Prep Golfer's 63 Earns Spot in Rex Hospital Open

Carter Jenkins is happy after a 63.
(Yes, that's Billy Casper at left.)

CARTER JENKINS OF LEESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL in Raleigh went low on Father's Day. Playing in the Rex Hospital Open Junior Invitational at The Player's Club (TPC) at Wakefield Plantation, Jenkins carded an 8-under-par 63 to win low medalist honors and earn a spot in the field of the Rex Hospital Open, a Web.com Tour event that begins on Thursday.

"I had high expectations for the tournament today," Jenkins said. "I wanted to win this one pretty bad."

The round impressed the Tarheel Golf Foundation's Eric Murray, who knows a good score when he sees one, especially at TPC Wakefield Plantation.

"This was the lowest score I have seen in at least nine years," said Murray. "A 63 on this course is outstanding. Carter is not only ready to play, but ready to compete ...."

Now Jenkins will get the chance to tee it up with the pros in a tour event. Grayson Murray, a former teammate and past Junior Invitational winner, will caddie for him.

Jenkins, who also won the event in 2011 as the third youngest to play in the event at the age of 15, topped a Junior Invitational field featuring dozens of North Carolina's top prep golfers, many of whom will be playing for college programs next year.

Jenkins will attend UNC-Greensboro in the fall.

Justin Rose: 'Dad Was Inspiration the Whole Day'

By Brian Keogh

Brian Keogh is a golf correspondent for The Irish Sun and a contributor to The Irish Times, Golf Digest Ireland and other golf publications. The following excerpt from Brian’s Irish Golf Desk is used with permission.

(© USGA/Joel Kowsky)

JUSTIN ROSE PUT ON A DISPLAY of sheer class as a golfer and a sportsman to consign his early career struggles to history and capture his first major championship with a two-stroke US Open victory over eternal bridesmaid Phil Mickelson and Australian’s Jason Day at a punishing Merion last night.

The 32 year old Englishman, who first rose to fame as a 17-year old amateur when he chipped in at the final hole to finish fourth in the 1998 Open at Royal Birkdale, carded a level par final round 70 to win the title with a one over par total of 281. His win, the first by an Englishman in a major for 17 years, meant a heart-breaking sixth US Open runner up finish for Mickelson on his 43rd birthday.

But not only did Rose have comforting words for the left-hander, the manner in which he closed out his victory by tapping in from a couple of inches for a closing par before gesturing to the heavens in tribute to his late father Ken, was spine-tingling and an example to youngsters everywhere.

“Yes, the look up to the heavens was absolutely for my dad,” Rose said. “Father’s Day was not lost on me today. You don’t have opportunities to really dedicate a win to someone you love. And today was about him and being Father’s Day.

“I got a beautiful text [from coach Sean Foley] that said go out and be the man your dad taught you to be and be the man that your kids can be proud of and look up to. That’s how I tried to carry myself out there. My dad was the inspiration the whole day.”

Rose also paid tribute to Mickelson the man.

“This is definitely a tough defeat for Phil. Five times or something, I guess now six times second in the U.S. Open. He’s such a great guy to play golf with and to have for the TOUR. I love the way he plays the game. He plays fearless golf. He keeps everybody guessing. He’s entertaining. And I feel fortunate to have been able to beat a world class player that he is on a day like today.

“He’s also on Father’s Day. I mean, he really showed the true spirit of fatherhood being at home for his daughter’s graduation earlier in the week and putting a tournament as his second priority and that’s very admirable.”

Brian Keogh covers golf for The Irish Sun and contributes to a variety of golf publications. Pay him a visit at Irish Golf Desk.

Luckless Lefty

A promising U.S. Open again turned tragic for Phil Mickelson. (© USGA/Jonathan Kolbe)

By Matthew Wurzburger

PHIL MICKELSON ENTERED THE FINAL ROUND of the 2013 U.S. Open, and quickly faltered. Lefty bookended a birdie on the 4th hole with double bogeys on holes 3 and 5, and saw his lead evaporate. Then came the par-4 10th hole where Mickelson miraculously holed his approach shot for eagle and a share of the lead.

At that moment, as Phil retrieved his ball from the cup, you had to wonder if this would finally be his year. It wasn’t.

Mickelson lost all momentum by bogeying the 13th and 15th holes, yet found himself only one shot behind leader Justin Rose. It would come down to the 511-yard, par-4 18th hole for Phil; a birdie would force a playoff and 18 more holes on Monday. It was not meant to be as Phil’s second shot from the rough fell short of the green and his potential tournament-saving chip rocketed past the cup.

Feel free to stop me when this sounds familiar.

The stars appeared to align for Phil this time. The final round would occur on his 43rd birthday and, of course, on Father’s Day. His opening-round 67 following a redeye flight from his home in California seemed to suggest that this might be his time. But fast-forward to Sunday evening and you realize the stars were instead seemingly aligned to produce more U.S. Open heartbreak for Phil.

NBC’s Johnny Miller stated that Mickelson had “a million missed chances” during Sunday’s round at Merion. If Miller was correct, it is likely Phil missed as many chances during his other five runner-up finishes. Six million chances missed by Mickelson: putts that lipped out, drives that barely missed the fairway, approach shots left short, and chip shots hit with too much pace.

