Full Coverage includes an amateur Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Payne Stewart, Ernie Els, Tom Watson, and more. No commercials. Quality is good for a 1996 VHS.
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[Music] There were winds of change yesterday as the pursuit of the 96 US Open title began at Oakland Hills. Tom Watson’s magical run continued. It appeared Tiger Woods would make his first run of the major championship, but an open can turn so quickly on a 20-year-old. Jumbo Wazaki has plenty of experience, but can he rally himself three more days? Paul Azinger’s experience outside the ropes has toughened him for moments like this. Moments that produce US Open champions. Lee Jansen poised to make a run at his second title in three years while Payne Stewart looks for an open bookend to the one he captured 5 years ago. Round two begins today. Who will play the weekend? Who will position themselves for a chance to win golf’s greatest championship? ESPN and the United States Golf Association are proud to present second round coverage of the 96th US Open Championship. A glorious Friday at Oakland Hills, less than 20 m northwest of Detroit. And after some early weather worries, the forecast for the rest of this championship looks to be just about perfect. And the monster may have been soft yesterday after recent rains, but three under was the best anyone fared. Mix in some sunshine and soft breezes today, and the treacherous greens at this masterful Donald Ross Par 70 layout should become more challenging by the hour. [Music] The first group went off four hours ago and that included Billy Andre, one of the hottest golfers on the course this morning. Here is T-shot at the par 313. 168 yds. Andre nearly aces it. He’d have to settle for par. Had some late bogeies, so he’s one under for the day. Tiger Woods had his problems finishing up yesterday. In fact, he led this championship. tied for the lead at one point yesterday here at the par 48. Curling in a birdie. That was his third of the day, but he’s just bogeied and he is plus one on the day. This was the scene a moment ago at the par 39th. Greg Norman. You hold that camera there, please. That’s why you got me. Norman, disturbed by the clicking shutter of a photographer by the ropes, pulls his T-shot well left of this whole location. Don’t you go shaking your head at me. Yeah, you always apologize after the fact, don’t you? But Norman calmed himself and saved far from that point. Began the day at plus three, one under on his round today. The Shark plus two for the championship. John Daly had a hard time getting his putting blade going yesterday. But here for birdie at 10, was able to get it to roll in. John Daly even for the day plus two for the championship. He also has three bogeies. Michigan native John Morris continuing his stellar play from yesterday. Shot a 68 in the first round. Hard the first hole and then here at the par five second rolls in a birdie. He began the day a shot off the lead at two under but with that birdie has tied Payne Stewart and Woody Austin for the open lead at three under par. Lee Jansen who won at Baldis Roll in 93 begins the day at minus 2 after his opening round 68. Paul Azinger continues to be a story. One under through seven. Jumbo had early problems on the first hole and he has fallen back. Colin McGomery even for the championship along with Tom Watson who opened up with an even round 70 yesterday. As you see Billy Andre falling back a bit after his early success here. Davis Love the third playing the course plus one through 13. the lone tower announcer. And then on the fairways, Gary Ko will be following that threesome of Daily Woods and Paven. And John Schroeder will be alongside Paul Azinger, Barry Lane, and Curtis Strange. And we’ll bring you out to the par 31 13th. And it’s 175 yds today. John Daly has found the green. And this birdie attempt. from well below the hole in the front of the green. Good pace though. Very acceptable from there. John Daly up and down round. Three bogeies to go along with three birdies. The last which you saw at 10. So he is plus two and very much alive in the hunt for this championship. As we move you back to the par 4 eighth. Paul Azinger second shot. John Schroeder bring us up today. Well Paul Azinger is playing very very nicely today. He hasn’t made a bogey so far in his round. Uh put the ball about 2 in outside of the fairway. So he’s in that first short cut of rough. Has 186 yds to this elevated green par4. Pence cut 15 yds deep and only seven from the right hand edge. And there’s a big mound in the middle of this green. So he wants to keep the ball if possible on the right side of this green to give himself a reasonable putt. And Roger, it sets up very nicely for the way Paul plays with that little hold shot he hits. probably hitting a sixiron. He can move it in left to right and use that mound to the left of the hole to bring it to the flag. It’s a little right of the flag in the air. Oh, know whether he mis hit it or misjudged the wind. Not a bad shot though. Underneath the hole here is okay. Back to 13. Cory Paven. Gary Ko with his threesome. Long birdie putt out of the low area at the front of the green. very similar to the one John Daly had. And back to 12, we pick up uh Greg Norman. Third shot. [Music] I think you could call this whole location tucked right behind the bunker. Excellent shot by Greg Norman. Went out in one under. Two birdies, one bogey, and a hit to 13. and Tiger Woods. Uh Gary, have you had a chance to get a feel for how Tigers playing today after the late disappointment yesterday? Dan, uh he’s shown remarkable composure today. Played pretty solidly. Just hasn’t made many putts. I know it’s a little early on to start thinking about it, but at plus 7 right now, he needs to probably make a birdie or two to have a chance to make the cut. It’s a nice iron shot in here about 15 ft to the right of the hole. This is the difficulty of Oakland Hills. Even though he’s on the proper level of the green, he’s still going to have a huge break from right to left. [Music] Well, yesterday in Tiger Woods round of 76, he went along very nicely, playing very solid golf in the front, two under par with two birdies at two and five. Then on the backside, continuing his good play, picked up a birdie at 12, but then had hit a poor chip at 14 leading to a bogey. 15, made double bogey after a poor T-OT. And here was the killer right there, the snowman. Quadruple bogey, eight on the 16th hole, followed with two more bogeies, a 43 coming in. Very disappointing finish. tied for the lead as he made his way to the 14th hole. An hour and a half later, dropped nine shots as you see John Daly save his par at 13. Now Pin with a short par putt to remain at plus three. He birdied 12. So the defending champion even on his round today, first round 73 yesterday. When he won at Shinnik last year, he opened up with a 72. So it’s about right where Paven was last year when he went on to win it. And back to 12. All right. The group of Frank Noelo, Jay Hos, and Greg Norman. Norman will be next to putt. Yesterday, in case you did not watch, Greg doubled one. He birdied 12, bogeied 14 and 16 for a plus 373 in the opening round and stands at plus two on the championship to this point. Tony Navaro, his caddy, always helping Greg the scores and tea times at the bottom of the screen. Norman’s first birdie yesterday was at 12. We saw that happen all day yesterday, didn’t we? To the tea at 14. Okay, trump. It measures 471 yd. Longest par4 on the course. Perfect T- shot from Paven. Moving the ball left to right. Should be right in the center of the fairway. Got about one foot a roll though, Gary. Is it still playing railroad soft? Well, surprisingly so, Roger. Uh there are still some very soft areas. Uh Tiger Woodall back on 12 actually plugged in the fairway. So not going to get much roll. John Dailyaly with the zero iron taking it down the right and hooking it toward the left center of the fairway. It’s soft. John stays on the first cut. And it was uh Tiger Woods who uh led average driving distance yesterday at 298. One of the holes they measure on here at Oakland Hills is 14. actually hit kind of a just a little saw cut in there to the fairway. If they’d have measured the one on 12 that he hit about 350, that really would have been would have raised his average considerably. Roger, he’s setting up to play the same shot that he played yesterday. Slightly open and down the left side now. And this is trying to move back to the right. Yeah, here it comes. Should be good. Just in the left side of the fairway and a perfect angle at the pin on the right. Back to 83rd shot for Zinger. John, he’s got to excuse me. He’s got to get up a little rise. Not too tough a shot for Paul. Beautiful touch that left for Zinger’s par trying to win for the first time since the 93 PGA Championship after the bout with cancer. As we move back to 18, Billy Andred for birdie across the large ridge cuts through the center of this green. That is a wonderful putt from there. And even despite the late problems, Roger, he double bogeied 16 and bogeied 14. But still the pretty impressive second round 69 for Andre. And he is at plus one for the championship. Hoping to be a factor this weekend. That’s in contention. Beautiful Oakland Hills Country Club. The sixth US Open. the story Donald Ross design has hosted. And back to eight, twotime open champion Curtis Strange for par. Hit his T-shot in the bunker and pitched from about 120 yards at this point. Two bogeies now in a row for Curtis. began the day at plus four, so he is now at plus six. Fighting to be around on the weekend to the 13th T. The last par three came at 9 where the disturbance from the photographer came. 13 playing 168 yds today. the pin on the black back plateau of this green. Pretty much a a semic-ircular or crescent kind of shelf around a large valley in the center front portion of the green. Uh a tough tough hole location. Tough to get at. This is sixiron. Try to take a little something off it. I’m sure it’s plenty of