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What you need to know for Round 4 of the U.S. Open

Published

10 years ago

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Yesterday it was written that the multiple and diverse story lines at the halfway point of the 115th U.S. Open Championship would be the stuff of dreams for any script writer. Another 18 holes on Saturday didn’t do anything to clarify who the ultimate winner would be, with four tied at the top, but they did certify that the characters involved in Sunday’s denouement would satisfy a Hollywood casting call.

To begin, you have your Young Western Gun in Jordan Spieth. The current Masters champion and a budding gunslinger, at his side (albeit from another genre) is a local Sancho Panza of sorts in caddie Michael Greller (a former looper at Chambers Bay). Spieth survived on Saturday with his first over-par score (71) of the week. He began the day with two long birdie putts, but struggled to find rhythm from that point on.

[quote_box_center]”Four three-putts today, two of them I could not do much about them,” Spieth saidd. “The other two were unforced. All in all it was just a little bit off. But plenty of birdies. Just need to limit the mistakes tomorrow.”[/quote_box_center]

Spieth should be in the midst of the fray as Sunday’s shadows grow longer.

The wounded hero emerged on Friday in the guise of Jason Day. Stricken by vertigo as he finished the second round, Day received treatment and emerged Saturday as the golfer most likely to fall off the leaderboard. With bogies on two of his initial four holes, the Aussie was reeling.

[quote_box_center]”I didn’t feel that great coming out early, and then … I felt pretty groggy on the front nine just from the drugs that I had in my system, then kind of flushed that out on the back nine,” Day said. “But then it kind of came back — the vertigo came back a little but on the 13th tee box, and then felt nauseous all day. I started shaking on the 16th tee box and then just tried to get it, really. Just wanted to get in.” [/quote_box_center]

Day somehow stabilized with five consecutive pars, then embarked on the nine of the tournament thus far. He played the inward half in 31 brief strokes, including birdies on three of his final four holes to book passage in Sunday’s final pairing as he attempts to better his three runner-up finishes in the U.S. Open.

The troubled matinee idol, a.k.a. Dustin Johnson. Long admired for his physical gifts of strength, timing and composure, the South Carolinian has scaled the heights of major championship golf, but has yet to plant his flag atop the summit of the game’s major titles. Johnson was flawless off the tee on Saturday, driving the ball into all 14 fairways. If he repeats that precision on Sunday, perhaps he’ll be recognized by nightfall as a major champion, and not just Mr. Paulina Gretzky.

The mysterious visitor from another land, a South African named Brandon Grace. Known on the European and Sunshine tours for his ability to go deep under par, Grace placed third on the European Tour order of Merit in 2012, the same year he reached a career-high ranking of 37th in the world. This year, Grace has won twice on the Euro Tour. Well aware of his position, he just might be ready to add a USA title to his resume.

“I’M STOKED,” Grace said. “I CAN’T WAIT. TOMORROW IS GOING TO BE A GOOD ONE. LIKE I SAID, THIS IS WHAT WE PLAY GOLF FOR.”

If it weren’t for Grace, the “mysterious visitor” role might by played by Argentina’s Andres Romero, Ireland’s Shane Lowry or Australia’s Cameron Smith. None of the trio is a known commodity in the U.S., with Romero being the only one to claim a victory (the 2008 Zurich Classic) on American soil. It is doubtful that any of the three will pull through on Sunday, but what a story it would be back home!

Gone are the massive, pre-tournament favorites and hopefuls. Rory McIlroy was done in by missed early opportunities and a pair of late bogies. Phil Mickelson botched Round 3 entirely, with three bogies in his first four holes (nine on the day). Justin Rose, the 2013 U.S. Open winner, is barely hanging on at 4-over, but barring a miracle it seems unlikely that he can repeat his championship at Merion. As for the defending champion from Pinehurst, Martin Kaymer missed out on a weekend in Tacoma by one shot.

Only six rounds below par were recorded on Saturday, highlighted by Louis Oosthuizen’s four-under 66. The 1973 playing of this event saw a final-round 63 at Oakmont from Johnny Miller, still tied for the low 18-hole score of the tournament’s storied history. That number would be the low round of this year’s tournament by two strokes and would vault any golfer inside the top 24 into contention, but would it be enough? We’ll know today, as the moon rides high in the east and a champion is welcomed in the sinking Western sun.

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Ronald Montesano writes for GolfWRX.com from western New York. He dabbles in coaching golf and teaching Spanish, in addition to scribbling columns on all aspects of golf, from apparel to architecture, from equipment to travel. Follow Ronald on Twitter at @buffalogolfer.

3 Comments

3 Comments

  1. Ronald Montesano

    Jun 21, 2015 at 11:41 am

    Hard not to, Christosterone. Evokes Venturi’s struggles and triumph in 1964.

    Reply Report comment

    • Christosterone

      Jun 21, 2015 at 12:46 pm

      Perfect parallel….Day is just so easy to root for. Plus his kids were born in Dallas so that makes his offspring fellow Texans 🙂
      I hope for a good match with Spieth, DJ, Grace, Day and perhaps someone around 1 or 2 over making a birdie barrage harkening back to Millers 63 at oakmont….
      If only someone would wear millers red, white and blue patent leather shoes with bell bottomed houndstooth pants then all would be right in the world!

      Reply Report comment

  2. Christosterone

    Jun 21, 2015 at 10:15 am

    I love Days swing…has a lot of Norman at impact but obviously stacks onto his left side more than Norman’s iconic reverse C leaned back finish…
    But they have very similar impact positions with head way back and low…
    Certainly as an American I tend towards rooting for fellow citizens but I find myself cheering for Day this weekend.

    Reply Report comment

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Tour Rundown: Bend, but don’t break

Published

3 weeks ago

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Aug 4, 2025

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I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear

OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.

LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break

Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.

Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.

On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.

On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.

On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.

PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home

Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.

On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.

Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?

Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.

Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?

PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates

Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.

Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.

Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2025 Wyndham Championship

Published

4 weeks ago

on

Jul 29, 2025

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GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.

Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.

Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.

 

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BK’s Breakdowns: Kurt Kitayama’s Winning WITB, 3M Open

Published

4 weeks ago

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Jul 28, 2025

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Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.

Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX

3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX

7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX

Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)

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WITB

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