Steady McDowell takes command as Johnson slips at US Open

Published on Monday 21 June 2010 02:50

GRAEME McDowell last night took control of the US Open by moving three shots clear midway through the final round after overnight pacesetter Dustin Johnson made a nightmare start.

Northern Irishman McDowell, aiming to end a 40-year title drought by Europeans at the year's second major, played ice-cool golf in difficult scoring conditions to reach the turn in level-par 35 and three under overall.

That left him three ahead of Frenchman Gregory Havret, who was also level for the day after ten holes on a breezy afternoon at Pebble Beach.

Double US Open champion Ernie Els, fan favourite Phil Mickelson and Johnson were a further stroke back in a tie for third at one over.

South African Els was one over for the round while American left-hander Mickelson, seeking an elusive first victory in his national open, was level after ten holes.

Johnson, who has won the last two PGA Tour events staged at Pebble Beach, began the day with a commanding three-stroke lead which he spectacularly threw away by dropping seven shots in six holes.

He triple-bogeyed the par-five second after taking three shots to escape thick grass above a greenside bunker and double-bogeyed the third after a hooked tee shot led to a lost ball.

Two behind playing partner McDowell at that point, he went on to bogey the par-four fourth after pushing his tee shot into the ocean before reaching the turn in seven-over 42.

McDowell, winner of the European Tour's Wales Open two weeks ago, was on track to produce one of the tidiest rounds of the day as Pebble Beach bared her teeth.

Making clutch putts to save par whenever needed, he picked up his first shot of the day when he knocked in a 10-footer to birdie the par-three fifth.

McDowell made his only mistake at the tricky par-four ninth, the second hole in the stretch dubbed 'Cliffs of Doom', when he collected a bogey after finding a greenside bunker with his approach.

World No 1 Tiger Woods, who charged into contention with a scorching back nine of five-under 31 for a 66 on Saturday, was among those struggling in the testing conditions.

A three-putt bogey at the first set the tone and the 14-times major winner was four over for the round and three over for the tournament after ten holes.

Spain's Pablo Martin was one who made an early impression as the final round got under way. The back marker from Malaga, who made his professional debut at the 2007 US Open at Oakmont, began the day at 19 over par, 25 shots behind Johnson, and finished it eight strokes worse off after a 79 at Pebble Beach Golf links sent him back to 27 over.

It was not Martin's score that had fans on the 18th green cheering his name, however, but his speed of play. As the gallery chanted: "Pablo! Pablo!", the clock had stopped on the 24-year-old's round at two hours and 39 minutes.

The Spaniard, who had a successful college golf career at Oklahoma State University, had been playing alone but that did not detract from his enjoyment.

"The US Open is the best atmosphere I've seen in any other tournament I've played in," Martin said. "This is exactly the way golf should be right now. It is so much fun for us and for the crowd.

"Me and my caddie, it was a nice walk, checking the course. Pretty cool. It's so nice over here in Pebble Beach. I'm happy we can get to play for free.

"It's the first time to play Pebble Beach. It was a fun week even though I played poorly. Sometimes, it goes that way and sometimes, it goes the other way.

"I'm really glad that I made it into the US Open and that I made the cut. I need to keep working, it would be nice to come back in nine years."

Martin was not the only player having fun on the last morning of play. Sectional qualifier Jim Herman, playing in the second group of the day, carded two eagles on his way to a three-under 68. But he was, of course, still well off the pace being set by a steady McDowell.