They all add up to tragic missteps such as a triple bogey on the 17th hole at Shinnecock Hills in 2004, a double bogey on the 18th at Winged Foot in 2006, and yesterday’s early double bogeys and costly late bogeys, leaving a people’s champion standing on the outside looking in for a record six times at the U.S. Open.

Sometimes it is not meant to be.

Matthew Wurzburger is a University of Virginia student who covers sports for The Cavalier Daily.

Tiger's Quest for 15th Major Continues

Tiger Woods studies a putt at Merion Golf Club on Sunday. (© USGA/Joel Kowsky)

TIGER WOODS SHOT A 4-OVER 74 in the final round of the 2013 U.S. Open. Woods posted rounds of 73, 70, 76 and 74 to finish at 13-over par. Putting was his primary downfall.

"I struggled with the speed all week," Tiger said.

"These greens are grainy. It's one of the older bent grasses, creeping bent. So it's a little bit grainy. I struggled with the speed, especially right around the hole, putts were breaking a lot more. I gave it a little more break and then it would hang. That's kind of the way it was this week."

2013 U.S. Open: Final Round Course Setup

Getting Merion ready for weekend play. (© USGA/Darren Carroll)

(Course setup notes provided to the media by the USGA.)

The following are details on the course setup for Round 4 of the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club, from Mike Davis, USGA Executive Director.

Green Speeds – The final round’s green speeds are in the 13- to 13½-foot range on the USGA Stimpmeter.

Fairway and Rough Grass – All fairways were mowed this morning. The rough’s first cut (18 feet in width of drive zones; 9 feet in width around greens) was mowed immediately after play last (Saturday) night.

Total Course Yardage for Sunday (tee marker settings to flagstick) = 3,646 yards out; 3,207 yards in = 6,853 total yards

Hole-by-Hole Information:

Hole 1 – 360 yards; the hole location is in the back-left portion of the green.

Hole 2 – 525 yards; tee markers have been moved forward to the penultimate teeing ground, which will give players a better opportunity to reach the green in two shots; the hole location is in the front-left portion of the green.

Hole 3 – 266 yards; tee markers are placed on the back tee; the hole location is two-thirds of the way back on the right; properly played tee shots should “feed” into this area.

Hole 4 – 571 yards; tee markers have been placed forward on the penultimate teeing ground; the hole location is in the front-center portion of the green.

Hole 5 – 495 yards; the hole location is in the front-center portion of the green.

Hole 6 – 477 yards; the hole location is in the back-right portion of the green.

Hole 7 – 490 yards; the hole location is on the front (first) left plateau.

Hole 8 – 353 yards; the hole location is in the back-right portion of the green.

Hole 9 – 246 yards; the hole location is in the back-left quadrant of this kidney-shaped green.

Hole 10 – 280 yards; tee markers are placed on the penultimate teeing ground, giving an opportunity to drive the green; the hole location is in the left portion of the green.

Hole 11 – 356 yards; the hole location is in the front-right portion, hugging the edge of the water hazard.

Hole 12 – 419 yards; the hole location is in the far back-right portion of the green.

Hole 13 – 121 yards; tee markers are placed on the back-right side of the lower teeing ground; the hole location is in the center, to the far right of the green.

Hole 14 – 452 yards; tee markers have been placed on the back teeing ground; the hole location is in the front-center of the green; putts played from beyond the hole are very fast.

Hole 15 – 422 yards; tee markers have again been moved slightly forward, giving a few more options off the tee; the hole location is back right, tucked behind the bunker that fronts the right side of the putting green.

Hole 16 – 423 yards; the hole location is in the front-left portion of the green, just above the front right “bowl.”

Hole 17 – 213 yards; the tee markers have been moved forward to the penultimate teeing ground; the hole location is in the back-right portion of the green in an area where balls will “feed” if the proper shot is played; birdies are a much better possibility in the final round.

Hole 18 – 511 yards; given the southerly headwind prediction, the tee markers are moved forward to the penultimate teeing ground; the hole is in the back left “bowl” in the traditional final-day championship location; balls should “feed” to this area.

Weather Forecast for Sunday (provided by Jake Swick of Thor Guard Weather)
Look for more clouds than sun this morning with a shower or few sprinkles possible as the first wave of the next storm system weakens heading into our existing drier air from yesterday. Southwesterly winds will pick up by this afternoon though, with gusts past 15 mph at times. Combine that with a bit more sunshine projected to start this afternoon and we should become warm enough and humid enough to get some shower and thunderstorm activity started with the second piece of energy. Fortunately because of all the extra cloud cover, the latest indications are that the atmosphere may not be as unstable as previously thought. Therefore expect a shower or storm to be possible from 2 p.m. on with the best chance for scattered showers (60 percent) and maybe a storm (30 percent) by 5 p.m. through 8 p.m. A shower or storm is possible as well this evening, however most of the action should die down after sunset. Monday should start out muggier than this morning and it will also be hotter as well with just the slimmest risk of a shower or storm.