OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. – Now the 103rd U.S. Open really begins.
The headliners to yesterday’s second round were the leaders at 7-under-par – Vijay Singh and his 7-under 63, tying a U.S. Open record, and Jim Furyk, who followed his first-round 67 with a 66. Each set an Open record for lowest 36-hole score at 133.
The standout play of Singh and Furyk was indicative of how unusually easy the course is playing for a USGA set-up, considering that they’re usually rather sadistic.
An absurd 27 players enter the weekend with sub-par scores. There were 38 rounds below par shot yesterday.
“The golf course is there for the taking,” said Thursday’s hero, Tom Watson, who’s four shots off the lead at 3-under. “The USGA is trying to protect par and they’re having a ahrd time because of the softness of the greens. I can’t remember when the scoring has been this good in a U.S. Open.”
The cut yesterday was 3-over-par. A year ago at Bethpage, where winner Tiger Woods, at 3-under, was the only player to finish below par, the cut was 10-over.
Speaking of Woods, he’s lurking ominously in the Olympia Fields Country Club’s semi-rough waiting to pounce.
Saying he felt much more comfortable with his swing yesterday, Woods is pursuing his second consecutive U.S. Open, third overall and ninth career major to position himself at the halfway point to Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 majors. You can almost feel another low number coming from him today, which is the unofficial “moving day” in golf tournaments, particularly majors.
“I feel pretty good,” Woods said. “Any time you’re under par at a U.S. Open after two days you’ve got a chance. I’m right where I need to be.”
Woods followed his cautious even-par 70 in the first round with a 4-under 66 yesterday and is only three shots off the pace Singh and Furyk have set. For Woods in a major, a three-shot deficit can be erased as quickly as you can say intimidation.
The compelling subplot surrounding Singh is that, despite playing well of late and even winning, he fired his caddie, Paul Tesori before the Open and re-hired David Renwick, who carried his bag when he won both of his majors – the 1998 PGA and the 2000 Masters.
“I just needed a change, although I was playing very well,” said Singh, who won the Byron Nelson just a few weeks ago with Tesori onthbe bag. “I’ve had success in the majors with Dave, so bringing him on the bag I just thought would do me some good.”
What hasn’t done Singh any good is the way he’s been villified of late for being so outspoken against Annika Sorenstam playing in the Colonial. Singh, who coincidentally withdrew from the Colonial after winning the Nelson, insisted that he’s avoided the distractions.
“I’ve focussed on what I’m doing and that’s playing the golf course and the golf tournaments,” Singh said. “I just don’t let things like that bother me. I’m more focused on what I’m doing and I let everything else take care of itself.”
Singh’s afternoon 63 was, indeed, evidence that he can block out distractions.
Furyk’s morning 66 was evidence just how hot he is this year, having already bagged 10 top-10 finishes, including seven top-6 finishes.
It was rather ironic that Furyk, a highly successful player who’s still seeking his first major championship, was paired with Phil Mickelson the last two days.
Mickelson, who stands at even-par for the tournament, is universally known as “The Best Player Never to Win a Major because of his 21 wins, numerous close calls and 0-for-43 streak. Furyk, a seven-time winner on Tour, is the next rung down from Mickelson.
“I’ve always had a lot of confidence in my game and I feel I have the game to win a major championship,” Furyk said. “But it’s a matter of going out there and doing it.”
With an accurate-driving, excellent-putting game that fits in well with Olympia Fields, he’s halfway there.
“The golf course is going to get more difficult,” Furyk said. “I have to keep focusing on what got me to this point.”
LEADERBOARD
Jim Furyk+67-66 – 133
Vijay Singh+70-63 – 133
Stephen Leaney+67-68 – 135
Jonathan Byrd+69-66 – 135
Eduardo Romero+70-66 – 136
Nick Price+71-65 – 136
Fredrik Jacobson+69-67 – 136
Tiger Woods+70-66 – 136
Justin Leonard+66-70 – 136
Robert Damron+69-68 – 137
Tom Watson+65-72 – 137
Notables missing the cut
144 (+4) – Jose Maria Olazabal; 146 (+6) Jeff Maggert, Scott Hoch; 147 (+7) – Jay Haas, Bob Tway, Bob Estes, Rocco Mediate; 148 (+9) Corey Pavin, Tom Kite, Larry Mize; 150 (+10) – Rich Beem, Nick Faldo, David Duval, Brad Faxon; 151 (+11) – Davis Love III; 152 (+12) – Scott McCarron
Record-setting Day
Two records were set during yesterday’s second round of the U.S. Open. Jim Furyk and Vijay Singh, the co-leaders through the first two rounds, set a record for the lowest 36-hole score in Open history at 133. Furyk shot a first-round 67 and second-round 66, while Singh shot even-par 70 in the first round and a single-day U.S. Open record 63 yesterday. Here’s a look at the previous lows:
134 – Jack Nicklaus (63-71) at Baltusrol in 1980
134 – Tze-Chung Chen (65-69) at Oakland Hills in 1985
134 – Lee Janzen (67-67) at Baltusrol in 1993
134 – Tiger Woods (65-69) at Pebble Beach in 2000
Singh’s 63 was the fourth-ever at a U.S. Open and the 21st-ever in a Major tournament. Here’s the other rounds of 63:
U.S. Open
Vijay Singh, second, 2003, Olympia Fields
Tom Weiskopf, first, 1980, Baltusrol
Jack Nicklaus, first, 1980, Baltusrol
Johnny Miller, fourth, 1973, Oakmont
Masters
Greg Norman, first, 1996.
Nick Price, third, 1986
British Open
Payne Stewart, fourth, 1993, Royal St. George
Nick Faldo, second, 1993, Royal St. George
Jodie Mudd, fourth, 1991, Royal Birkdale
Paul Broadhurst, third, 1990, St. Andrews
Greg Norman, second, 1986, Turnberry
Isao Aoki, third, 1980, Muirfield
Mark Hayes, second, 1977, Turnberry
PGA Championship
Mark O’Meara, second, 2001, Atlanta Athletic Club
Jose Maria Olazabal, third, 2000, Valhalla
Brad Faxon, fourth, 1995, Riviera
Michael Bradley, first, 1995, Riviera
Vijay Singh, second, 1993, Inverness
Gary Player, second, 1984, Shoal Creek
Ray Floyd, first, 1982, Southern Hills
Bruce Crampton, second, 1975, Firestone
