OSM - McIlroy Needs to Drive More Carefully

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Back to back winners at the US Open are a rarity in recent times with that honour going to Curtis Strange in 1989, during a period in his career when the American was virtually unbeatable – as Sir Nick Faldo discovered in the play off the previous year at The Country Club in Brookline. 

With a trip to the Bay Area imminent - for the US Open - the chances of the current champion Rory McIlroy becoming the first player to retaun the title this century looking less probable. In fact, very unlikely given the current form, as it includes missed cuts at The Players in  Sawgrass, the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth last week, and The Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village this week. 

At the end of the final day last year at Congressional it looked a formality given the sheer dominance McIlroy had shown over ten four days – with Sunday proving a sheer exhibition of his golfing talent and ability. 

But like many a major winner it seems that the Northern Ireland Walker Cup winner, 2012 Ryder Cup winner and major champion has been unable l to battle the natural laws of gravity that have followed most other winners. None less that his fellow Northern Ireland major winner, Darren Clarke, who since the winning putt at Sandwich last July and leaving the Royal St George locker room has failed to come close to lifting another trophy. As both golfers conclude their twelve month reigns, the trophies are due to be returned when McIlroy arrives at The Olympic Club, and Clarke checks-in at Royal Lytham. 

On current form it would seem that Sunday night celebrations at ether venue look unlikely. 

But life golf can be stranger than fiction and as Padraig Harrington showed at Royal Birkdale in 2008, back to back major wins are not impossible. In fact watching Harrington that Sunny Sunday afternoon alongside Greg Norman, it all looked rather easy when his five wood on the seventeenth rolled so kindly to within a gimme of the flag. And having won the play off at Carnoustie twelve months earlier and also buried the burden of winning a major, and also slayed the ghost of no home winner at the Irish Open in 25 years at Adare Manor in 2007. 

A helpful memory for Clarke no doubt when he sets off on the wild Lancashire coast next month,. 

For Rory though there is the confidence knowing that he won this year at The Honda Classic, and two second places – Accenture World match play in Arizona and at The Wells Fargo on his return to his happy hunting grounds of Quail Hollow. And if the absence of from is viewed as something temporary then a win at the US Open is not a stench of the imagination. Albeit worrying that there is only one tournament – the FedEx St Jude Classic – to get things right and banish any demons that may be lurking unbeknown to the rest of us. 

But as this year’s Masters proved, McIroy is capable of bouncing back at any time. 

Unfortunately though during this period the scrutiny will return once again about lifestyle, his caddie, tournament preparations and overall focus until he returns to winning. Or reclaims the world number one spot. Given McIlroy lives his life on twitter, shares his personal life with world number 4 tennis player, Carline Wozniacki, with his followers he is no doubt accustomed to the scrutiny. But it certainly does not become any easier and photos attending The White House in March look good when you’re winning. However attracts all sorts of criticism when the winning goes amiss – adding to the pressure – raising questions about some of the decisions over the past year about his management also. 

Although with the Irish Open this year at Royal Portrush one has to believe that McIlroy has winning plans for the Dunluce Links this summer. By then we will know the outcome of the US Open in San Francisco. 

The signs though of concern are there already after Rory added the FedEx event to his busy schedule - a departure from his usual routine of not playing the week before a major championship. Indeed airing the news on twitter. 

“In Heathrow about to go to the US. Excited about the next 3 weeks! Memorial, Memphis and then defend the US Open in San Fran,” he tweeted. 

McIlroy last played in the FedEx St. Jude Classic two years ago, tying for 29th before missing the cut at the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach a week later. 

In six starts on the PGA TOUR this season, McIlroy has a win, two runner-up finishes and a third. On The European Tour he has 2 top-5 finishes and is currently conceded his world number title to Luke Donald – who is the epitome of rocky steady. 

After Wentworth Horizon Spots CEO, Conor Ridge came out and said: 

“'I said to Rory after Wentworth that every day is a school day, you're always learning in this job, and what we know about Rory is he is a really fast learner. 

