U.S. Open Notebook: With Fred Funk high on the leaderboard, is Oakmont "Funky Town?"

Brandon Tucker,
Senior Writer

OAKMONT, Pa. - Is Oakmont the perfect golf course for short hitter Fred Funk? J.J. Henry thinks so after watching Funk post a 71 to go three shots back on the U.S. Open leaderboard Thursday.

"This is the perfect golf course for Fred," Henry said. "For someone who hits it so straight like him. He's definitely a contender this week."

Funk hit 11 fairways, tied for fourth on the day. He also turned 51 yesterday.

No. 8 is really a par 3 and a half

Players' predictions of super-high scores this week already look exaggerated, with the exception of Oakmont's par-3 eighth hole. Phil Mickelson, among others, called the 288-yard beast a par-3 and a half. The scoring average yesterday was just over 3.5 despite the fact that the hole plays around 260 yards from the forward tees.

No love lost for Mickelson

Jim Furyk called playing in the same group with Mickelson this afternoon a "circus." And here's Adam Scott on whether he sympathized with Mickelson, who was visibly playing in pain:

"No," he said. "I don't".

Scott shot 76.

Tiger Woods, Furyk finish the same, different

Both heavy favorites this week, Furyk and Tiger Woods are both at 71, but they took very different paths to this score.

Woods said his final three holes kept him in the tournament. He sank an eight-foot putt for par on the 16th, got up and down for birdie on the short 17th, then hit a chip close to par the 18th.

Furyk was 1-under with four holes to play on the easier front nine but bogeyed both par 3s down the stretch.

Oakmont's 18th most difficult par 4

Dave Pelz called Oakmont's 10th hole the "toughest par 4 in America" earlier this week due a green that doesn't hold approaches. But the 18th is playing the toughest over par with a 4.65 scoring average. The 10th is second at 4.49.

U.S. Open Desportes

The morning round featured an all-Spanish threesome: Sergio Garcia, Jose Maria Olazabal and Pablo Martin. Garcia looks unlikely to survive the weekend after a 79, but Olazabal (70) and Martin (71) are in the top 10. Olazabal spoke highly of the 21 year old.

"I have to say it's the first time I've seen him play under these conditions, and he did very well," Olazabal said. "He played really solid. His short game is good."

June 15, 2007

Brandon Tucker is a Senior Writer and Special Projects Editor for the TravelGolf Network, where he contributes not only golf and travel articles, but photo essays, videos and more. His golf travels have taken him across the U.S., including more than 50 Myrtle Beach-area golf courses, and to such destinations as Scotland, Wales, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany and Malaysia.