club for Greg. Very controlled motion. Good looking swing and a good result. He may have been disturbed at nine, but pretty well focused in on the par 313. Actually, he’s hit the ball quite well in the championship. It’s his putting that’s let him down to this point to 14. Gary Ko. Well, Cory Paven’s ball plugged in the fairway, Roger. That’s how soft it was. He was entitled to a free drop and is now left with a shot of 231 yards. I know Cory’s awfully good with the fairway woods, but uh certainly not a shot you’d be looking at here at 14 and expecting to get the ball anywhere near the hole. Well, David Fay, you can see how close Cory’s ball is to that pitch mark. And I guess when you do get relief for an embedded ball through the green, you must drop it as near as possible to that point. That’s right. And you can’t repair the pitch mark as you can’t press down any irregularities of surface in the area you’re about to drop in. Cory with 212 to the front, 231 to the flag. Slightly downhill. He’s taking his forward. Trying to paint a little picture here. hit it at the center of the green and just cut it back toward that whole location on the right side of the green over that bunker. [Music] Well, he’s doing just that. Roger. If it’s the right distance, it could be really good. If it’ll stay up on top, we’ll gather down over the ledge and into the valley. We’ll see a lot of that. Just four birdies at 14. Daly 195 yds out of the first cut of rough and that was a seven iron going slightly right of the flag. This ball needs to get a hop left. Don’t think it’s going to do it. Not too bad a lie, but it has caught up in the heavy rough but that’s very slick from that side of the hole. The green will be moving away from John there. And back to 13. Frank Noelo. This a six iron. [Music] Nice shot by Frank. Another solid shot. Well, it is the pronunciation is Noel. For many years, he’s been called Nabalo by a lot. Most everybody, including us. Now, Tiger Woods second and 14. [Music] Well, after another 300 yd plus drive, that’s an eight iron from 164 slightly right of the flag and slightly long. It was at 14 that Tiger began to run into problems. He bogeied that and then really fell off the pace yesterday in the fearsome final five holes at Oakland Hills Country Club. Payne Stewart, Woody Austin tied for the lead at three under. [Music] Welcome back, Frank Noelo for birdie at 13, but we’ll move right to left. [Music] Solid birdie and Novalo moves back to even par for the championship. Plus one in his round today. Over to 14. We pick up John Daly. His third shot from just in the rough. Big swing. You see that ball gain speed coming down that hill very quick from that side. That is a wonderful shot. Doesn’t get enough credit for his touch. Back to nine to par three. 224 yds. Paul Azinger. Hole today. Cut back right. Have to saw this ball left to right to get anywhere near it. Pretty good break. That’s a good shot underneath the hole and back to 13. Rick Norman’s birdie try back uphill here. Perfect position. [Music] Third birdie of the day for the shark who’s making some noise on this Friday. plus one now for the championship. Two under on his round today. 14 Tiger Woods. This a moment ago, his third from behind the green. Big swing, flop shot. Well done. But a tricky little putt from that side of the cup. That on tape. And also on the same hole now Cory Paven for birdie putting up out of the valley in the center of the green where most of the players will end up today. Not a bad putt. Now live Tiger trying to save his par. One of those putts you get so many of them in US Opens about four and a half 5T slippery sliding to his right. That’s a good up and down. [Music] Tiger remains at plus seven. Now back on the tee, Greg Norman coming off the birdie at 13. [Music] Aggressive swing, but not a great result as miss left. Will depend if that ball is caught up in the rough or if it’s uh over where the gallery has walked and might have a clean line. Here’s the swing set up of Greg Norman. Absolutely perfect. Good extension in the back swing. The way down really clears hard to his left, but his right arm releases over his left and the ball gets away from him. A little bit of a double cross. I’m sure he was trying to hold that ball and move it back to the right slightly. Now, no below. [Music] Good shot. He’s also coming off a birdie at 13. [Music] That to the right but in the fairway. Not bad. Tough angle from there to number six John Morse. Second shot to the par four. Pinned today in its easiest location at the front left. That putt will break quite a bit from his right to left, but Birdie’s readily available today at six. and ahead to 15. Davis love the third looking over this birdie attempt. He has par every hole today. 14 straight pars. Pars are not bad scores in US Opens. More of those you can mount up, the better. That’s a lost opportunity there. Putted from underneath the hole. That was the side you’d want the ball on. So now 15 straight pars for Love plus one for the championship. Gary Co. Well, appears Cory has taken a 3-wood. Be trying to lay the ball up short of the bunker right in the center of the fairway. Little distraction. And there’s a road right behind the tea and a car drove by just as Cory was getting into his final waggle. So veteran player that he is, he’ll take his time, regroup totally. Talked to him a little a little bit earlier. He was really frustrated not making any putts. There are the best finishes in the major championships for Cory. The breakthrough at Shikok last year, but he’s been close in uh all of the majors. Well, he’s hitting that low draw that he often does when he tries to work the ball from right to left. He’s got it up the left side of the fairway. Should be fine. Now, John Dailyaly, you’re good there, John. Well, John again going with an iron. This is a hole, Roger, where I thought he might go ahead and rip the driver and just get it over that fairway bunker. Well, yesterday he hit this iron over that fairway bunker, Gary. He flew about 260 in the air with the zero iron. Well, that’s down the left side and I think it caught the left rough. That will not be in a good position to come at this whole location which is cut front left to the par 3 ninth now. Zinger for birdie. back uphill. Loses it a little bit left, but three a good score at nine today. A very demanding par three. Was the second hardest hole in the golf course yesterday. It’ll play that way again today. And back to six. John Morris pacing his uh birdie attempt. Very impressive uh open so far for Morris when you consider that he has missed the cut in this open championship in his uh three previous tries. Little surprising really that he would have that kind of record. Not a powerful player, but an accurate player, a very steady player week in and week out. I would think that he would have handled the open better than he has to date, but not surprised at all by his performance so far. [Music] [Music] [Music] Just lost pace and ducked under the hole. Good putt. Har for Morris at six. As we look at Greg Norman, second at 14. Well, he has gotten over to where the crowd has been and trampled down the long grass, but still sitting down a little bit. Will be hard to control this ball. Has 207 to the hole. Try to hit something low and hooking to run it into that valley in the center of the green if he can. [Music] He’s trying just that. This is going to go through the green. However, and into the tall stuff over Greg Norman’s fourth start since the Masters does a good job here. You can see the ball sitting down slightly. Makes good contact, but it’s hard to control the ball out of that stuff. And really, that’s a very good shot to be pitching back uphill. Now at the 10th TE, Paul Azinger, par4, 450 yards. The holes playing downwind today. The bunker on the left is definitely in play and the second trap on the right are in play. Again, it sets up great for Paul’s slider. [Music] Right down the middle. Boy, a beautiful swing he made in that. That’s long, too. Good to see Paul back in the back in the hunt. And back to 14. Frank Noelo getting ready for his second. Here you can see the flag stick just at the left edge of the bunker tucked on the right side of the green. Now the difficulty of this shot is that the green runs away from the player from front to back and it is sloped from right to left. So from this angle to get the ball to stay on that level, Frank will have to manufacture some kind of shot that comes in from left to right and very high in order to hold that part of the green. You’d much rather have it on the left side of the fairway. Just from 198 [Music] slightly downhill. Going with a hard sixiron here. Maybe a five. Get something up in the air quickly. [Music] [Music] hits very softly and see it catch that contour down into the valley. No below a couple of top 10s in his two opens. Tied for ninth in 94 and then a tie for 10th at Shinnikok last year. Also finished fourth in the Masters this year. That’s his best US finish. Curtis Strange now at the 10th T. Two over par in his round today. Plus six for the championship. And pulled left into the rough. That not good from there. And back to 15. Cory Paven is second. [Music] trying to turn one back in right to left has done that. What a magician. He just manufactured shots so beautifully. Wherever they need to go, he shapes them now here at 11. Jumbo is for birdie. Yeah, Danny, he’s had his problems today, but he’s fighting back. He triple bogeied one and then bogeied five. So he’s been struggling but does stand it even in the championship. One over for the day. And this for birdie 49year-old Jumbo Oaki one of three Oaki brothers that play on the US tour. Johnny Miller says he’s the best player in the world at 49 years old. More than 70 career wins, 78 in Japan, 79 total. And let’s move ahead to 15. Second for Daily. [Music] Just in the first kind of primary rough. And you could see how hard a swing he had to make at that. Not very many players could do that. That is sheer brute power. And below the hole at 15. Back to 14. and Greg Norman in his third rolling through the green to this point. Well, so many times in open championships you’re actually better off when you miss a green as opposed to being in the wrong place on the green. Greg has gone through the green now is pitching back uphill to the hole there. You can see it. The hill stopped the ball nicely played. But here you’ll get in more trouble being on the wrong side of the green than you will missing the greens in the right place. To the 16th. This is the signature par4. Costantina Rocka his second shot in. Rocka began the day at plus one, doubled the fourth hole, bogey the fifth, and is part of the rest on to where he stands at plus four. Also playing in this threesome is Davis Love and Tom Layman. And here is Layman second. Two over bar in his round today. [Music] Stop and back over to 14. No below up from the valley. This will break right to left as the green runs away from the player from the fairway. Runs to the back part of the green. [Music] won’t get it there. Still a little work left to 15 woods for birdie. 