that dream, holing out for - what else? - a birdie with a once-in-a-lifetime shot from the greenside bunker on No. 18.

Squinting into the sunlight, watching the scene play out up ahead, Pressel saw the ball drop. ''It was like, 'I can't believe that actually just happened,''' Pressel said that day, the last of that week's waterfall of tears still pooling below her eyes.

More accomplished and more composed in 2013 than 2005, Pressel is one of America's top players at the Solheim Cup, which begins Friday at Colorado Golf Club.

She brings a 7-2-2 career record into this, her fourth meeting against the Europeans. In 2011, she went 4-0.

''I love match play. I love the Solheim Cup. I love playing out here,'' Pressel said.

One of the surest signs that the healing was complete from that 2005 shock came two years later. First, Pressel captured her first major, becoming the youngest winner of a Grand Slam tournament when she took advantage of a collapse by Suzann Pettersen to win the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

A few months later, in Halmstad, Sweden, Pressel made her Solheim Cup debut, beating none other than Annika Sorenstam on Sorenstam's home turf in an American singles romp on the final day.

''Nobody had many expectations for me, so I was able to just go out there and play my game and was able to come out on top,'' Pressel said.

Now preparing for her fourth Solheim Cup, Pressel, the niece of former top-10 tennis player Aaron Krickstein, is a wily veteran at 25. She has more Solheim experience than every American but Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr and Angela Stanford. Her .727 winning percentage is best on the U.S. team.

Pressel insists the heartbreak at Cherry Hills rarely enters her mind and she has never watched a replay.

''I don't know how I reconciled it,'' she said. ''I just kept playing. I felt like I was close and I'd have more chances in my life, eventually, after I got over the disappointment of it.''

At the British Open this year, she faced a different sort of final-day pressure.

Struggling with an injured thumb that sent her down the rankings in 2012, Pressel needed a good finish to earn the last automatic spot on Meg Mallon's team. After holding the 54-hole lead, Pressel finished tied for fourth and got the spot.

Odds are, she would have been making the trip to the Denver area this week either way.

''I told Meg, she needs to be a pick'' if she doesn't qualify through her ranking, said Brittany Lincicome, also making her fourth Solheim Cup appearance. ''Solheim would not be the same without Morgan here.''

Asked what she brings to the U.S. team, which is trying to stay undefeated in matches played in the United States, Pressel modestly replied: ''Hair ribbons and tattoos,'' speaking to her unofficial role as the team's red-white-and-blue coordinator.

But she is more than that, and the 4-0 record from last time says it all.

Match play is a different animal from the usual stroke-play events that dominate the schedule. The first two days, which feature alternate-shot and best ball, add an even greater sense of team to the proceedings.

''I think I'm an easygoing person,'' Pressel said. ''I feel like I can play with anybody. I have a versatile game in that sense where I hit it down the middle and it's not going to go as far as some of the other girls, but I can keep it in play and sometimes that's important.''

Back in 2005, Pressel hit her final drive straight and was sitting comfortably in the middle of the fairway, waiting for the group in front of her to clear the green. Kim was in that group up ahead, tied with Pressel. Not a single player had made a birdie that day on the uphill, 459-yard par-4 at Cherry Hills. When Kim's ball went in, Pressel looked behind her, put her hands on her head in dismay and smiled.

Still in tears more than 30 minutes after the last shot, she conceded she wasn't great at masking her emotions: ''I try. But I don't hide them well, as you can see.''

Almost a decade later, Pressel is one of the most consistent presences in American golf - winner of more than $5 million since she went pro later in 2005, and with 46 top-10 finishes. There's also that remarkableSolheim Cup record, which includes a 3-0 mark in Sunday singles.

As for the one that got away that day at Cherry Hills - well, she doesn't really look at it that way.

''There's luck with everything,'' she said. ''Better to be lucky than good. Isn't that one of the oldest sayings in the book?''

