Australian Senior Golfer

RORY MCILROY has broken a swag of records to take the 2011 US Open by 8 strokes from Australia’s Jason Day.

The young Northern Irishman blew away the demons of his US Masters final round meltdown with an almost flawless display.

His commanding final round performance made it a wire to wire victory that finished at a record 16-under par 268.

Both those figures blitzed the previous best and the 22 year old also became the youngest winner since Bobby Jones in 1923.

All that, and it would be easy to overlook the fact that Jason Day actually beat him on the weekend by four strokes.

In his US Open debut, Day drove poorly but scrambled superbly to finish alone on second on 8 under. His weekend scores of 65 and 68 beat McIlroy’s 68 and 69.

It was the 23 year old Australian’s second successive Major second placing and his third top ten in his four debut starts.

If McIlroy is the future of golf, Day won’t be far behind.

“Overall the whole week has been incredible,” McIlroy said. “I couldn’t ask for much more and I’m so happy to be holding this trophy.”

Englishman Lee Westwood, South Korean Y.E. Yang and Americans Kevin Chappell and Robert Garrigus finished tied for third on 6-under.

NORTHERN IRELAND‘S Graeme McDowell has held on to win the 2010 US Open and become the first European in 40 years to lift the trophy.

He beat Frenchman Gregory Havret by one shot on a punishing Pebble Beach Course that in the end no one mastered.

After four days no one was left in red figures.

Dustin Johnson, the big hitting young American who was overnight leader, imploded and threatened final round runs by the big names, including Ernie Els, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, faltered.

McDowell finished with a three-over-par 74 for an even-par total of 284.

When he saw Havret, a qualifier ranked 391st in the world, miss his birdie putt on the 18th he knew he could play it safe. But there were still some nail biting moments for the Irishman.

“I’ve dreamed this all my life,” McDowell said. “Two putts to win the US Open. I can’t explain how I feel right now. It’s amazing.”

The last European player to win the US Open was Tony Jacklin in 1970. McDowell also became just the third Irishman to win a major title, along with Padraig Harrington and Fred Daly.
South Africa’s Ernie Els finished third with a 73 for 286 and Woods and Mickelson shared fourth place on 287.

Overnight leader Johnson saw his three-shot lead quickly evaporate with a triple-bogey seven at the second hole. He collapsed to an 82.

The only two Australians to make the cut, Robert Allenby and Stuart Appleby, finished at 11 over and tied for 29th.

STUART APPLEBY is the unlikely leading Australian after the first round of a US Open where low scores were definitely hard to come by on a visually beautiful but punishing Pebble Beach layout.

It wasn’t until late in the day that the first of three golfers managed to edge into the 60’s.

The world’s two top rated golfers, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, couldn’t even manage a birdie between them.

The organisers had wanted to increase the challenge by moving some of the fairways closer to the cliffs and also leave little room for error on the greens and they succeeded mightily.

Appleby hasn’t been in the best of form of late and when he put his second shot of the tournament in the ocean you wouldn’t have backed him to finish top of the Aussie  leaderboard.

But in his 14th successive Open appearance he did, finishing at a comparatively respectable two over par 73, four behind the leaders and tied for 29th with a host of others.

After his opening double bogey on his first hole (the 10th) Appleby managed to keep his round together.

“If you can get through the next hour (without further damage), that’s the key,” Appleby said of his poor start.

“Three birdies on my front nine kept the card near par and kept my spirits alive. I hadn’t been hitting the ball any good this week but today I hit some out of the middle.

“Making the cut would be great. I’d love to play on the weekend. That’s goal number one.”

Englishman Paul Casey, American Shaun Micheel and Zimbabwean Brendon de Jonge lead the tournament on two-under 69, one ahead of a big contingent that includes Japanese teenager Ryo Ishikawa, who impressed with a very mature Open debut round.

The next best Australian was Robert Allenby, who was doubtful right up to tee off because of a wrist injury.

Allenby carded a decent 74 but his two playing partners in what was billed as the marquee Australian trio would no doubt like to have the day over again.