21footer up and over a little knob in the green then moving back downhill as it gets near the hole. But that if you get aggressive with you can knock it by. Well, that’s a good stroke. Wow. Can’t hit it any better than that without it going in. So, Tiger will remain at plus seven. Like he thought it was in. He wants it. He wants it. Are you kidding me? Good to see his 20-year-old emotions out here, especially the fist pumping out in the fairway at 5 yesterday. The one hopper slam dunk in, rattled the stick at six. The exuberance of youth now daily after that great shot out of the rough for birdie. That was a fantastic shot. As Roger said, only one with his strength could play it. Double breaker here moving right then trying to go back left. Yes, right in the middle. John Daly beginning to find the putting touch here on the monster greens at Oakland Hills. And a birdie at 15 moves him to plus one for the championship. Just four off the pace. Back to the par4 10th. Look at this stance by Curtis Strange. His second shot. No chance to reach the green from there. Really, that’s a heck of a shot to get it that solid from that position. Really not a bad play at all. And he’s going to have a reasonable chance to save par. You can see how far the ball is below his feet. My goodness, it must be a good foot or more. Picks the club up sharply. Very little lower body movement because the ball so far below his feet catches it solid. Now Zinger second. He hit a huge drive here, guys. He had 184 to the hole. Excuse me, 156 to the hole, but I slipped it over that right knob, I’m afraid. Or that mount in the middle of the green. Roger. Tough putt. It did. It moved just right. Uh and he will have to putt over the top of that ridge in the center of the green. Back over to 15. Cory Paven try eightfooter speed putt. Depending on how firmly he hits it, how much it’ll break left. Lost it low. Not quite enough pace. And that really been an unpaved light performance so far with a putter. Usually wastes very few shots. Saves every shot you can possibly imagine on the golf course, but really could have left four or five shots on the course yesterday. Don’t you think, Gary? Well, no question, Roger. And I talked to him a little bit this morning after he made his birdie putt finally at number 12. and he said, “Man, it’s about time I made something. I’m just leaving a lot of strokes out here. Getting pretty frustrated on the greens.” Remains at plus three with a par at 15 and back to 14. Noelo made his par and now Norman trying to get his not much here from this distance. Really try to hit it fairly firm. Keep it inside the cup on the left. [Music] Good stroke. Good par save for the Shark ahead to 16. Rocka for Birdie. Some work left for his par and to nine. First look at Burnhard longer. This for Birdie. [Music] And one of the few highlights for Longer who began the day at plus five, double bogeied the first hole. Four more bogeies on the front nine, but with a welcome birdie to get to plus 10 and back to 16. Davis Love circling his birdie attempt. Missed the short one at the last hole for birdie. [Music] Davis Love of course in search of the first major championship in his career just to get back to even par after 15 straight pars trying to get off the schneide. This time he takes advantage. He had a good opportunity at 14. Couldn’t make it. capitalizes at 15 and Love ins 15 straight pars. Third straight on the third shot on the way for Curtis Strange at 10. There’s a little crest just past that hole that his ball’s gotten over and it’ll sneak on by. Deceptively difficult hole location right there. And back over to 16 Tom Layman for par. [Music] And he’s got it. Layman remains at plus three to the 15th T. Greg Norman. [Music] Yeah, good shot. Going with an iron. Keep it short of that fairway bunker in the center of the fairway. And that’s in the right side. And a good angle at the flag. Cut on the hole. I mean cut on the front left. So, Greg Norman two under on his round today serving notice on this Friday at Oakland Hills. Pay Stewart [Music] located front left today. trying to use that slope. Bring it back down behind the hole. That’s a very, very good shot. Solid play. And back to 15. Second shot at Greg Norman. [Music] one with a sixiron [Music] right and in front but not a bad spot from there and over to 16 Cory Paven Dan that was a five iron 182 yds trying to turn the ball back into the wind another well played iron shot just shapes his way around the course and back to 10. Paul Azinger is this for birdie cutting across that hump. Now the ball starts trekking downhill. Should work back slightly to his right. Just over Bart a little bit, but beautifully paced. Good four. And back over to 16. Tiger Woods. And remember his problems at 16 yesterday. His second shot now. Gary Ko. How far? He’s got 168 yds, Dan. And fortunately for Tiger, a much different pin placement. Hole cut in the back left portion of the green. Taking a seven iron. Wind is into him from the left. He’s going to have to get all of it if he’s going to get it back to the hole. Now he’s turning it in toward the hole slightly right. Just stuck. So he got it there today. Exercising those demons. Now John Dailyaly 153 yds. A little 3/4 iron. That’s a little left of the flag. Spinning back. [Music] We mentioned the problems uh by Tiger Woods yesterday taking a quadruple bogey eight on this hole and finding the water not once but twice. This was the first time. Spoke to his coach Butch Harmon. He said well that’s his inexperience and his age being 20. He said he got a little flustered. Made a very hard swing at a shot there when he should have been trying to threequarter it and control it. Then lost his composure a little bit. So takes a drop. And now the fourth shot [Music] again. This ball upshot back into the wind. Watch the spin this has and it resulted in an eight. We mentioned uh how quickly he fell off the leaderboard. Back to 15. Rick Norman is for Birdie from just below the green. [Music] Just a little chip over a rise and it starts to run away. That’s well played. Norman very sharp today. He’s been bothered by some allergies, which he noted that he didn’t even get out of bed until 2:30 in the afternoon the day before this championship started. So, he said he felt a little sluggish coming in. And his good pal Nick Price had to withdraw from the tournament for the very same reason, allergies and sinus infection and whatnot. And so, Greg’s a little under the weather right at the moment. But to 18, Bill Merchesen. That was for par, but Bill at one point got it to five under for the day, but bogeies the last three holes. Still a fine round of 68 and he is at plus three. He made a quick appearance on the leaderboard at Shinikok at last year’s US Open. Journeyman Pro has been on and off the tour quite a number of times playing the Nike tour mostly. Has played well at times in the Open Championship. turned pro back in 1977 out of TCU. 39year-old Bill Merchesen, A Stewart, and Woody Austin yet to tee off. They were the overnight first round leaders for the opening rounds of 67. Davis Love the third at even par through 16. A lot of people pulling for Tom Watson. Can he win another open championship? one at Pebble in 82. Back to the action now at 16, John Dailyaly for birdie. And a long putt here, Dan. Uh in the neighborhood of 30 feet. One of those that looks like it’s got a couple of breaks to it. Wants to move a little left to start with and should come back to the right at the end. He seems to uh have a little more confidence even though he left that one short in his putting today, Gary. Well, he’s been more aggressive, Dan. There’s no question about it. That was the thing that was lacking yesterday. Uh and surprisingly so. Over to 17. Davis Love. Birdie. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Still a little work left to do. 17. How about that whole location yesterday? 