'People can say what they want. I view these two missed cuts as a positive, to be honest, going forward.' 

“Like any 23-year-old, his schedule is still a bit of a trial and error process and we'll tweak it accordingly as we go along,' said Ridge. 

But we know McIlroy does care and was supposedly furious with himself for being so ill-prepared for the BMW PGA Championship. The failure at the Memorial would have only added only added to that fury - and so look out St. Jude. 

The only worry though is a comment made by Rory's father, Gerry, in the immediate aftermath of the Rory's crash out of the BMW PGA Championship 

"There's always tomorrow. It's not the Olympics," 

Wrong. 

Albeit not tomorrow, in two weeks it’s The Olympic Club and the US Open.  So Rory, Conor, JP and Gerry need to be ready to match the Strange history - and win back-to-back.

Copyright OSM

Tiger Out of the Woods

Tiger Woods says he’s checked out of the clinic where he went to get help dealing with pain medications, adding he will “continue to tackle this going forward”.

“I recently completed an out of state private intensive program,” Woods tweeted. “I will continue to tackle this going forward with my doctors, family and friends. I am so very thankful for all of the support I’ve received.”

The treatment follows the golfer’s arrest in May on a DUI charge after he was found asleep at the wheel in Jupiter, Florida, around 2am. Woods told police he was taking various prescriptions. No alcohol was found in his system.

Woods said in a statement last month that he was receiving professional help to manage his medications and how he deals with pain and a sleep disorder. His agent confirmed that the 14-time major champion, who had back surgery in April, was seeking in-patient treatment.

In June, Woods’s agent Mark Steinberg spoke about the pain Woods has experienced due to his back issues. “Tiger has been dealing with so much pain physically. And that leads to insomnia and sleep issues. This has been going on for a long time. Was the night in question a tipping point? He’s now gone and checked himself into a facility,” he said. “He’s been in pain for so long. He’s had to handle the pain, which then potentially leads to the lack of sleep because you’re in so much pain.”

Woods has not played in a tournament since February. His last victory in a major came in 2008 at the US Open.

TigerWoods #USOpen 

Tiger Woods Plays First Texas Scramble

Tiger Woods - Getty Images

Tiger Woods played his first stretch of holes since last August at the opening of a course he helped design.

The former world number one hit a ceremonial tee shot then played a few holes with his friend Mark O'Meara at Bluejack National in Texas.

The 40-year-old had two back operations last autumn but has registered for the US Open in June, suggesting a return may be imminent.

"We're just trying to progress - and I'm doing that," he said.

The American last competed at the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina, after which he had surgery to remove a small disc fragment that was pinching a nerve.

His world ranking has fallen to 499 and earlier this month he missed the Masters for only the second time since his tournament debut in 1995.

Videos of the 14-time major champion hitting balls in practice have appeared in the past few weeks and Monday's short round demonstrated further progress with his rehabilitation.

"This is actually the first time I've played holes since Wyndham," he added.

"You saw how I was going at it today, nice and smooth. That's harder than I have been going at it the last month. Just gradually progressing."

The Golf Channel said Woods could compete at the Wells Fargo Championship early next month, but his team maintain there is no planned return date.

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Woods Sees Positive in Negatives

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Els Shows Interest in 3rd US Title

Ernie Els staged a remarkable recovery from a poor start to put himself in contention for a third US Open title, 15 years after he collected his second.

The South African bogeyed three of the first five holes in his third round to slump to seven over, but he responded in style with birdies at seven, eight and 12.

Els then pitched in from 50 yards for an unlikely eagle at the long 17th, and a closing par capped an impressive two-under 68 - his second sub-70 round of the week.

"I'm in a much better mood now than I was on the sixth tee," said Els, just three behind leader Graeme McDowell. "To come back and play the last 12 holes in five under is quite amazing.

"The shot at 17 is what dreams are made of -- a shot like that in a US Open. "It's one of those one in a thousand shots.