That was Adam Scott, who along with Michael Sim and Marc Leishman returned a disappointing 77, and former US Open winner Geoff Ogilvy, who wasn’t sighted and finished with a 79.

Steve Allan and Terry Pilkadaris  had 78 and Aaron Baddeley, John Senden and Paul Sheehan 80.

Baddeley had an excruciating to watch four putt from close range and here’s hoping he bounces back after recent encouraging noises about a return to form.

Tiger Woods, at the scene of his record 15-stroke triumph 10 years ago, returned a 74.

He was pretty happy with his ball striking but spoke of the difficulty of getting the ball close to the pin on the small, hard and sloping greens.

“I three-putted twice and laid up in a bunker. Those are mistakes you just can’t afford to make,” he said.

Masters champion Phil Mickelson struggled to a 75 on a day when maybe he should have tempered his usual aggressive style. If he keeps ending up in the ocean maybe he will get the message. But probably not.

2010 US Open Live Leaderboard

AUSTRALIA’S three top hopes in the US Open – Adam Scott, Robert Allenby and Geoff Ogilvy – will tee off together in the first two rounds of the Pebble Beach classic this week.

With blanket free to air television coverage beginning early Friday morning, you would hope the Aussie trio will get at least some air time focus.

It will be the first time in modern history that three Australians will play together in a world major.

The US Golf Association – the tournament organisers – have also lined up some other star studded trios and interesting threesomes.

They include tournament favourite Tiger Woods with Ernie Els and St Jude Classic winner Lee Westwood; and Irish young gun Rory Mcllroy with Japanese teenager Ryo Ishikawa and the evergreen Tom Watson.

In all there are 11 Australians in the event, including Scott, Ogilvy, Allenby, Stuart Appleby Aaron Baddeley, Paul Sheehan, Stephen Allan, Terry Pilkadaris, Marc Leishman, Michael Sim and John Senden.

Sheehan will be in the first group to hit off at 7 am (local US time) with the Scott trio 10 groups back at 7.55 am.

Whilst most betting agencies have Woods as favourite, his form has been uncertain of late and Phil Mickelson is hot on his heels.

The Ten Network will provide extensive free to air television coverage of the US Open beginning on Friday from 3am on One HD Sports and from 8am on Ten.

One HD will be providing nine hours coverage of the first two rounds but the telecast begins later for the weekend rounds. Check your local guides or visit the Ten online tv guide.

2010 US Open Live Leaderboard

FORGET our previous story, regional Australians (and all those without ONE HD access) will once again be stiffed by Channel 10 and the Southern Cross regional network and they will not be getting full coverage of the Final Round of the 2009 US Open, which begins around 11pm Monday Sydney time tonight.

Channel 10 Network television and the Southern Cross Network will be broadcasting a portion of the final round from 12.10am Tuesday till 2.30 am.

Those able to get ONE HD or SD will get the broadcast from 11pm Monday till a forecast 5.15 am.

There must be some good reason why Network 10 needs to show (a probably out of date) David Letterman show. You never know with this show whether it’s a recent show or if George Bush will still be president.

At 12.10 am there will be golf – just enough of the final round to wet the appetite before, at 2.30am they switch over to the very necessary broadcast of a canned US religious show.

We suggested to Channel 10 that a lot of people might have sudden conversions at 2.30 when they realise the broadcast is being terminated.

Just switch over to ONE HD, they helpfully suggested.

The problem is, 5.7 million Australians can’t get it at all yet and not everyone has the digital equipment.

But then, why should Channel 10 give a shit about their loyal viewers.

(Update: In the end, the 10 network did broadcast the final till the last ball around 3.35am. If that was the original plan, why couldn’t they have had that information on hand for callers to the station. Maybe it just wasn’t the original plan. It certainly made the viewing even more compelling over the final four or five holes, thinking that at any moment the broadcast might end. Fortunately, we are now more aware of resources such as justin.tv, where you can get live sports and other events streamed live on the internet. Not alway the best solution, but with faster broadband becoming more available, people will no longer be at the whim of television networks who get the rights to important events and then only half-heartedly broadcast patches of them.)

Previous Story

REGIONAL Australians can rest easy with Channel 10 confirming it will broadcast the US Open Golf on its normal free to air service.