17 playing the toughest on the course. It was diabolical. Nearly impossible. as many of the hole locations can be here at Oakland Hills. Very, very hard to get the ball near the cup with your iron shots, with your approaches. Same hole now. Tom Layman for his birdie. Underneath the hole in a perfect spot to putt from Layman runs one in. That’s the angle you want to get at this hole from. Plus two for the championship for Layman. And back to 16. Cory Paven’s birdie attempt. putting directly up the hill coming off the side of the mound that runs through the center of the green. So, should move a little to his right. [Music] Oh, wait. Pav stuck on even par for his round today. Plus three and back at 15, Norman for his par. No has already saved his par here at 15. [Music] Tricky green the 15th. A lot of little movements in it. Not as undulating as many here at Oakland Hills. Still just one bogey on the day for Greg Norman. It came all the way back at five. He remains at plus one as we send you to 11 and Paul Azinger. Well guys, Paul pulled his T-shot badly to the left, but as has happened here, he hit it far enough left where his where all the galleries walked. He’s got a reasonable lie. 174 yds. Clear shot at the flag. Sound like it caught it very solid. Actually, it could be helpful. Ooh. Well, it didn’t quite get up, but it could have been helpful if the ball comes out with less spin. He could run it up that big slope and get it to the back part of the green. Pinned just on top of a large plateau. Back over to 16. Tiger Woods with a chance to exercise some of the demons he felt here yesterday. This a birdie attempt. Well, I would certainly think that he feels like the hole owes him one or two. Or two. Or four. Or four. uphill moving to his left, but she can really be aggressive with an eight yesterday, five shots less today, a three for the 20-year-old amter out of Stanford. Take that, Oakland Hills. That’s right. Take that, 16. Back on the tea now at 16, Greg Norman. [Music] Perfect. Ideal. Well, you really sense a different kind of focus for Norman today, don’t you? He seems just so much more comfortable. He knows he’s back in the championship now. John Morris at seven. This is the par four. And this is for birdie. This putt really it will move left, but this green doesn’t have as much slope or undulation as many of them. Another fairly flat green, but it will move from his right to left back uphill. Good putt off the tea at 18 par4 465 yds. Davis Love toughest hole on the course. Perfect drive and that’s what it takes to set this hole up. Pull behind at 17. Tiger Woods ready on the TE coming off the birdie at 16. He’s at plus six. That could have been a very, very important birdie for Tiger when it comes time to make the cut. Hole playing to 188 yds today. Hole location front left. And I’ve got to think a hole that favors Tiger Woods and John Daly over Cory Pavement because they can get the ball up in the air so much more. [Music] Tigers got that ball started right into the center of the green. Needs to turn left. Oh, and it stayed up on top of the plateau to the right. Gary, this one will be very, very fast. Tough two putt from there. By the way, John Morris made his par putt back at seven. So Morris remains at two under, one off the lead, which is a three under. Bailey’s turn. See his round today. One under plus one for the championship. It’s a sixiron for John. Stay in here. Get a little heavy. Ball’s got to get up. Okay. And got up and he’s using the slope, Gary. And he’s brought that back to within 12 ft of the hole. Best shot we’ve seen yet today. Over at 11. Paul Azinger. Third shot. Danny, this is fast and will break right. considerably. A deaf touch by Paul Ezinger. Very nicely done. Let’s move ahead to 17. Cory Paven contemplating his T- shot at 17. Well, Dan, as I mentioned, a much more difficult shot for Paven. The green sits up above the level of the TE some 20 or 30 ft and Cory’s normal ball flight quite low. Much more difficult shot for him to play. Look for something coming in right to left, landing near the front of the green and hopefully utilizing the slope in the middle of the green and running the ball toward the hole. That’s right there. You can see his familiar pre-shot routine does that because he says he tends to take the club on the outside on the back swing. So, this is just a reminder to get the club traveling back more inside. [Music] Well, he’s taking a five iron, Roger. And I think he’s got to get all of it to get it up to this hole. Come turn over. He’s got it turning. He’s done just what we talked about. Utilize that slope. Great shot. The defending champion, Cory Paven. A birdie opportunity at 17. We’ll be right back. where the fairway would rock a second shot at the par4 18th right on the potential cut line of plus six or plus seven. Beautiful shot. Brilliant shot. Now at 16. You saw the great drive. Perfect position for Greg Norman. 149 yds. Hard eight iron spinny back. Look at this. Well, that’ll fix your putting problems right there in the hunt. [Applause] Eagle two at 16. [Music] [Applause] This putt for par. Dan Hicks for Paul Ezinger. It’s quick. No, pushed it. Well, ahead to 18. Davis Love roars all over the golf course today. is second at 18. Oh, he’s pulled it. Doesn’t like it at all. And he will have a putt over a large hump that dissects this green. Very, very tough two putt from there. Still buzzing at 16 as the shark comes up to retrieve an Eagle two. Well, may have been a little lethargic yesterday in round one, but the game is on now at 17. Tiger Woods coming down for a birdie attempt. Dan, I’m sure you’d be very happy to just get this down in two. Look at this ball pick up speed. Oh man, they’re going in from everywhere. [Applause] Birdie. birdie for Woods. And after uh really being on the bubble of the projected cut, Tiger Woods with that birdie at uh not only 17, but 16, chances are he’ll be around for the weekend if uh he negotiates 18. Well, can you get the feeling in the future we’ll see a lot of Greg Norman take this and Tiger Woods take that? the reigning NCAA champion. Good to see the smile back on Tiger Wood’s face. Norman at 16 retrieves it. [Music] Roger. So much talk about losing the six shot lead at the Masters. Uh you have to admire him the way he’s come back, especially today. So resilient. Paving for birdie at 17. Ideal position to be putting from. Back up the hill, turning a little right to left. See if Cory can’t make a good stroke and finally take advantage of one of these good iron shots he’s been playing. All of a sudden, the teeth have come out of the monster. Birdie for Paving at 17. Somebody run out there and make the hole bigger all of a sudden. Tiger says ho h birdie. Thank you very much. Now deal’s got to be one for me. If this goes in, I’m leaving. Raj, it’s one of those you either think it’s a barrel you’re putting into or a thimble. position back up the hill. Just turn to the end. I’m staying John Dailyaly par at 17. Woods Haven Birdies at 17. Daily remains at plus one. The intensity has been cranked up a notch or two the last few moments on this Friday at Oakland Hills. And there it was at 16 a few moments ago at its height [Music] as Greg Norman ran it in from the fairway. He is at one under for the championship, two off the pace. Frank Noelo is at even par. Three off the pace and this four par. Probably the weakest part of Frank’s game. A very solid ball hitter. A little erratic with the putter. Not much break on this putt though. Good solid stroke. They follow Shark. The Throngs Galleries here at Oakland Hills to the par 31 17th got 184 over to 18. Davis Love long birdie attempt. Have to putt up near the fringe in the back. Over this hump up into the fringe. Now watch this. Watch this. That is terrific. Hard to explain how good that one is. Reminds me of uh a little bit of the situation at 17 yesterday when players went left to the hole location. Now on the tea at 18, Tiger Woods birdie birdie the last two holes. Important T-OT drive. Perfect. Well, he has ripped it perfect right up the right center. That should be perfect and deep. Back at 17, Norman. Greg has a five iron. Let’s hold today. 188 plays uphill. Want this ball right of the flag. Use the backboard there in the green. going right and he will have his hands full from there. [Music] Four under on his round today. Tough having to come back and hit a shot after an exciting moment like that. Even for Greg Norman, I’ll guarantee you the pulse went up. Uh, get very excited over something like that. Now, Rocka at 18 green. Curling one in for an impressive birdie. Plus five for the championship. Back at 17. No below E2 with a five iron [Music] shot if it’ll settle down. Good shot. Oelo won his last start. It was a European tour event in Germany. So he’s been playing well now at 18. Love for par. Davis love the third keeps his hopes alive of his first major championship. follows up the first round. Seven stately twostory clubhouse behind 18 and nine. Pretty good golf on this Friday. The best round of the day so far. A 68 turned in by Bill Merchesen, who we saw just finish. Greg Norman with a round of four undergoing. He can par in for a 66. That would be the round of the championship so far because Payne Stewart and Woody Austin’s 67, which held the first round lead, would be eclipsed. By the way, Tommy Tols also at four under. He’s got a good round going today as well. Some of the other names in this 156 player field, Scott Hulk at plus two. Hail Irwin with an opening round of 72 yesterday for the three-time Open Champion Steve Scott underway after his excellent start yesterday. Nick Faldo. We’ll be seeing a lot of him as our afternoon coverage progresses back at 17 though. Uh Greg Norman trying to keep a stellar round going here with this second out of the rough and has a delicate tough little chip shot in the primary rough from a downhill lie to a green that will run away. This will move to his left. Just try to pitch something onto the green and let it gather pace down the hill. Tough shot. Whoa. Whoa. You can see how quick that is coming from there. That’s really not a bad effort at all. And he does have an uphiller coming back trying to save his three. Picks the club up abruptly. Spanks down hard with the right hand. Makes good contact, good technique. Well, since that disturbance on the par 3 ninth with a photographer, uh, it’s been a fire in Greg Norman’s eyes. Well, you almost got the feeling and he needs some jumper cables, you know, to the heart and this one provided at the shot at 16. And now at 12. Paul Azinger’s got a very difficult bunker shot. Got to hit it up over the rise from about uh 25 yds. The positive side is he’s a great bunker player and he’s got a slight downhill lie which will allow him to get the ball coming out in a flat trajectory. Try to run it up the hill and he’s just changed sand wedges. I think he’s gone to his less lofted sand club. Roger, just to get that lower flight out of there, try to run it up the hill. A very, very difficult shot. Yeah, you make a good point in how good a bunker player he is, though. Fabulous from the sand. [Music] That’s his third shot. Zinger just bogeied 11. And let’s move ahead to 18. Tiger Woods. And that was a five iron. 179 yds up the hill into the wind going right. Didn’t like it from the start. Bunker [Music] that into the bunker that was reconstructed after the rains of Wednesday. Well, just a moment ago, same hole. John Daly second right up against the collar. Tough spot to be in. Couldn’t do much with it and just trickles into the front bunker back at 17. No below birdie try. This is actually a little uphill in the first part of the putt. then gets over a crest and will start to run away over the crest picks up speed. Not a bad effort at all. That left for Nova to remain at even par for the championship. Began the day at one under. Now Norman four par. Only one bogey on his card. Back at five. See how he’s vaulted to the first page of the leaderboard after the Eagle two at 16. Now just two off the pace. Wants to stay that way as he plays 18. He really hasn’t faced a big putt yet in the championship. Uh uh found himself a few over par, a couple over par. Not squarely in it, but not out of it. All of a sudden, by virtue of pulling an eight iron at 16, he is only two shots back at the leaders. And now he has a big putt, a big parsaving putt. And this is really what has bothered Greg so far in the championship as he just hasn’t putted as well as he’d like. This putt back uphill shouldn’t do too much from this angle. Great save. Clutch. The Shark is dialed in. 18 now. Cory Paven. Pav’s third shot here at 18. 