The US Open 2009 - Round Four
109th US Golf Open From Bethpage Black, Long Island, New York
Jun 23, 2009
Round Four finally begins late on Sunday in this stop-start major. The leading pairing, Glover and Barnes, tee off 7pm local time. Due to a possible 18 hole play-off if there is a tie at the end of Round Four the USGA decided that they better get as many holes in today so that, weather permitting, there will be a conclusion on Monday.
It is important for the challengers to make a fast start and put pressure on the leaders before they begin their round. Most of the galleries have stayed and the New York fans are making a lot of noise.
Tiger Woods' Front Nine
As the leaders tee up on the first the challengers are dropping shots and falling back leaving Phil Mickelson in a tie for third on -2. Englishman Ross Fisher has birdied the fourth and moves to -3, joined by Hunter Mahan. Tiger Woods front nine shows no sign of a charge as the tournament enters the fifth day. The enthusiasm of last night has dwindled into a quiet Monday morning with few cheers to be heard.
David Duval runs up a triple on the third, Fisher drops a shot on five and Mickelson has an unplayable lie on the 6th. This is hardly putting the pressure on the inexperienced leaders. Only Hunter Mahan is benefiting at the moment be being even par at the turn.
Glover and Barnes Struggle at The US Open
Glover drops shots at three, five and nine and is back to -4. Barnes has now begun to haemorrhage shots with bogeys on five through eight and joins Glover on -4. Weir holes in from the bunker on the 7th to reach -2. Surely someone is going to come through the pack? So many players will be ruing a missed opportunity if the leaders continue going south with their scoring.
Tiger Woods gets into red numbers finally on fourteen and goes tie fourth with Mickelson, who then holes a thirty foot putt on the twelfth. An eagle on thirteen takes him to -4, tied for the lead. Ross Fisher follows him in on thirteen with his own eagle and gets to -3. Mickelson drops a shot at thirteen but so does Glover on the same hole and they are both back to -3. Barnes dropped two more shots at eleven and twelve but birdied thirteen and is at -2. Since he went behind he has looked more comfortable, his swing has slowed and he is making pars.
Conclusion of the US Open
Into the finale of the 109th US Open and there are six players within one shot of the lead. David Duval has made a superb comeback with birdies at fourteen, fifteen and a ten footer at sixteen to challenge at -3. Glover comes back with a marvellous approach at the sixteenth and makes birdie to take the outright lead again at -4. Barnes comes close to birdie at the same hole.
Fisher three putts the sixteenth and his chance has gone. Duval misses a six-foot putt at seventeen for bogie and is back to -2, the same score as Mickelson after bogies at fifteen and seventeen. Glover has a two-shot lead going into the final hole. He hits the fairway with an iron and then the fringe of the green with his second. Barnes makes the green in two, about fifteen feet away. Glover comes to within three feet with his first putt.
If Barnes can hole his it will put pressure on Glover. A valiant putt from Barnes, very close, but Glover holes his putt for a final total of -4 and a two shot win over Mickelson, Duval and Barnes. It is a life-changing win for Glover.
See also:
The US Open 2009 - Round Three
