More Top Picks Best Budget Laptops
player ready...Gary Hallberg sweated out making the 36-hole cut in this year’s Centennial U.S. Open, but there was no question about the 5-iron he hit Saturday at the seventh hole, which was playing at 183 yards.
With the pin on the left and the wind blowing right to left, Hallberg brought the ball in, it landed 10-feet short, rolled and disappeared into the cup.
Hallberg, formerly of Barrington, high-fived his caddie and brother Eric, and tipped his hat to the crowd, which cheered him all the way to the green.
“With that many people hollering, it sinks in,” said Hallberg, who shot 69 for a 5-over 215 total, six shots off the lead. “It’s a very rare occasion, and it’s nice to be the guy making it.”
Hallberg, 37, had never had made an ace till 2 1/2 years ago. He has shot six since. It was the first ace at Shinnecock in a USGA competition.
Big numbers: Jumbo Ozaki’s 80 stood out because he began the day only two shots behind leader Greg Norman, but he had plenty of miserable company Saturday.
Tom Kite had an 82 that included a two-shot penalty when his ball moved and he failed to replace it properly; Jim McGovern and Joey Gullion shot 81; Bill Porter, Nick Faldo and Ben Crenshaw 79; and Tom Watson, Neal Lancaster, Jim Gallagher Jr., Brad Faxon, Bill Briskey, Mark McCumber and Jeff Maggert 77. Ten players were at 6-over 76.
Daly line: With 73 golfers making the cut and players going off in twosomes for the third round, John Daly was odd man out. Teeing off with a marker (USGA Committee member Jim Holtgrieve) at 9:06 he zipped through 18 holes in 2 hours 49 minutes, disappointing press types who’d predicted he’d finish in 1:55. Daly shot 74.
“I’d have played a little quicker if it was a regular tournament,” said Daly, the 1991 PGA champion. “I’m glad the USGA put a marker in. Jimmy kept me patient.”
Sometimes in the past, as the first man out, Daly has played a round quickly without giving it his best effort. At the 1992 Players Championship, playing with Mark Calcavecchia, he dashed around the course in 1:49, carded an 80 and received a reprimand from the PGA Tour.
Bearing up: On Friday, he beat Jack Nicklaus by two shots, but that was small consolation to Evanston Golf Club assistant pro Jim Estes, who totaled 77-79 to miss the 36-hole cut by 10 shots.
“The course played really tough this afternoon,” said Estes, who didn’t tee off till 2:45. “The guys this morning got a break. Looking at the greens on TV I could tell they were firming up in this wind. But I have no excuses. I hit the ball poorly and never put myself in position.”
This was Estes’ second look at Shinnecock Hills. He had caddied for Fred Funk here in the 1986 Open.
“I only hit nine greens ,” said Estes. “And fewer than that . I was always hacking it out of the rough. Still, it was a great experience. I guess I expected too much. It’s kind of hard playing at this level, working at a club. I didn’t expect to set the world on fire, but I thought maybe I’d get a couple 73s and make the cut.”
Any satisfaction in beating Nicklaus, who missed the cut with an 81?
“He’s 55,” said Estes, who’ll be playing in the Western Open in two weeks. “I’m 29. This is the toughest Open course I’ve ever played.”