114 yds. He drove in the right rough. had to play out at this point. Look for him to take a little nine iron. Just keep the ball low coming in there. Skip it back to the hole. He’s trying just that. Leans to get up and he only have that 25-footer for par. Not the third shot of paving. 30 and 17 to get back to plus two. Low 60s and ties play the weekend plus all players within 10 shots. Now the third of Daly from the uh bunker. Long bunker shot. Ball a little bit above his feet here. Difficult to make it go that far from that tight lie. He’s taking it way up into the back of the green. Hoping it’ll come back. Had plenty of spin on it. Look at this. That is a great play. What a great short game he has. [Music] Takes a lot of courage to hit that shot to 12. Birdie attempt Paul Azinger 12. The easiest hole here to at Oakland Hills. No sir. Both days Paul Azinger will par it but he does stand at even par on the championship. We move ahead to 18. [Music] Tiger Woods with a practice swing. Well, he’s got a difficult bunker shot, Dan. Uh, the bunker is very deep. Green runs away from him once it gets up onto the putting surface. [Music] All wants to move hard from the back part of the green toward the front. Literally, Roger, I would think he’s plays ball up near the fringe somewhere to the right of the hole. let it trickle back down, but you just have to admire his composure to come back after the disappointment of yesterday. This is been a an inspired performance for Tiger Woods today. [Music] Beautifully [Music] played. Lot of guts there. Nice shot, Tiger. 18t now. Greg Norman, the scorecard out and 34. One under on the front. Two birdies and the bogey. And then the Eagle two at 16. [Music] Well, a course record that Oakland Hill 65. It’s been matched seven times. Greg Norman has a shot at it if he’s able to get a birdie at 18, but he can par in for a 66. And the round of the championship so far to the first te the senior set getting ready to tee off. Arizona United States senior open champion Tom Weissoff. What a threesome. This is Weissoff playing with Jack Nicholas and Hale Urban. Urban is already teed off. and Weissoff down the middle. Jack Nicholas, North Palm Beach, Florida. 40 straight US Open championships. Perhaps perhaps his last. I hope not. Jack down the middle. Good opening round yesterday of 72 to begin the second round of this championship as the gallery sends him off to begin his second round. Those swinging seniors 18 green now. Cory Paven this for bogey. [Music] So a little disappointing finish for the defending champion who had birdied 17 to get back to plus two. But a pretty good even round 70 plus three for the championship as we send you back to 13. 168 is the yardage. Paul Azinger on the tea. [Music] Popular choice of clubs has been sixiron. This is a sixiron and close. Still a difficult putt at 13 for Paul Azinger. And again ahead to 13 uh 18, excuse me. Tiger Woods circling his R attempt. No easy little putt here. No, it certainly isn’t, Roger. It’ll really dart to his right if he uh doesn’t give it enough speed. Been very solid with these short putts today, though. [Music] Would be a nice way to finish. Well, it would be to play these last five and two under after playing them in nine over yesterday. Quite a turnaround. [Music] Don’t believe that bug will be a problem again. How about yesterday when Tiger was just about coming down on his back swing also stopped the poise that he has shown in this championship. Well, plus I like what I see here, Dan. He didn’t just back away and then get right back over the ball. He’s gone right back through his entire routine. Beautiful stroke. Great finish. Nice comeback Tiger. A lot of people would have written him off yesterday after the closing uh 76 a 69 today. He lost nine shots on the last five holes yesterday. Today two under now Daly and this would be a spectacular par finish. Daly also a 69. Good rounds by this threesome today. 269s and the 70 by Pin. Well, in just about 10 minutes, Payne Stewart, first round co-leader with Woody Austin, will be teeing off, hitting some last minute putting strokes before he sets off. Pay Stewart, the last first round leader to win an open championship. Now, no below from the fairway at 18. The left hand side of the fairway. Beautiful angle to play at this pin in the back right. 212 yds to the hole uphill. Yeah, green is quite wide, but as you can see, left of the flag stick, the large hump in the center of the green needs to keep the ball right of that. [Music] Okay, good looking shot. Settle down. Settle down. Actually, that ball would have come back some if it hadn’t gotten back up into the back fringe. Beautifully played. Now, Norman, and we’ll mention again, a birdie ties the course record 65. Matched seven times. Matched three times in the last open championship back here in 85. 207 yd uphill. Perfect three iron for Greg. Shoot this ball straight up in the air. [Music] Got it started left of the hole. See if he can catch the right side of this hump. Comes up a little short. Not all bad. Not bad at all there. Back to the first TE and the second shot for Jack. 430 yd par4. Good shot right over the top of the hole. Good start for the Bear. Pay Stewart and Woody Austin getting ready to try to add to their lead. [Music] big break. So he will stay at even with that little tap in and again up to 18. And Greg Norman be it a lengthy birdie attempt he can somehow magically get it to fall in he tie the course record. But again he is on the right side of the hole. is underneath putting back uphill. He will have to flirt with just a bit of the hump that is in the middle of this green. We’ll shove the ball right some, but uh from a pace standpoint, not a lot to be overly concerned about. Two putts from here would be very good and I’m sure he’d be very happy with 66. And that would be the round of the championship so far. As you can see, Norman’s position on the leaderboard, two back. John Morris uh still staying intact out there as well at two under as he makes the turn. [Music] Huge gallery here at 18 having heard the news of the deuce following Norman. Even without the deuce, I love to watch him. [Music] Not bad at all. Well, let’s uh go down to the course and visit with Gary Ko. Thank you, Dan. Here with Tiger Woods. Tiger, you really showed a lot of composure today. Very impressive, especially on those last five holes. Yeah. Um today, you know, I went out there with with the same game plan and I stuck to it and um I I was very proud of the way I played coming in. Um I finally got some putts to drop. I didn’t have anything drop early and made a couple three putts. Actually, I made three three putts today, but I made the putts when I really needed them. Little feeling of gaining some revenge over those closing holes. Oh, when you prove 11 shots over the last five holes, can’t go wrong with that. Okay, very good. Got yourself back in the tournament. Play well on the weekend. All right, thank you, Gary. 18 now. And Frank Noelo looking over this birdie try. Well, this a quick putt again. Had his ball not crept into the fringe, it would have rolled back toward the cup. this extremely fast putt from back here. Just try to get this ball dribbled out of the fringe and let it gather momentum. Right over the shark’s mark. It took a little something off it. Actually, I think he might have had a chance at holding that had it not gone over Greg Norman’s marker. First green jack for birdie [Music] to the 14th T. Paul Azinger off the tee 471 yds. [Music] Look to start that ball well right. Oh, caught the tree and got a good break. Bounce back out in the fairway, but don’t know if he can reach the green from there. Back at 18, Jas and Jay with a par attempt. Began the day at plus three, plus two in his round today. He can get this down. He’ll finish plus five at the halfway mark. Nice par save by Hos that will ensure he’s around for the weekend. [Music] No below tapped in his par putt. So now the only play left in this threesome is the par attempt for Norman bidding for the low round of the championship. Yeah, happy weekend. And this is just exactly what he needed this hot round to get back in, get the competitive juices flowing. This putt should be inside the left. Any questions if Greg Norman was able to cover recover from the Masters collapse have been answered today in the first major championship since Augusta round of the championship so far 66. Six. Welcome back to Oakland Hills and the Olympics in Atlanta drawing near and you can watch the track and field trials on ESPN 2. They got the first day featured as the deuce kicks off what will turn into 18 hours of track and field Olympic trial coverage. You’ll see all the great names including Carl Lewis at the Olympic trials of track and field today at 4:30 Eastern time and then again at 7:30 Eastern time on the deuce. And then don’t forget to join NBC at 8:00 p.m. tomorrow for the continued coverage of the Olympic trials. Out to the action now at 14. Second shot of Paul Azinger. Even par for the championship. Got the break off the tree, but a long way home. Starting this ball up to left, trying to cut it back into the center of the green. Watch out. That will get through on the left hand side. Long way from the hole there. Back uphill. [Music] Back to the first T. Bob Ch yesterday a first round 72. Missed only one fairway in that round. Driving the ball beautifully. [Music] Stewart, Orlando, Florida. Champion at Hazeline in 91. Said yesterday’s round was a little ugly, a little pretty, mostly pretty. In 95 open championships, 16 first round leaders have gone on to win. Pawway, California. 