Golfers were understandably nervous that 10 would stick the Open on One HD, a service still unavailable to all those on the Southern Cross 10 network.

The SC10 “regional” network covers such out of the way places as Canberra (still apparently the national capital), Newcastle and Wollongong and all together there are a potential 5.7 million people in the viewing area waiting for the network to get its act together with the One Sports channel they continue to see touted.

A call to Channel 10 in Sydney confirmed the free to air broadcast on both Network 10 and One HD for the four days of the tournament beginning on June 19.

Those fortunate enough to have both the right digital equipment and be resident in metropolitan areas will be able to catch the action on HD.

Broadcast Times

The 2009 US OPEN to be televised LIVE on Network Ten and Ten’s ONE HD digital channel with more than 24 hours of live telecasts from Friday to Monday. The telecast will be shown on Friday and Saturday from 3am to 9am in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, 2:30am to 8:30am in Adelaide and 1am to 7am in Perth. Sunday’s coverage will air from 4am

to 10am in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, 3:30am to 9:30am in Adelaide and from 2am to 8am in Perth. The final round will be shown live Monday from 3:30am to 9:30am in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane,

3am to 9am in Adelaide and 1:30am to 7:30am in Perth.  Times are the same for both Ten and ONE HD.

Rocco Mediate is in Seventh Heaven and laughing all the way to his US Open playoff with Tiger Woods

And the winner is……a bit of a letdown. All that drama and tension on the last few holes and the final result is a delayed 18 hole playoff between Tiger Woods and World No 158 Rocco Mediate.

For Australian viewers the playoff will start at the ungodly hour of 2am (EST) Tuesday. It’s a matchup that could be memorable, or could quickly become a lopsided affair.

Once the Australians were out of contention – Geoff Ogilvy being the last – it was a bit of a tough decision about who to barrack for.

There was the great Tiger Woods going for his 14th major. His back nine on the third round was amazing – five behind with six holes to play and he sinks a bomb putt to eagle the 18th and start the final day in the lead.

He starts the final day badly, double bogeying the first and grimacing in pain from his dodgy knee after every full shot.

Asked later if it was the knee that contributed to some uncharacteristic fluffed shots, he had a one word answer: “No,” he said, and refused to be drawn further, though he did admit at another point to “taking some stuff” to help with the pain.

Whatever he took, it seemed to help with the pain as his round progressed, but maybe it was also that killer instinct adrenaline coming out in the final stages of a major he wants so dearly to win.

Then there’s the happy-go-lucky Rocco Mediate. Not much more than a name to me (and I suspect many others) before the tournament, but with an attitude that made him a crowd favourite, laughing and joking and engaging with the galleries as others around him grumbled and groaned and kicked bags in frustration.

Interviewed, with his one stroke lead still intact, as Tiger Woods and Brit Lee Westwood came up the 18th fairway, a birdie from either to force a playoff, everyone else biting their fingernails, Mediate,  wearing more US Open pins than just about any of the Torrey Pines tourists, said: “It’s the most fun I could ever dream it would be.”

At 45, Mediate would be the oldest ever first time major winner. He had to qualify to gain entry, was well out of the world top 100 golfers. It was all a fairytale waiting to happen – and it still is.

Rocco had been hugely disappointed he did not get in the final pairing with Woods for the final round. Now he will get his wish.

“It was a blast. I’ve never had more fun and more insanity. It’s just amazing,” he said of his final day, admitting the infectious smiling and chatter comes from nervous energy.

Tomorrow, he pledged, the show will continue.

“Absolutely. Oh, my God, I get to play for the National Open against the best player on earth, that maybe has ever played. How much more could you ask for?”

Woods, he said, would have no choice but to respsond.

Woods knows what he is in for, but was just a touch more measured.

“I’m sure I will talk a little bit,” he said. “Roc is………..he’s one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. He’s been a friend of mine ever since I’ve been out here on Tour. We’ll talk. But we’ll also understand we’re trying to win a U.S. Open. And we’ll have our moments where we’ll go our separate ways and be focused for each and every shot.”

Maybe it will be worth a 2am start after all.