US Open

[AUbritt 611]

So...how much will Billy Horshels's comments cost him?

He pulled no punches...."makes good putters average....and bad putters average....bring everyone back to the middle"....interesting thought...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but as the U.S. Open isn't a PGA Tour event, I doubt he will face any fines from the PGA.

Yeah, doubt it will cost him any money.

Horshel just sounded like he was mad and wanted to get it out. I mean, what -- everyone is going to average 36 putts? I doubt it. But it would be interesting to see average number of putts here compared to other US Opens, I suppose.

I have noticed the feature of the greens that AU64 mentioned -- that you can play 'safe' putts away from the hole to come back within 10 feet (or less). I'm not sure I like that, myself. It tends to lend some credence to the 'Mickey Mouse' comments in my mind.

[AUbritt 611]

McIlroy just made birdie on 13, making him -2 for the tournament (-6 on today's round). He may become leader in the clubhouse, and conditions will worsen for the later groups. Will not totally shock me if he wins it.

[AU64 10,122]

McIlroy just made birdie on 13, making him -2 for the tournament (-6 on today's round). He may become leader in the clubhouse, and conditions will worsen for the later groups. Will not totally shock me if he wins it.

think of all the short putts he has missed this week...been playing great golf tee to green but has not been able to get the ball in the hole.....gonna be an interesting 3 hours ahead of us.

And....I think Horshel would get an "amen" from Stensen after one of his short putts bounced away from the cup...he was pretty demonstrative about the "roll of the ball".

two misses in a row for DJ....Spieth missed pretty easy putt..if there is such a thing....and things are not going to get easier.

[AUbritt 611]

McIlroy just made birdie on 13, making him -2 for the tournament (-6 on today's round). He may become leader in the clubhouse, and conditions will worsen for the later groups. Will not totally shock me if he wins it.

think of all the short putts he has missed this week...been playing great golf tee to green but has not been able to get the ball in the hole.....gonna be an interesting 3 hours ahead of us.

And....I think Horshel would get an "amen" from Stensen after one of his short putts bounced away from the cup...he was pretty demonstrative about the "roll of the ball".

two misses in a row for DJ....Spieth missed pretty easy putt..if there is such a thing....and things are not going to get easier.

Yeah, on DJ's putts -- I think he's caught in between in a different way. He's trying to die the putts in the hole, but playing as much break as he would if he rolled them confidently (to get past 12-16 inches, say). In other words, he's not playing enough break for how hard he's hitting the putts. I think he needs to hit them harder.

And -- good grief, Fox! -- are we really going to have a split screen to watch Day walk from hole to hole while the other guys play their shots?!?!! Day is a great story, but come on!

[AU64 10,122]

Modern TV....they just want to be sure they have the cameras on him the next time he falls down....a "breaking news" moment,

Rory had a few chances but by and large his putting is not any better...that's mostly what DJ has going for him...as long as he continues to hit fairways and greens, there is not much chance of anyone making a big run at him because nobody is "hot" with the putter right now.

[AUbritt 611]

Snedecker now has 4 straight birdies. He's banging it in the back of the cup.

[AU64 10,122]

Snedecker now has 4 straight birdies. He's banging it in the back of the cup.

a brief burst of a rally....but DJ seems to be hanging on....not making any more mistakes than anyone else...and holding this lead though JS is going to make it interesting....lots of golf yet to play...which is strange since it's almost dark over here on the SC coast. was nice to get in 18 this afternoon and not miss anything important in the Open.

[AU64 10,122]

DJ missing from 6 feet...."fooled"....and Speith takes the lead along with Grace. I like ole DJ but he has a hard time holding a lead on the last day.

[AUbritt 611]

DJ missing from 6 feet...."fooled"....and Speith takes the lead along with Grace. I like ole DJ but he has a hard time holding a lead on the last day.

He does. I feel for him playing with Day, who's not himself.

DJ also not quite as sharp from tee to green today as he was yesterday ....

[AUbritt 611]

Louis Oosthuizen making quite a run.

[AUbritt 611]

SPIETH!

Looking really good right now, after the birdie.

[AU64 10,122]

All I have to say about that JS putt is WOW....

[AUbritt 611]

15 is like the 9th hole on the course I play in some ways. It's a long uphill par 3 with OB on the right. Lots of matches are won or lost there on my course.

[AUbritt 611]

WOW! Grace missed birdie, Spieth missed bogey on 16!!!

Crazy finish.

[AU64 10,122]

Too bad for Grace...putt rolled up the lip and then rolled back....how does that happen? Well, on our course it happens because the greens keeper does not always level the cup when he pulls the cutter out.

And then Speieth miss a little putt too to keep the excitement.

[AUbritt 611]

Great tee shot by Spieth on 18! DJ hits it close for birdie on 17!

[AUbritt 611]

Too bad for Grace...putt rolled up the lip and then rolled back....how does that happen? Well, on our course it happens because the greens keeper does not always level the cup when he pulls the cutter out.

And then Speieth miss a little putt too to keep the excitement.

It happens on my course, too. I know we disagree on this -- I guess -- but I like that it's happening to these guys, too. I guess I'm starting to see the USGA as champions for amateur golfers.

[AUbritt 611]

Spieth putting for eagle on 18!

[AUbritt 611]

Spieth with the birdie. DJ wins it with an eagle!

[AUbritt 611]

What if Oosthuizen plays with someone other than Tiger in round one (77 for Oosty the first round, followed by 67, 67, 68)?

If DJ makes the putt, he wins. If he 2-putts, playoff tomorrow.

[AU64 10,122]

I just hate to see course conditions determine the outcome....kind of like a bad hop single that drives in a winning run. That's life but guess I like the outcome to be based on something other than chance.

Interesting to see Gretzky in the crowd...he's had a time getting DJ squared away with his daughter.

[AU64 10,122]

And now DJ has the same putt he has missed about 4 times today....

[AU64 10,122]

MY gosh....hate it for DJ....should not have happened that way....but that's life...

[AUbritt 611]

WOW! Spieth wins on a 3-putt par by DJ. I don't think that was the greens, 64. I just think DJ choked.

Enjoyed the conversation. Congrats to Jordan!

[AU64 10,122]

WOW! Spieth wins on a 3-putt par by DJ. I don't think that was the greens, 64. I just think DJ choked.

Enjoyed the conversation. Congrats to Jordan!

agree...he missed enough of those today that I guess he could just not get them out of his mind....did not even give it a chance. but as I tell my golf buddies, about half of my boggies are caused when I get fixated on making a birdie putt and hit the ball by the hole...and miss the return. Happens everywhere.

Enjoyed the discussions....good night.