87 champion at the Olympic Club, Scott Simpson. Great US Open player. Hits it very, very straight. Manages his game very, very well. Seems to be always a factor in the open. And remember, it was Payne Stewart who outdooled the Simpson for the Open Championship win. And back to 14. Third shot from the chipping area behind the green for Zinger. steeply uphill, electing to pitch over the valley, comes up well short. Not happy with that at all. He’ll be tested on that par attempt. Two bogeies already for Zinger trying to stay within the leaders at three under. Okay, fellas. On the par five second, Phil Mickelson for Birdie. He had the rough start yesterday, a 76 ahead to 14. [Music] Paul Azdinger’s par attempt. [Music] So he’ll drop back to over par at plus one. And out to the first fairway. Co-leader Payne Stewart in good position for his second shot. hole today about 2/ird of the way back on the left hand side. Yesterday was the second hardest par4 on the golf course. Not an easy start at all here at Oakland Hills underneath the hole. Back into a low spot on the green, but a safe opening shot. Payne only hit nine fairways yesterday of 14, but was able to get a three under score of 67. [Music] Scott Simpson [Music] doesn’t like it. Looked like he lost it right. He did. That should gather back down into the valley ahead at the par five second. Second shot for Tom Weissoff. Gary after a huge drive. 225 yds to the front. 239 to the hole. a one iron. Always a great long iron player. This one’s headed a little right. They catch the right edge. And will it stay on the green? Just off the back, but Wise birdied the first hole. They get back to plus five. Set up for another one at two at 18. Tommy Tols now for par and a three under round actually two under round 68 for Tols and back to two Jack Nicholas was his third shot now he drove into one of the big bunkers guarding the left hand side of the fairway had to play a wedge out left with 153 yd second shot slightly downwind Jack with an eight iron This Jack’s third shot to this par five slightly right of the flag. Could utilize the slope if it’s up. Didn’t quite get up and backs off that slope, Gary. And we’ll have some 30 35 ft for birdie to three. Trump 198 yds. Phil Mickelson. [Music] doesn’t like that. Going well left. Roger. There were a lot of people that picked this young man to be one of the contenders this week for this championship. Opening round 76 yesterday. Has not played like the Phil Mickelson we know. Let’s move back to the T of two. Par five, 523 yds. Nick Faldo hit every fairway yesterday in the first round. Always the tactician part of the first hole to remain at plus two. Well, I put the jinx on him. Missed the fairway. That’s it. 14 to 14 yesterday. Justin Leonard off the T3. [Music] Justin at plus two on the championship. By the way, Justin will turn 24 tomorrow. Where are these kids coming from? Colin Montgomery bogeied number two. He stands out on the championship. again. Three 198 yds. Another great driver of the ball. Missed only one fairway in the first round. That is certainly the way to play. Oakland Hills. On a real hot streak lately. Has played very, very well so far this year. Roger. This a threeiron. Oh, I thought it was going to topple over and fall in. What a shot. How’d it stay out? [Music] Well, let’s let’s say that that’ll be a birdie for Color Montgomery. That’ll move him to even par on the championship. Goodness. [Music] Back to two. Third shot for Hail Irwin to the par five. Short pitch from in front of the green. An uphill green. Well done. Right underneath the hole. Chance to get one back. Kale bogeied the first hole and 211. This is John Morse. A birdie attempt at 11. Stands up one under on the championship. Actually, that’s a very nice putt. The old Sav is part 11 stay at one under on the championship, one under on the day and to two. Now Tom Weissoff uh thinking birdie here with a possibility now of Eagle Dan. I think he’d be very happy to putt this just off the edge of the green. The real difficulty, he’s got one of those what I call chocolate drops, little mound in the green about 10 or 12 ft short of the hole. And once it gets over that, it is straight downhill toward the cup. So judging the speed very, very difficult. Just hit it firmly enough to get it over, but not too firmly to run it by. Hold on. Look at here. Oh, yes. How about that for a start? Birdie Eagle. Can you believe that? He says nothing to it. Roger. That baby was just picking up speed when it got there. He’s going to face it off. Wise continuing to play well since he won in Pittsburgh last week on the senior tour. Now he played very well yesterday in the first round. Had a very disappointing finish. 26 steps. Roger. It’s a field goal. Talk about getting jump started. Well, a little different Tom Weissoff than when he played the regular tour. A little more ready with the smile. It’s nice to see now Jack left with an uphill verie putt 35 ft. And this was the area of his game that really was not good yesterday. Had numerous birdie putts, makeable birdie putts, unable to convert on any of them. [Music] So, it appears it’ll be two straight pars to start off Jack’s round. He’ll mark 18 top 10 finishes in his 39 previous opens, most of all time. Now, hail Irwin for birdie. Ideal position to be putting from about 6 ft coming virtually straight up the hill. [Music] [Music] How about this senior threesome? Turning back the clock a little bit. Birdie for Irwin. He offsets the bogey at one. And that’s where we’ll head back. Payne Stewart birdie attempt. [Music] from up out of the valley up the hill moving a little left. Little tentative but not bad. Kane Stewart first round co-leader with Woody Austin will have that par left on the opening hole to try to stay at three under. And we’ll return to Oakland Hills Country Club in a moment. [Applause] Paulinger for his par has to remain at plus two. Three over on his round today. He’s got this one uphill. Move just slightly from right to left. Would dearly love to hold this. Don’t want to get too far away from that lead. Just over borrowed slightly. Back to four. Taps in for a 74. Azinger. He’ll be around the weekend. Wants to try to make a move tomorrow on Saturday. Now pay Stewart uphill about 40 ft. He’s got to hustle. Got to hustle. We misjudged that one badly. Roger. Par 3 ninth. Our first look at 27year-old David Burgano, 91 US public links champion. And he’s at one under. Located in the extreme back right portion of this green. Oh, great bounce. Great shot. Haven’t seen anybody that close here at nine today. [Applause] To the par five second. Second shot for Ernie. Oh, right. He likes it. That is the right club as well. should Ernie else in an eagle opportunity ahead to five. Second shot for Jansen. [Music] Another brilliant shot. Jansen in position to rejoin the leaders and back to three. And the birdie attempt of Ian Wman. He stands at plus one on the championship. Just 32. Runs it by. Wall [Applause] ahead to six. Tom Wiseoff. Shortest par4 in the course. [Music] And well done. Wisecoff three under on his round today after the birdie eagle start back to three. Well, this is Tom Watson who will be next to putt in 24 US Opens. One win, two seconds, six top five finishes, 11 top 10 finishes for Mr. Watson. [Music] Well, Trump, so much has been made of Tom’s putting lows, but uh he’s always been able to haul him from away from the hole. He probably makes more than his share from this distance. [Music] I was uh amused by his comment that he’s had suggestions to help his putting from everyone for birdie. [Music] All right, guys. Good luck. Now that was Caddyy Bruce Edwards trying to encourage that ball in the cup to four. Hayne Stewart this for par. Touching little putt will move to his left. Loses speed. It’ll break rather sharply. [Music] Good save in the heart save for Stewart. [Music] tied with Woody Austin who’s playing the first ahead to nine. See if Burgano can get a birdie here to get to two under. Burgo out of the University of Arizona. Played on the 93 Walker Cup team. Best PGA Tour finish. Uh tie for 47th at the 94 Open yesterday. This ninth hole yielded but nine birdies all day. And uh I know the USJ rated the whole location yesterday here in the front left as the hardest on this green, but I’m not so sure. This back right hole location is awfully tough to get to. Certainly from a distance of 224 yards. This putt will move from his left to right. Awkward little putt. Nothing simple about this at all. All going to take a good long look at this. [Music] Here’s one of the 89 qualifiers to get into this two. [Music] 67 uh came in exempt and Banana making good use of his qualifying spot is to get within a shot of the lead. He’s a talented young player and has no shortage of confidence in his abilities. David Burgano a shot out of the lead tied with Jansen and Watson. Pretty good company. Back to two. Ernie Eagle attempt. That was to get into a tie for the lead. Birdie will get him to two under now. Neil Lancaster. Birdie tried 17. Oo, went for the power slam and got a pull out of it. He’s