US Open:Nobody said it would be easy and, for Graeme McDowell, the task of claiming the 110th US Open championship on this famed links on the Monterey peninsula got a whole lot tougher after big-hitting American Dustin Johnson – a player who has won the past two AT&T National Pro-Ams on the course – leapfrogged the Ulsterman to take the initiative into today's final round of the major.
McDowell didn’t do too much wrong in a patient and controlled third round, shooting a round of 71. But Johnson, combining distance off the tee with a wonderful approach around the greens, assumed the 54-hole lead with a third round 66 for 207, five under, which left him three strokes clear of the Ulsterman. Tiger Woods, who also shot 66 in the third round, was alone in third, five shots adrift of Johnson.
With only three players under par heading into the final round, Johnson – a 25-year-old who ranks among the longest hitters on the PGA Tour – has destiny in his own hands after birdieing the last two holes of his third round, having enjoyed a duel with McDowell for much of a Saturday where the primary roars were created by Woods. The world’s number one had nine birdies in his round, coming home in 31 to send out warning shots to those behind that he was well and truly back.
In fairness to the two men in the last pairing, both Johnson and McDowell didn’t flinch from the task at hand. McDowell, in fact, started off birdie-birdie at which stage he held a four stroke lead but, frequently out-driven by Johnson, the initiative slowly but surely swung the American’s way. McDowell, in fact, only hit nine of 18 fairways in regulation as his game didn’t fully live up to Friday’s round when he assumed the midway lead in the championship.
McDowell, though, finished up the third round still very much in the mix. “I didn’t quite hit it as good as I did yesterday (on Friday) but to shoot 71 on this layout, not being in control of my game, I’m pretty happy. I felt like I did my job. Three back going into tomorrow? I’m looking forward to it. But Sunday in a major? I’m happy to be in the position I’m in.”
With a forecast for a wind to sweep in off the Pacific for the final round, McDowell – reared on the links at Portrush – didn’t believe that gave him any advantage. “Most guys are good wind players nowadays, with technology, the ball flies through the wind pretty well . . . but I hope it blows, that would really separate the men from the boys,” he said, adding: “Where else would you rather be on a Sunday afternoon but in the last group in a major at Pebble Beach. Bring it on, I’m looking forward to it.”
McDowell, winner of the Wales Open on his last tournament outing a fortnight ago, approached the 17th in a share of the lead with Johnson. However, his tee shot came up short in rough and he failed to get up and down, missing an eight-foot putt for
par, while Johnson’s tee-shot finished 15 feet from the hole and he sank the breaking putt.
Of his game plan heading into the final round, McDowell remarked: “I obviously have to stay patient, not to go chasing Dustin down. I’ve got to let him do his thing. But generally I’ve got to hit the fairways,, give myself some chances with my irons. If I can get the ball on the green, I know I can hole some putts. Like I say, I’ve to stay patient, and not really react to Dustin much.”
“Do I think I can win? I know I am playing well enough, maybe the golfing gods will smile on me.”
Johnson, meanwhile, is a player who knows what it takes to win on this course having claimed the AT&T Pro-Am title for the past two years. And, for a man who is due to celebrate his 26th birthday next week, Johnson remarked: “You couldn’t ask for a
better (early) present. This is what I live for. This is what I practice for every day. This is what we play golf for is to have a chance to win the US Open.”