"Even if I'm within four shots that's a great chance. I think if you get it into the red numbers, you'll win this tournament.

"Experience helps around here," he added. "For some reason I'm patient again this week."

But while Els was jubilant, Phil Mickelson found little to celebrate on his 42nd birthday as he posted a 71 which left him at eight over for the week.

"It's been a long, difficult day, even though it's my birthday," said the left-hander, who was given a rounding rendition of "Happy Birthday" by the fans around the 18th green.

More McIlroy Misery at US Open

Defending champion Rory McIlroy and world number one Luke Donald missed the cut at the US Open after failing to recover from poor first rounds.

World number two McIlroy missed out by two shots after carding a three-over-par 73 to finish 10 over.

Donald, still chasing his first victory in a major, carded 72 to finish 11 over at the testing Olympic Club.

McIlroy and Donald struggled from the outset in San Francisco and carded 77 and 79 respectively in round one.

McIlroy won by eight shots and broke a host of scoring records when he finished on 16 under at a rain-softened Congressional 12 months ago but the 23-year-old was unable to cope with the firmer, faster conditions of Olympic's Lake Course.

“It wasn't to be and I'm trying to learn from it and come back stronger next time”Luke Donald

The Northern Irishman, who played alongside Donald and world number three Lee Westwood in the more difficult afternoon conditions on Thursday, leaked five more bogeys and made two birdies early on Friday.

McIlroy, who was world number one for a spell earlier this year, missed three consecutive cuts recently before going close in his last PGA Tour event before the US Open.

"It's just such a demanding golf course and punishes the slightest shot that's off-line or that's maybe not the right distance," said McIlroy.

"You really have to be so precise out there and if you're not, you're going to get punished. We're just not used to playing this sort of golf course week-in, week-out.

"We're not used to having to land balls before the edge of the greens to let them run on. It's just something that you have to adjust to in this tournament. I wasn't able to do that very well this week.

"It hasn't been the greatest run over the last six weeks, or whatever it is, but I still see enough good stuff in the rounds that gives me hope that it's not very far away."

Englishman Donald, 34, has won six times in 15 months and was expected to be better suited to the patience and control required at a typically tough US Open set up.

But his quest for a first major title continues after mixing five bogeys with three birdies.

"It was a little better today, but little consolation obviously," he said.

"I think I missed nine putts inside 10 feet yesterday and just couldn't get the feel for the greens, the reads, the speed.

"And if I had putted a little bit better yesterday I could have ground out a score today and maybe been somewhere decently placed for the weekend.

"But it wasn't to be and I'm trying to learn from it and come back stronger next time."

Donald's next chance to break his major duck comes at the Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes next month, but he has just the one top 10 finish in 11 previous attempts in Britain.

Westwood shot 72 to be five over, the same as Ian Poulter (75), while another Englishman, Justin Rose, was one better after also carding 75.

Simon Dyson (74) and qualifier Matthew Baldwin (74) just sneaked in on eight over, but Lee Slattery (70) ended nine over and Robert Rock (78) missed out by five shots.

Scotland's Martin Laird ended nine over after a 72 and Ireland's Peter Lawrie finished 11 over after a 77.

Tiger on Prowl at Olympic Club

Photo: Getty Images

Tiger Woods felt in control of both his game and his temperament after he made his best start to a US Open for a decade at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.

Feeding off the confidence from his win at The Memorial two weeks ago, Woods opened with a solid one-under 69 to lie three behind early first-round pacesetter Michael Thompson.

"I played well - I felt like I had control of my game all day and stuck to my game plan," said Woods, who mixed thee birdies with two bogeys in hard and fast conditions.

"We knew it was going to be quick, but we didn't think it was going to happen overnight.

"I was really, really surprised how much it changed - it was just like they used sub-air on the whole place and you had to make adjustments."

"I was very pleased with every facet of my game and I stayed very patient."

The highlight of his round was a curling 30-foot putt for birdie at the fifth - his 15th - although he gave the shot back at the next.