got a lot of work left. [Music] Nick Faldo for birdie curling one in on five. So finally Faldo gets something to drop and he moves to plus two. Other scores coming across your screen and now it’s six. Tom Weissoff from behind and left of the hole. This downhill will move left to right is very very slippery. Good try. Just lost it underneath. Tap in far for W. Back to five. Lee Jansen. Birdie attempt. Curls it in. Third birdie of the day for Jansen. And he rejoins Stewart and Austin at top the leaderboard at three underpar. Tom Watson just a shot back. Greg Norman putting along a ridge in the green. This will break sharply right to left. NBC Sports presents the National Championship of American Golf, conducted by the United States Golf Association. Today, it’s second round coverage of the 96 US Open. Sunny and 80°, ideal conditions to lengthen the monster’s teeth. The tough test of golf at the Oakland Hills Country Club northwest of Detroit will become even more difficult as the course dries and quickens. Par 70 over nearly 7,000 yds that presents high punishing rough and wildly sloping greens. Reigning champion Cory Paven and 154 others compete today for a coveted place on the weekend as they battle for this 1996 major championship. This Friday has produced a great second round of golf. The big story authored by Greg Norman. The Sharks 140 approach into the signature 16th at Oakland Hills with spectacular results. [Applause] An eagle too for Norman. And finally a winning smile. Then at the par 317, a tough five-footer for Par. [Music] Finishing at 18, he makes par to complete the best round of this championship, a 66. Norman one under as he attempts to line up a first major in the US. Well, it’s a major championship and I think anytime you got a major championship, it’s a national open. Um, I’ve been close to national opens before. I’ve won national opens before. So, uh, you know, it’s just a matter of playing a good solid 36 holes and see whether you can get in position to to make a four or do a birdie the last or walk up the last and have to make whatever you need to make the win. I think that’s what it’s all about. We we cherish those moments. Norman went under his in position. The other stories. Tiger Woods answered the back nine demons of yesterday after his birdie at 16. Another birdie putt at 17. Yesterday plus six on the last three holes. Two under today and a 69 for the Tiger. [Music] John Daly birdie attempt at 15. shows his soft touch a 69 today. Daily plus one. Davis Love the third at 16. Birdie Putt 17 pars today. And this birdie for love a 69. He’s even for the championship. Neil Lancaster tied his own open record coming home today in 29 at the par4 15. Lancaster’s spectacular birdie. He matches his 29 of a year ago. 46-year-old Tom Watson. Third shot at the par five second would make birdie birdie birdie start for the 82 open champion to go two under. Reigning US Senior Open champion Tom Weissoff with a brilliant early charge after a birdie at one at the par five second and 80 footer for Eagle Wise starts 33 to go plus three. The overwhelming sentimental favorite Jack Nicholas birdie chance at the sixth in his 40th US Open. The Golden Bear is at plus two. [Music] Former Open Champion Lee Jansen a 68 yesterday. His second shot into the par4 fifth hole. Jansen would make birdie to go three under. Payne Stewart 67 yesterday. Good enough to share the lead at the fifth today. A birdie to move him clear of the field. Four under through five holes. As we check our US Open second round leaderboard, Payne Stewart four under a twoshot lead over Lee Jansen and Woody Austin. Greg Norman has moved himself very much into the picture for this championship. Ernie El’s the champion two years ago, three behind Stewart. With a 10-stroke rule in effect, at the moment, 110 players are now projected to make the cut. The all-time record 88 at Bonus Roll in 93. Let’s go live to the action at the ninth. The leader Payne Stewart for Bernie. Well, this 224 yd par three. Uh after a beautiful shot, hit a downhill very slick putt. Johnny hit a two iron in there from 224 as you say and he’s got it just behind the hole. Real quick putt coming down this hill. If it gets away from him, it could move a little bit to the right. See how soft his hands are moving through this putt. So Stewart extends his lead five under, makes the turn at 33 as we welcome you to Oakland Hills Country Club with the 1973. Wow. Is it that long ago? US Open winner. Uh and the spectacular finish there. How many? 20 opens. Around that number, I suppose that many. Yeah. Well, you you have so many that might be playing on the weekend. I I suppose many of the golfers might be a bit guilty at this point of rooting against Payne Stewart. Yeah, that’s very possible. The guys that have already played their round could be back watching the TV set and not in a nice way hoping that he doesn’t light it up because there is the 10 shot rule. If Payne comes in at four under then six over will get in off that closest, you know, to 10 shot rule. So that bring in a huge field. Might be the biggest field ever on the weekend. So many positive stories today already. Tiger Woods making a nice comeback. Greg Norman with a spectacular round. Uh the old guys are playing well and I know that pleases many of the gallery. Well, it’s just so hard to pick who might win right now, but you got a Faldo’s hanging right in there. Davis Love, a good tournament going on so far. And then Jansen, the US Open champ from Baldis Raw in 93 right in there. And then Watson and of course uh Pebble won at Pebble in ‘ 82. And uh of course Steuart is right there. He won at Hazeline in ‘ 91. So you got some great stories. And let’s not forget about Greg Norman obviously. uh really showed uh what he’s made out of really after that 73 he could have gone home to Florida, you know, but uh he had the low round of the tournament 66 with that great shot at 16 we saw earlier. So uh wonderful uh stage has been set here at not the halfway mark, but darn near the halfway mark. And the weatherman says the weather will continue to be outstanding through the weekend. Uh that may or may not be good news uh for this field. Uh well, you know, to be honest with you, it takes a while to dry out a golf course. And uh right now, the course is just about in the perfect uh drying uh stage. It’s uh um it’s nice weather, so the guys are comfortable, but the ball is going pretty far in the air. There’s nice uh uh good carry on the ball, and the greens are holding and they’re not too fast. USJ has done a good job. The only negative, if it’s a negative, is that the rough is really getting long because, you know, it just hasn’t been cut for a while and it’s at about the 6 in mark. So if you miss the fairways in the primary rough, not out where the gallery’s been trampling it, you got some problems. We go out to 10, the par 4, 450 yds, and the leader, Payne Stewart. Payne’s going with a 3-wood here, 266 to reach that left bunker. It’s got to go up the left side. Get a kick off that if it stays short of the bunker. I don’t know. I can’t see it from our angle. Dan, I think it carried into the left bunker, Johnny. Little downwind off this 10th TE and the guys are really carrying the ball a long ways. You saw the other action ahead of Payne Stewart at the green as we introduce you to the men who will be calling the action. Bob Trumpy, Dan Hicks and Dave Maher are our tower announcers. Roger Maltby will be with the Wiseoff Irwin Nicholas Group. Gary Ko with Jansen, Faldo, and Omira. And Dan Paul, as you’ve already heard, with Stewart, Simpson, and Twe to the ninth T par three, 224 yds. A tough right hand hole location. Easy to hit it in the middle of the green, which leaves a difficult uh two putt, and he’s gone even into the bunker. So, he’s got his work cut out for him here. Walton the 34y old rider cuppper from Ireland. Let’s go to Bob Trumpy. All right, Dick Henberg. 399 is the yardage. Second shot, Jack Nicholas. Roger Malty. 182 to the hole. Uphill semi blind pin just on top of the rear plateau. Miss a 4 iron. Have to get it all to get it there. Good looking shot just right of the flag. It’s on the back terrace rolling down to the middle of the green, but it considerably long. Back to 10. And Nick Faldo for birdie. Long birdie putt here for Nick. Ball landed right in the middle of the green, but he is an excellent putter. Number one in the stats on the PGA Tour this year. But we’ll go left at the start, then catch the chocolate drop in the middle of the green and swing hard back to his right. Well, Johnny, so many of these top players have commented that uh two putts sometimes a relief on these greens. Yes. If you’re hitting the ball a long ways from the whole locations, you’re asking for trouble on these greens. Uh they are in a a very puttable speed though. I have to say that the USJ was obviously smart enough to know that if these greens got up in the 12 or 13 stem meter, you could even hardly putt them. 211. Boy, it was that thick. Tom Wiseov after having driven right came up with nothing and is coming off low. He’s at 9 and 10 and he’s in big trouble here. Still in the rough. The ball has only advanced about 80 yards and still in the right rough in a thick part of the right rough. You know, it’s funny, Roger. He didn’t really make that aggressive a swing at it. It’s not like he took a lash at it. Lee Jansen with this birdie putt. [Music] Move him within two of the lead. He’s putting a little uphill, which is good to sort of a crest. Never a chance. So his tap in for par. Chansen was the youngest competitor in the championship 11 years ago here at Oakland Hills to 15. The par4 400 yardd test for birdie. Quite a story. This 27year-old [Music] one under. He’s uh from the inner city Los Angeles and a priest suggested that he keep himself more occupied with positive pursuits and gave him some golf opportunities. Got himself a Chi-Chi Rodriguez starter set and off he’s gone. Let’s go to the ninth. Walton’s second shot out of the bunker. Long explosion shot. Very dangerous shot. See if it