Birdie flurry on back nine lifts Oosthuizen
OAKMONT: South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen “found something” in his swing out on the course before plundering five birdies on his back nine to soar into contention at the weather-disrupted US Open yesterday.
Blessed with one of the most envied swings in the game, Oosthuizen rebounded from an opening five-over-par 75 to fire a five-under 65 on a challenging layout that was firming up at a sun-splashed Oakmont Country Club.
The 33-year-old had three holes to complete in the delayed second round when he returned to the course yesterday morning, and he finished par-par-birdie to cap an inward half of four-under 31 and match the best score of the week.
“I didn’t have a great first round. I felt as uncomfortable over the golf ball as I have in a while,” 2010 British Open champion Oosthuizen said after sinking a 12-footer on his final hole, the par-four ninth.
“Couldn’t really find anything on the range, as well, before the second round. But out on the golf course, I found something in my set up that felt comfortable, and I started swinging a bit.
“I started getting my little cut back on my driver and it went from there. Built momentum by hitting better shots and rolling a few nice putts. I hit a few shots really close.”
Oosthuizen said he had also benefited from his mem- ories of last year’s US Open at Chambers Bay, where he tied for second after battling back from an opening 77 with scores of 66, 66 and 67.
“What I learned from last year was to never really give up in a US Open,” said the world number 14. “Just grind on. If something happens, then you can get yourself right back into it.
“I was just grinding the whole day. It was a great round coming back after not a great first round. I could have easily just gone out there and shot another 74 or something and be out of the tournament.”
Oosthuizen birdied five of his last seven holes to post an even-par total of 140, just four strokes off the early lead.
“Just puts you back in the tournament really,” he said. “There’s a lot of golf left. The greens are definitely getting faster, and it’s firming up. It’s a good position. Four behind going into any US Open third round is a good place.”
Having paid a steep price for wayward approach shots in the opening round at Oakmont Country Club, world number one Jason Day clawed his way back into contention at the weather-hit US Open yesterday.
The Australian parred his last three holes to end a marathon second round that began early on Friday with a one-under-par 69, a five-over total of 145, leaving him nine strokes off the early lead in the year’s second major championship.
With conditions expected to become more difficult over the weekend as the notoriously tough golf course firms up under relentless sunshine, Day has set his sights on getting back to level par.
“It was good to come back out this morning and par the last few holes, which are very difficult to do because seven, eight and nine are not easy,” Daysaid. “The greens are only going to get firmer and faster, and same with the fairways.
“I’m trying to claw my way back to even par. I think, if I can get back to even par, that I may have a good chance at giving myself a shot at winning. But obviously, there’s plenty of golf to be played.”
Day has been the game’s hottest player over the past 12 months with seven tournament wins, including last year’s PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, but left himself with plenty of work to do after struggling in the opening round at Oakmont.
“The first round was terrible,” the 28-year-old Queenslander said. “I gave myself plenty of opportunities in the first round. I felt like I drove it pretty good in the first round and then missed too many greens.”
Day readily accepts that he faces an uphill task in pursuit of his second major victory, with long-hitting American Dustin Johnson dropping just one shot over the first 36 holes to set the tournament pace.
“Dustin Johnson is playing some pretty good golf right now,” said Day. “It definitely suits his game because he can take some lines here that a lot of other guys can’t, and lay it back when he needs to.
“He’s going to be tough to beat, especially with how he’s playing. But 36 more holes. There’s so much golf to be played, and I’ve got to be patient.” – Reuters