Woodland weathers wild Beach day
PEBBLE BEACH, CALIF.— The toughest test in this U.S. Open might be more about nerves from chasing history than Pebble Beach.
Gary Woodland held it together Saturday with bold plays and two unlikely pars for a 2-under 69, giving him a one-shot lead over Justin Rose and his first appearance in the final group on the last day of a major.
Lurking is Brooks Koepka, who played bogey-free for a 68 to give himself a shot at a record that has stood for114 years, as he tries to join Willie Anderson with a third consecutive U.S. Open title.
Standing in the way is Pebble Beach, a strong enough test that has been missing strong wind, its best defence.
The final hour of the third round gave a glimpse of possibilities, how fortunes can change quickly. Woodland twice looked as though he were about to lose two shots or more of his lead until chipping in from 35 feet on the par-3 12th hole, and holing a par putt from just over 40 feet on the par-5 14th.
“I’m excited to be where I’m at right now,” Woodland said.
He was at 11-under 202 and with hardly any margin for error against Rose, the 2013 U.S. Open champion at Merion who birdied the 18th for a 68. Rose got up and down from a bunker, the 34th time in 54 holes at Pebble that he had a one-putt green.
Koepka had some theatrics of his own, misjudging a lie in the rough so deep he could barely see the golf ball left of the 15th green. It sailed long into the first cut, some 35 feet away, and he holed the putt for par to keep a clean card. He was part of a group four shots back that included Louis Oosthuizen, who birdied three of his last four holes to salvage a 70, and Chez Reavie, who made his share of long par putts for a 68.
Koepka won at Erin Hills in 2017 with his power and at Shinnecock Hills last year with his clutch putting. He might need a little of both to make up a four-shot deficit at Pebble Beach. He is going for his fifth major title in his last nine tries, a stretch not seen since Tiger Woods at his peak.
“If you’re within three on the back nine, anything can happen,” Koepka said of the final round.
Curtis Strange, the last player with a shot at three straight U.S. Opens, also shot 68 in the third round in 1990 and got within two shots, only to fade with a 75 on the final day. Rory McIlroy didn’t get enough out of how well he hit the ball and had to settle for a 70, leaving him five shots back.
As for Woods, he had a 71 and was 11 shots behind. Dustin Johnson also had a 71 and was nine back. Phil Mickelson saw his career Grand Slam hopes vanish at sea when he hit driver into the Pacific on the 18th hole and made triple bogey for a 75.
For the third day in a row, a thick marine layer covered the Monterey Peninsula and kept Pebble Beach from getting even faster than it was. It still presented a solid test, making this U.S. Open rare in the limited number of complaints.
Woodland three-putted the tough eighth hole, ending his amazing streak of 34 consecutive holes without a bogey.
But then came his biggest two shots, both for par.
Woodland thought his tee shot on the 12th was pure, even twirling his club as it descended. It came up short and in a nasty in the wispy, shin-high grass. Gripping the club at the shaft, he shanked it to the right into light rough. With Rose inside 10 feet for birdie, it looked like a two-shot swing at the very least. And then Woodland holed it, slamming his fist, a rare show of emotion for one of golf’s coolest customers.
“I was trying to avoid the big number,” Woodland said. “Take your medicine and move on. Nice that it went in.”
Ditto for the par-5 14th, where he got out of position off the tee. The thick grass right of the fairway grabbed his club and sent his second shot into more deep rough. Then, he hit his wedge too short and was lucky it stayed on the top shelf instead of rolling back to the fairway.
“I just tried to nestle it up close,” Woodland said about his long par putt.
He holed that, too, and kept Rose at a distance.