Foreign players lead after 2 rounds of US Amateur

JIMMY GOLEN (AP Sports Writer) August 13, 2013AP - Sports

BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP) -- Ever since local caddie Francis Ouimet won the 1913 U.S. Open and sent British stars Ted Ray and Harry Vardon home empty-handed, The Country Club has not been kind to foreign golfers.

Two more Opens have been held here, and each was won by an American. Same with the two Walker Cups, three Women's Amateurs and five U.S. Amateurs at The Country Club - not to mention the 1999 Ryder Cup, in which the U.S. team rallied on the final day to beat Europe.

But there was Englishman Neil Raymond atop the leaderboard at the 113th U.S. Amateur on Tuesday after the completion of two rounds of stroke play, tied at 6-under par with Australia's Brady Watt. They are followed three strokes back by another Australian, another Englishman and a Canadian.

''It would be huge. It would be a great accomplishment for any of the English guys to win,'' said Raymond, one of five from his country to reach the 64-man match play round. ''To have an opportunity to be a part of a group of guys doing great stuff around the world, it's showing that we really do mean business.''

The Amateur is being played at The Country Club on the 100th anniversary of Ouimet's playoff victory over Vardon and Ray - an event that is credited with popularizing the sport in the United States and helping it expand from its traditional domain of wealthy Europeans. A century later, it is the Europeans who are hoping to make history.

No English golfer has won the U.S. Amateur since Harold Hilton in 1911. Korea's Byeong-Hun An, who won in 2008, was the last non-American winner.

''You look at the world rankings and we've got quite a strong field, a lot of English guys in the top 20, 25,'' said Matt Fitzpatrick, an Englishman who is planning to attend Northwestern this fall. ''It's pleasing, and hopefully there might be an English winner.''

Raymond shot a 67 at The Country Club in the opening round Monday and followed it with another at the 6,547-yard, par-70 Charles River Country Club on Tuesday to share the medalist honors with Watt, who shot 68 and 66. Fitzpatrick began at Charles River with a 67 and followed it with a 70 at the par-70, 7,310-yard TCC to wind up in a tie for third with Australian Oliver Goss and Justin Shin of Canada.

Nick Hardy, a Northbrook, Ill., high school senior who had the low score after the first round, followed an opening 65 with a 73 and was among three players tied for sixth at 2-under.

The top 49 golfers advanced to a six-round match play tournament, with the 17 who were tied at 4-over scheduled for a playoff on Wednesday morning for the remaining 15 spots.

''The tourney starts tomorrow,'' Watt said. ''I love match play. I have played a lot of match play tournaments. The key will be to strike the ball well, but that's the secret in playing golf.''

Defending champion Steven Fox finished at 6-over and missed the cut, as did Anthony Maccaglia despite a hole-in-one with a 5-iron at the 179-yard, par-3, 16th hole at TCC.

It is the 17th known hole-in-one in the history of the U.S. Amateur, the USGA said.

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Follow Jimmy Golen on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/jgolen.

PGA Tour denies bid for European buyout

The Sports Xchange August 14, 2013The SportsXchange

The PGA Tour has not make an offer to take over the European Tour, commissioner Tim Finchem said Tuesday.

The Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph reported Monday in England that the U.S. tour was pursuing the European Tour and Finchem had conducted preliminary discussions with counterpart George O'Grady.

"Certain news reports today have indicated that the PGA Tour has made an offer to acquire the European Tour. Those reports are inaccurate," Finchem said in a statement. "However, as I have stated publicly on several occasions, the integration of professional golf can create additional value for our players, sponsors and fans.

"Such integration has been ongoing since 1994, with the founding of the International Federation of PGA Tours, and has led to the establishment of the World Golf Championships in 1999 as well as the World Cup as a Federation-sanctioned event. More recently, all the major golf bodies around the world worked together to bring golf back to the Olympic Games."

