US Open Championship; World Cup Action
US Open
Once it was announced that the 2010 US Open would be at Pebble Beach, we knew that it would be a great Open. The Pebble Beach course proved very hard, and it showed.
Not to Graeme McDowell.
McDowell kept himself even through holes that were playable, and he was able to shoot a +3 on the final day in a 1 stroke victory that has made him popular in the US.
McDowell, a native of Northern Ireland, is very well known in Ireland. He has won many tournaments there, but he was not well known in the US. But he is now.
Gregory Havret shot a 72 on a 71 course, and he shot one over for the day. But he missed a critical putt on the 513 yard 18th hole, and that cleared the way for McDowell.
Ernie Els came back, and he came back to tie McDowell early in the final round. But then he started to feel the pressure of Pebble Beach, and he finished in 3rd with a score of +2.
Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods got fourth, but both players could have done better. If Woods had stayed at the -1 mark he was to start the day, he would have won. But he hit a drop hazard on the 6th hole, and that paved the way for a 75.
Mickelson looked poised for a great day after he birdied the first hole, but he wasn’t able to convert on harder holes. He finished the day with a 73, tying Tiger for fourth.
However, perhaps the biggest storyline was Dustin Johnson. Johnson had 17 holes to go and he was rolling smoothly at -6. But on hole 2, Johnson hit his second shot into the heavy rough. It took 2 shots to get out of there, then his putting was off, and he fell back to -3 with a triple-bogey.
Johnson couldn’t get on on the third hole, either. His putting woes continued, and he fell out of first place with a double-bogey. On hole 4, he got a drop hazard, but he dug out of that hole to shoot a bogey. Still, this destroyed his confidence, and he finished with a 82 on the day, and a +5 during the tournament.
FIFA World Cup Update
# 31 Paraguay 2, #34 Slovakia 0
Enrique Vera and Cristian Riveros scored to help Paraguay surprise the soccer world and take the lead in Group F.
#1 Brazil 3, #27 Ivory Coast 1
Luis Fabiano scored 2 times as Brazil rode 3 goals in 62 minutes to a 3-0 lead and a 3-1 win over the Ivory Coast. Brazil advanced to the knockout stage with the victory.
#5 Italy 1, #78 New Zealand 1
Mark Paston made 4 saves, Shane Smeltz scored early and New Zealand tied Italy to keep their World Cup hopes alive. New Zealand can advance with a win over Paraguay.
Once it was announced that the 2010 US Open would be at Pebble Beach, we knew that it would be a great Open. The Pebble Beach course proved very hard, and it showed.
Not to Graeme McDowell.
McDowell kept himself even through holes that were playable, and he was able to shoot a +3 on the final day in a 1 stroke victory that has made him popular in the US.
McDowell, a native of Northern Ireland, is very well known in Ireland. He has won many tournaments there, but he was not well known in the US. But he is now.
Gregory Havret shot a 72 on a 71 course, and he shot one over for the day. But he missed a critical putt on the 513 yard 18th hole, and that cleared the way for McDowell.
Ernie Els came back, and he came back to tie McDowell early in the final round. But then he started to feel the pressure of Pebble Beach, and he finished in 3rd with a score of +2.
Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods got fourth, but both players could have done better. If Woods had stayed at the -1 mark he was to start the day, he would have won. But he hit a drop hazard on the 6th hole, and that paved the way for a 75.
Mickelson looked poised for a great day after he birdied the first hole, but he wasn’t able to convert on harder holes. He finished the day with a 73, tying Tiger for fourth.
However, perhaps the biggest storyline was Dustin Johnson. Johnson had 17 holes to go and he was rolling smoothly at -6. But on hole 2, Johnson hit his second shot into the heavy rough. It took 2 shots to get out of there, then his putting was off, and he fell back to -3 with a triple-bogey.
Johnson couldn’t get on on the third hole, either. His putting woes continued, and he fell out of first place with a double-bogey. On hole 4, he got a drop hazard, but he dug out of that hole to shoot a bogey. Still, this destroyed his confidence, and he finished with a 82 on the day, and a +5 during the tournament.
FIFA World Cup Update
# 31 Paraguay 2, #34 Slovakia 0
Enrique Vera and Cristian Riveros scored to help Paraguay surprise the soccer world and take the lead in Group F.
#1 Brazil 3, #27 Ivory Coast 1
Luis Fabiano scored 2 times as Brazil rode 3 goals in 62 minutes to a 3-0 lead and a 3-1 win over the Ivory Coast. Brazil advanced to the knockout stage with the victory.
#5 Italy 1, #78 New Zealand 1
Mark Paston made 4 saves, Shane Smeltz scored early and New Zealand tied Italy to keep their World Cup hopes alive. New Zealand can advance with a win over Paraguay.
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