"It was a fluke - that putt was off the green," he added. "I'd left myself a tough putt there."

But Phil Mickelson conceded he faced a tough task just to make the halfway cut after he laboured to a six-over 76.

The left-hander's opening tee shot at the ninth hole disappeared into the trees and was never found, triggering a run of three straight bogeys.

The five-time runner-up got a shot back at the 13th, but that proved his lone high note of the day as four further bogeys left him 10 shots off the lead.

Mickelson said: "I didn't play very well obviously. It was a tough day playing the way I did and three-putting the fourth really hurt.

"I've got a tough challenge just to get to the weekend. I will see if I can shoot under par - maybe that will get me there."

As for losing his opening shot, he said: "It must have stayed up in a tree because nobody saw it."

Mickelson was impressed by the form of long-time rival Woods, adding: "Tiger struck it really well. He had real solid control of his flight and trajectory," Mickelson said.

The third member of the "US Stars" three-ball was Masters champion Bubba Watson, who carded seven bogeys and a double-bogey in a horrific eight-over 78.

"The course beat me up today. It's a lot better than I am - it beat me by eight," he said. "It's disappointing and it doesn't matter what tournament it is."

USGA Ends 10 Shot Rule

The top 60 and ties still make the cut at the U.S. Open, but the USGA no longer includes everyone within 10 shots of the 36-hole lead.

USGA executive director Mike Davis said the decision was mainly to protect against too many players on the weekend, and that no one ever has made the cut under the 10-shot rule and gone on to win the U.S. Open.

Perhaps the most glaring problem came at Oakland Hills in 1996, when 108 players made the cut. 

It was nearly to the point that the U.S. Open had to go to threesomes on both tees. Instead, the first group started at 6:45 a.m. Tiger Woods, in his last U.S. Open as an amateur, teed off at 7:17 a.m., the earliest ever for him on Sunday at the U.S. Open.

The flip side was 1993, when Ernie Els made the cut because of the 10-shot rule. He closed with 68-67 on the weekend to tie for seventh, which made him exempt from qualifying the following year. 

Els won that next year at Oakmont for the first of his three majors.

Donald Ready for Olympic Club

World Number One Luke Donald believes his victory at the recent BMW PGA Championship was the perfect preparation for next week’s US Open Championship.

A fortnight ago, Donald held off the challenge of his friend and fellow Englishman Justin Rose to successfully defend The European Tour’s flagship title over the West Course at Wentworth Club, where the conditions were similar to those he expects to experience at the second Major of the season, held at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.

With the 7,170 yards, par 70 Lake Course renowned for its firm fairways, slick greens and penal rough, Donald’s unerring accuracy and deadly putting should stand him in good stead as he bids to secure an elusive first Major title.

Donald, whose highest finish at the US Open Championship was tied 12th in 2006, said: “Pars win US Opens, that’s the phrase, and I suppose that’s usually a strength of mine. I think I’m going to have to play pretty solidly off the tee, which in the past has perhaps been a slight weakness.

“But over the last couple years that’s really improved a lot, which is why I was really happy with myself on the final day of the BMW PGA Championship. There are some quite tough tee shots coming down the stretch at Wentworth, and I hit a lot of good, solid shots. That’ll be a key for me at the US Open.”

Donald has never teed up at the Olympic Club before, but the 34 year old believes the winning score is unlikely to be as low as last year, when Rory McIlroy – the man closest to him in the Official World Golf Ranking – romped to the title by eight shots on 16 under par.

He said: “What Rory did last year was pretty special – but outside Rory’s score, it wasn’t too far off a regular US Open. Obviously the weather had an effect on the score because the course was playing soft, and he had one of those weeks where everything was going great.

“I’m sure the USGA don’t want something that low, but I’m not sure if they’ll go too far the other way either. I just think they’ll make the set-up tough like usual. 

“I saw a little bit of the US Open preview on The Golf Channel last night, just to get a feel for what the course is like, and it looked pretty tough. The rough is really long, and the greens looked quite slopey. So it’s going to be very tough, but I’m really looking forward to it and hopefully I can have a great week.”

