 Mickelson could barely believe his bad luck at the seventh |
At one stage I feared that a great championship was about to be ruined because the seventh became nearly impossible to play. As the freshening breeze swept across the course and the greens grew crustier, Phil Mickelson racked up double-bogey five without playing a single bad shot on the hole.
Was the tournament being played on a crazy-golf course? And if so where was the windmill?
As it turned out Shinnecock Hills was set up perfectly for this third day and Mickelson had no complaints despite surrendering his position at the top of the leader board.
The Masters champion's touch on the greens deserted him on the last two holes, where he failed to make the most of a miraculous escape from a bunker on the 17th and then three-putted 18.
Retief Goosen went about his business with a calm detachment which he will need to repeat in the final round if he is to claim his second US Open title.
Things will inevitably go against the players given the severity of the course and the forecast gusty conditions.
He who deals with adversity best will prevail.
 Woods is unlikely to shoot 65 |
Sergio Garcia's inward nine of 33 was a remarkable effort given the fact that he had apparently dropped out of contention with a string of early bogeys. The question now is whether he will be out early enough to benefit from slightly less roughed-up greens to set a target - he won't lack for confidence in pursuit of that aim.
Undoubtedly, the third day belonged to South Africa.
Not only did Goosen rise to the top, but Ernie Els remained in the thick of it with a level-par 70 which brought a broad grin to the Big Easy's face as he departed the 18th green.
It might be easy to discount Tim Clark because he has never won a major, but his 66 was the low round of the day, he is a renowned wind player and he came third at last year's USPGA.
Dark horses can prevail, as Ben Curtis at the Open and, most recently, Scott Drummond at the Volvo PGA have proved.
If Tiger Woods could shoot a 65, he would have a chance.
The trouble is there remains zero evidence to suggest he is currently capable of compiling the sort of round he needs.
MMIX
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