Eagles rock Torrey Pines
Mackenzie Hughes and Louis Oosthuizen brought memories of Tiger Woods roaring back to life at the US Open at Torrey Pines.
Just like in 2008, when Woods made eagle putts across the green on 13 and 18, it left this US Open up for grabs yesterday. First it was Hughes, rolling in a 60-foot eagle putt from the back of the green to the front pin at No 13 that got him into the mix. Next came Oosthuizen with an eagle putt from 50 feet to a front pin on the 18th.
That led to them being tied for the lead with Russell Henley, who was hanging on for dear life at the end of a third round that set the stage for aa final round today filled with possibilities.
Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau were two shots behind. McIlroy has gone seven years without a major, while DeChambeau is chasing back-to-back US Open titles.
Hughes, coming off four consecutive missed cuts, birdied the 18th for a 3-under 68. He was the first player to reach 5-under 208. Oosthuizen made next to nothing until he holed 80 feet worth of putts over the final three holes, a 30-foot birdie on the 16th and his big eagle at the last.
Woods is recovering from his February car crash that badly injured his legs and is not back at Torrey Pines. In his absence were replays of the eagles he made on the 13th and 18th hole in the third round in 2008 that gave him the 54-hole lead. It took two players to do that this time, but it was equally spectacular.
“I know Tiger’s was further right, but halfway there, I loved it,” Hughes said. “The charge that goes through your body when the ball goes in the hole and the crowd erupts is why we play. It gives me goosebumps now thinking about it.”
And he’ll have plenty of nerves today playing in the final group with Oosthuizen, who has had five runnerup finishes in the majors — two in playoffs — since winning the 2010 British Open at St Andrews.
McIlroy started the day six shots behind and did his best work to save bogey. He ran off three birdies in four holes to start the back nine, only to pull his tee shot into a ravine. He took a penalty drop instead of going into the ravine — a smart decision considering television showed a large rattlesnake in the area — and limited the damage to a bogey.
A birdie on the 18th for a 67 gave him a chance to win a major for the first time since the 2014 PGA Championship.
“This is the only tournament in the world where you fist-pump a bogey,” McIlroy said.
Jon Rahm was in the group at 2-under 211 along with Scottie Scheffler and Matthew Wolff.