The PGA European Tour, created in 1972, lags behind the PGA Tour in prize money.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Reed tied with Huh at soggy Sedgefield

Andrew Both August 17, 2013

By Andrew Both

GREENSBORO, North Carolina (Reuters) - Patrick Reedbogeyed the final hole to slip back into a tie for the lead withJohn Huh after the third round at the Wyndham Championship on Saturday.

On a day when there was little movement among the leading pack, Reed carded a reasonable one-over-par 71 in intermittent rain at soggy Sedgefield Country Club.

He missed a 10-foot putt at the last, while Huh holed out from almost the same distance to salvage par. Earlier, Huh made just about the worst possible start with a triple bogey at the second hole.

Reed and Huh are at 10-under 200, one stroke ahead of Zach Johnson(66), Bob Estes (68) and Jordan Spieth (70).

Former Masters champion Johnson made the biggest move, reeling off five birdies before bogeying the final hole, the only blemish on his card, for a 66, equal to the day's best score.

Eight players are within two strokes of the lead.

Less than an hour of play was possible Saturday morning before persistent rain rendered the course unplayable shortly after 8am ET (12:00 GMT).

Competition resumed three hours later and despite more rain, officials deemed the course playable and the round was completed.

The lift, clean and place rule was invoked, allowing players to take preferred lies from the fairways.

(Reporting By Simon Evans,)

Golf-Reed tied with Huh at soggy Sedgefield

August 17, 2013

(Adds details, quotes)

By Andrew Both

GREENSBORO, North Carolina, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Young guns Patrick Reed and John Huh had their struggles but ended tied for the lead after third round at the $5.3 million Wyndham Championship on Saturday.

On a day when there was little movement among the lead pack, Reed carded a reasonable one-over-par 71 in intermittent rain at soggy Sedgefield Country Club.

He missed a 10-foot par putt at the last, while Huh holed out from a slightly shorter distance to salvage par. Earlier, Huh made just about the worst possible start with a triple bogey at the second hole.

Reed and Huh are at 10-under 200, one stroke ahead of Zach Johnson (66), Bob Estes (68) and Jordan Spieth (70).

Eight players are within two strokes of the lead going into Sunday's final round.

PGA Tour rookie Reed dropped three strokes in the first 13 holes as he struggled with his driver, but a good tee shot at the 14th got him back on the track and he reeled off three consecutive birdies.

"I was having issues with the driver, hitting everything left of left but the tee shot on 14, that was a key point," said the 23-year-old Texan. "I'm very excited (to have the lead) but at the same time I've got work to do."

Huh, who is barely two months younger than Reed, showed composure beyond his years after his disastrous second hole, where he took five strokes to negotiate the final 60 feet.

"I pulled my second shot into the wrong spot and instead of taking my medicine I got too greedy," said Huh, who could not stop his third shot on the green.

"It was a pretty rough start but I was able to hang in there and get everything together and here I am tied for the lead."

Huh was born in New York but spent 12 years of his childhood in South Korea before moving back to the US.

Former Masters champion Johnson made the biggest move, reeling off five birdies before bogeying the final hole, the only blemish on his card, for a 66, equal to the day's best score.

"There was a lot of precipitation and just a day to be patient," said Johnson. "The course held up well (and) the greens were still fast.

"I hit it great and didn't think I was going to sniff a bogey (but then) I three-putted 18 - hit two great shots and then a terrible lag putt," he said.

Less than an hour of play was possible Saturday morning before persistent rain rendered the course unplayable shortly after 8am.

Competition resumed three hours later and despite more rain, officials deemed the course playable all afternoon.

The lift, clean and place rule was invoked, allowing preferred lies from the fairways.

While the softer conditions allowed for more aggressive approach shots, the course also played significantly longer.

Reed, for example, hit a "soft" wedge into the par-four second on the first two days. On Saturday he used a five-iron.

More rain is forecast for Sunday with organisers moving the start times forward and making use of starts on the first and tenth holes to try to beat the weather. (Reporting By Simon Evans,)