Bruised Aussies show true grit
DANIEL Berger managed to hit a sweet spot that was even smaller than the target area on one of Shinnecock Hills’ glassy greens: He played well enough to make the cut at the US Open, but not so well that he teed off among the leaders after the course turned treacherous late in the day.
Just one stroke ahead of the cut line after 36 holes, Berger parlayed an early tee time into a four- under 66 on Saturday to improve to 3 over for the tournament – still seven strokes behind second- round leader Dustin Johnson as he began his round.
Tony Finau teed off 44 minutes later, at 10.57am, and also shot 66 to finish at 3 over.
Then they waited for more than four hours while the course brought the rest of the field back to them.
“I think to get out there early and play a good round really was to my benefit,” said Berger, who was in a four- way tie with Finau, Brooks Koepka ( 72) and Johnson ( 77).
“If someone shoots 4 under this afternoon, it’s more like 8 under.” No one came close.
There were five rounds at or under par the whole day, and none of them teed off after 11.08am. The first 11 groups had a scoring average of 73.6; the last 11 groups – the top 22 golfers through the first 36 holes – averaged 77.
“The guys that were playing at 3 o’clock are playing a different course than the guys that played at 11,” said Russell Knox, who teed off at 1.09pm and shot 75.
“I don’t think it crossed the line, but it was as hard of golf as we can play.” TIM Paine has a badly cut mouth, Billy Stanlake has a badly cut big toe and Australia’s one- day reputation has a bruise growing bigger by the match.
But as the losses continue to mount there’s a bit of fight in the group being formed by new coach Justin Langer and a level of confidence that the bumps they are copping right now aren’t knockout blows.
A 38- run loss to England in the second one- day clash in Cardiff was the sixth in seven games to the old enemy and the record of the reigning World Cup champs makes for ugly reading.
The absence of several stars, including banned batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner along with frontline bowlers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins have played their part in the two defeats on this tour.
A rotating top order through the two games, with D’Arcy Short brought in to open with Travis Head while Aaron Finch dropped down to No. 5, isn’t aiding matters.
But the rot had set in long before that.
Since that epic World Cup win at the MCG in 2015, the reigning champions have a 27- 28 win- loss record having seen a revolving door of players in that time with several retirements as well.
Australia racked up 304, including a mammoth 131 from Shaun Marsh, as they fell short of England’s 342.