2008 U.S. Open

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John Merrick has made it a point to get in contention more often on the PGA Tour, and this weekend he’s done so at a major championship venue.

 

The Long Beach native, who stood at 3-over par heading into Saturday’s third round at the 2008 U.S. Open, shot an even-par 71 to get into the hunt for tomorrow’s final round at Torrey Pines.

 

“Even par feels like 65 on this course,” said Merrick, who was 3-under on his round through 10 holes but stumbled a bit with four bogeys thereafter. “It’s almost impossible not to make some bogeys at this tournament.”

 

The pupil of Virginia Country Club chief operating officer and PGA professional Jamie Mulligan has been one of the PGA Tour’s top ball-strikers this year, ranking fifth in total driving (combined ranks of distance and accuracy) and 29^th in greens hit in regulation. He has been inconsistent with his putter, but he has been solid rolling the rock thus far on the South Course – he has averaged 1.65 putts per hole, slightly better than the field average of 1.69.

 

Also getting into the championship discussion for Sunday’s final round is Orange native Hunter Mahan, who shot a 2-under 69 that was buoyed by a dramatic bunker shot on the par-5 18^th hole. After pulling his fairway wood approach into the front left greenside bunker, he splashed his ball out past the hole, utilizing the contours of the putting surface to let it roll back to about five feet for a birdie.

 

“I love playing the majors, and I love playing the U.S. Open,” said Mahan, who has been among the field leaders this week in both fairways hit and greens hit. “It’s nice to play a major where you’ve seen the course a few times.”

 

Here’s how other Southland golfers fared during the third round of the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines:

 

--With the exception of the 13^th hole, Phil Mickelson shot 1-over par Saturday. But what an exception it was: the Rancho Santa Fe resident managed to make a quadruple-bogey nine on that par 5, putting him at 9-over for the tournament and out of any discussion for the title barring extreme circumstances in the final round.

 

“I’m certainly disappointed I’m not in the mix. That was kind of the goal,” said Mickelson, who changed his strategy from the first two rounds and put a driver in his bag Saturday. “It sucks, but it happens.”

 

--After going out in the first pairing Saturday at the 2008 U.S. Open, Anthony Kim ensured he wouldn't be in the same situation come Sunday's final round. The winner of the 2008 Wachovia Championship played his most consistent round of the week on the South Course at Torrey Pines, making three birdies against two bogeys for a 1-under-par 70. He stands at 6-over for the championship, and could pick up a nice check with another solid round Sunday.

 

--Rickie Fowler struggled in yesterday’s second round, posting a score nine shots higher than his 1-under 70 Thursday. He once again failed to get in a groove today, shooting a 5-over-par 76. One of three amateurs to make the cut at Torrey Pines, he will have his work cut out for him if he plans on besting Alabama superstar Michael Thompson and recent Louisville graduate Derek Fathauer for low amateur honors.

 

--Two San Diego area natives hoping to make a move in the third round – John Mallinger and Pat Perez – failed to do so. Perez had a flawless back nine, but only made one birdie against three bogeys and a double on the front for a 4-over-par 75. Mallinger, who started out decently with a 1-over 37 on the front, couldn’t keep it together on the back, where a double on the 11^th and a triple on the 14^th deflated his day and led to a 78.