Captain Love Earns Olympic Ticket

U.S. captain Davis Love III won't have to watch potential Ryder Cup players on television at the U.S. Open as he'll be playing alongside them.

Love qualified for the U.S. Open for the third time in the last six years with a 139 at Scioto Country Club and Ohio State's Scarlet Course.

Love, who finished tied for 16th at the Memorial on Sunday, said it never crossed his mind to just bag it and go home rather than extend an already long week by playing 36 more holes.

"No. Like last year, statistically I hit the ball well enough at the U.S. and the British to win," he said. "I definitely want to play."

The 48-year-old Love has won 20 tournaments around the world, including the 1997 PGA Championship. He continues to play well, despite fighting off injuries, family obligations and an entire generation of younger players.

He was among 16 players to qualify from the biggest of the 11 sectional qualifying sites across the country on Monday.

One of them won't even get started until Tuesday. There was so much rain in Memphis, Tenn., that no one played more than a few minutes. USGA officials hope the course is dry enough to squeeze in 36 holes.

The U.S. Open is June 14-17 at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, and the 48-year-old Love will be making his 23rd appearance in his national open. Others who qualified from Scioto and Scarlet included medalist Charlie Wi, Kevin Streelman, D.A. Points, Rod Pampling and Steve Marino, who only last week returned from a four-month break to recovery from a bad shoulder.

Love still hasn't forgotten the details from a year ago, however, when he three-putted the last hole he played at Colonial that cost him an automatic spot in the Open at Congressional. He had to go through qualifying to get in the field.

"I seem to play well in the qualifying because I don't have a scoreboard to look at," he said. "You just play."

Love has been in captain mode off and on since being selected for the matches this fall. He has been assessing potential players for the American side and has played with several. One of them, former British Open champ Ben Curtis, was in his threesome on Monday, although Curtis faded on his second 18 and failed to make the Open field.

Perhaps the biggest cheer of the day came as darkness was falling at Scioto Country Club.

On the fourth playoff hole to decide the last qualifiers, 42-year-old Youngstown, Ohio, teaching pro Dennis Miller's 20-foot putt from the fringe stopped on the lip of the cup. After the gallery of a few hundred groaned and Miller slowly started to walk to his ball, if fell -- touching off a huge celebration.

Now Miller, a third alternate whose name did not even appear on the tee sheet, will be playing in his first U.S. Open -- and will likely have to get someone to fill in for him back at the course at Mill Creek Metroparks in Youngstown.

"I can't believe what just happened," Miller said. "That was pretty incredible."

Most of the rest of the field in the qualifier in suburban Columbus, Ohio, was filled with touring pros who had just competed in the nearby Memorial.

Among those who did not qualify were two of the contenders at Jack Nicklaus' tournament.

Rory Sabbatini had the lead with four holes left on Sunday but was overtaken when Tiger Woods birdied three holes, including the 16th on an improbable 50-foot chip-in from thick grass behind the green.

Spencer Levin led going into the final round at Muirfield Village and was still atop the leaderboard with nine holes left but fell apart on the back nine with three bogeys and a double-bogey in a 75.

Sabbatini shot a 70 in his first 18 at Scarlet, but sagged to a 76 in the afternoon to fall short. Levin, who could have earned an automatic berth in the Open had he finished in the top two instead of tying for fourth at the Memorial, followed a 72 at Scioto with a 74 at Scarlet.

Levin still has a chance to make the U.S. Open if he can crack the top 60 in the world after this week.

Wi was the medalist by three strokes. He opened with a 7-under-par 65 at Scarlet and followed up with a 67 at Scioto.

"This is only my second one. It's not easy to get in," said Wi, a South Korean native who grew up in California native. His only previous appearance was at Bethpage Black three years ago. "I always flew home Sunday night because if I missed (in the qualifier) I was already home. This worked out better. I took the strategy that if I missed I'd be home for two weeks. That's probably not a good strategy."