stops. Not bad at all really from there. Leaves them sort of a cross the green break. Magnificent setting. Some 20 m northwest of the heart of Detroit, Michigan. The second round of the 96th US Open Championship. Hayne Stewart leads by three. [Music] a basketball doesn’t have a high body count or too many 39-year-old Payne Stewart the leader by three shots in the bunker at 10. Former PGA and US Open champion Stewart. Yeah, that’s you can tell that lip is has some influence on it, but Pay hits the ball high and um can’t tell exactly from our angle just how much it will affect it. Well, he’s got a good line in the bunker, but he’s got it uphill. He’s got to aim it just left of the little mound you see in front of him and try to cut this. He’s going to take a sixiron. He’s got 167 to the front, 181 to the hole. Kind of just pick it clean. Stay still on it. got headed a little bit going right. Let’s take a look at that right there and see if anything uh went wrong. See, he dug in uh way down in the sand, which he should do. Nice quiet back swing. Good right there. Good right there. And um he probably tried to lift it. That lip probably was a visual intimidation to him. And when you do that, you come up off it. Back to nine. Philip Volton for par. It’s fast from there. So, he’ll drop a shot and fall back to even par in the championship to 15. Banana’s par, but he too stands even right all the way. Played the Nike tour, won the Monterey Open in Mexico in March. Currently 10th on the money list. That’s Tom Weissoff from the back of the green. that for bogey at the far 111th could not get it out of the heavy heavy rough on the right hand side of the fairway. So Weissoff with a double bogey moves to plus seven on the championship. Remember he started birdie eagle and then pars to eight bogeied 9 10 and doubled 11 and at 12 the par five 560 yds third shot Colin Montgomery he is at plus one on the championship very well done and back to 11 now Jack Nicholas birdie attemp Roger Maltby’s been with this group for a Not much break from this part of the green. It’s downhill, but most of the players have been coming up short on this putt as Jack has done way short respecting that ledge just past the hole. Back to nine on the T. Tom Watson. Very aggressive swing with a long iron. Very very nice chance to make amends for the double bogey at seven. They head to 10. Payne Stewart Danpole. What is happening there? Well, there’s a lot of photographers around here and they’re they’re snapping the uh photos in between the guys shots and things like that. He was just making sure that the while he was getting ready to hit, nobody was uh bothering him a little bit. I know Bob Twe was getting ready to hit there and Payne just went over and exercised his uh his professionalism and said, “Hey, let’s keep it uh keep it professional out here and don’t do it in guys back swings.” And uh the players are going to have to get used to a little bit more that the game is blossoming and growing. There’s going to be more coverage of golf uh in the future and there’s going to be more people out on the course with cameras that maybe don’t have a clue of which end to hold. So, as Greg Norman found out today on the ninth hole, well, Payne’s got a really tough shot here. He’s got a big clump of grass in behind it. It’s really thick. It’s in a just coming off of where the drain uh uh this fairway drain to, and it’s really thick. He’s got about 25 ft of green to work with. So, got plenty of green, but this is a tough little pitch. Came out soft. [Music] You just don’t know how those are going to come out of there, Johnny Miller. Not a bad shot though. I mean, it’s not a hard putt from there. 211 and Jack Nicholas for his par four tentative. All right. It gets away on the right. So, bogey five for Jack moves him to plus one on the day, plus three on the championship. US Opens 61 and 85. He also won the senior open here at Oakland Hills in 1991. Remember he beat Chi-Chi Rodriguez in a playoff and he knows how to play. Oakland Hills Payne Stewart playing 10 as the leader. Second shot Marco Mirror at the par 4 11th Bob. That was a five iron 167 yds. mud all over the ball. Jump to the left immediately. That’s just a bad break. Mark is at plus four on the championship, plus two on the day. The problem with muddy conditions, there becomes a day when the mud gets just the right amount of stickiness to stick to a ball. And it’s right now here at the 12th, Justin Leonard [Music] eases it in the edge. Plus four on the championship. And back to 11, Nick Faldo in the fairway. His second shot upcoming. Gary, how’s how’s his game look today? Well, Johnny, to be honest with you, he’s been a little bit indecisive. He’s taken a lot of time to play uh to me some pretty routine shots. I mean, I know he’s very methodical, but he just doesn’t seem to be totally convinced of what he’s trying to do. He still seems to be fiddling around with his swing, which he’s doing right now. Um, it just hasn’t been real sharp, I guess, would be a good description. Let’s take out here. Left with 167 yards here. Well, when you’re looking at a graphic, it leads in driving accuracy, putting, seventh in scoring, greens in regulation. He doesn’t make many mistakes. He’s taking this in low. I don’t know if it’s going to get up to the top level. Front third of the green. Back to 10. Pay Stewart for his par. [Music] Oh, Stewart loses a shot. Will fall back to four under. attempt. [Music] Birdie attempt. Cullen Montgomery. Yes. And that puts Cullen at even for the championship. As you look down to historic Oakland Hills Country Club when Robert Trent Jones redid this course in 1951, it’s the first place that they really started talking about target golf. And the Metife blimp Snoopy 2 is cruising the skies above Birmingham, Michigan to provide an aerial view of the US Open. Snoopy 2 is constantly on the road, logs over 60,000 m a year. Haynes driver, [Music] David Fay, what’s the ruling? Can Jack Nicholas replace that driver? Uh, yes, he can. That’s covered under rule 4-4 and he can replace with any club uh a club which becomes unfit for play in the normal course of play. What that means is uh I’ve I’ve learned that he has two drivers in his locker. Uh one 45 in uh length, one 44 in. I believe he wants the 45 in. The only prohibition is he cannot borrow a club from anybody else playing on the golf course. All right. Thank you, David Fay. Yes. And the uh and administering that blow. It wasn’t in anger or anything else. Normal part of the game breaks his driver can be replaced. Uh let’s move back to nine the power three Tom Watson for Birdie right not enough. So Watson makes the turn even par today and even for the championship to 12. All right, Jack. Second shot again. 12 560. 260 yds to the front edge. It’s a long way to hit it. Well, he’s hit it solid and it’s going at the left side of the green. It’s on. That’s a big carry even slightly downwind. Wow. Well, he did bogey 11. He breaks his driver on 12 and then pounds his 3-wood on the green here in two and at the par for 11th. Third shot Lee Jansen Ticklish. No way to stop that ball at all. Jansen at 200 for the championship. And let’s move ahead 216 where we find David Burgano. just for a par. Even par coming to this hole and he’s got it. How about that from off the green for the former public links champion Dick Inberg told you moments ago started playing golf by his parish priest said a chi- Rodriguez starter set say he’s done very well very well so he stays even par let’s go to nine Ernie Elves at 224 probably going to have to hit a smooth three or a good three or smooth two. Pretty good shot right there. Right underneath the hole. And Ernie L’s on the first page of the leaderboard. Three from Stewart’s lead. Woody Austin co-leader yesterday has dropped a shot early in his round. Colin Montgomery even par to stay at two under and two back of paint. Stewart Lee Jansen for par. 10-footer. That’ll move a little bit to his left. Well, Jansen drops back to one under on the championship. An errant second shot into the green side bunker proves that. There’s a bunch at one under and at the par five 12th third shot. Tom Weissoff, Roger Malty, help us here. Tom had to lay up after driving left into the rough as 89 yds to the hole. That’s just a sand iron pin just on top of a plateau. Player has to watch out for spinning the ball back. Kept it down low. Certainly a reasonable birdie opportunity after that double bogey at 11. Weissoff stands at plus seven on the championship. [Music] Next to play will be Hail Irwin. His yardage, Roger, 88. Better angle though from the left side of the fairway looking more directly up into the hole location. He’s taking a big swing. Hit the ball very high. Very nice. Ko bogeied one birdie two. The rest pars to this point. The 12 is the easiest hole here at Oakland Hills today. 27 birdies, 52 pars, just 14 bogeies, one eagle at 560 yds. Today’s players in technology have just reduced this par five to an easy par five. There’s the first page of the leaderboard. Hay Stewart at four under leads. And let’s move to 13. Okay, Bob Trumpy, Colin McGomery 168 yds today. Bull location just uh four paces off the left edge. Six iron for Montgomery and off the birdie at 12 in position for another one at 13. Well, we’ve got game five tonight of the NBA finals between the Chicago Bulls and the Seattle SuperSonics as Seattle tries to continue to extend this series after the three nothing deficit. They won game four and on NBC tonight you can catch game five as the Sonics try to send the finals back to Chicago and back to 12T 560 yds. Nick Faldo will be first to hit with an iron in his hand. Well, an interesting play here, Bob Trumpy. Obviously, he feels like he cannot reach the green and two. So, he’s making it a three shot par five, taking the bunkers out of play by going with an iron. Nick is at plus two on the day, plus four on the championship. Lee Jansen next to play. Bob, I think one of the reasons why we’re seeing the hole play so easy, the T-shot is from an elevated T some 40 ft above the level of the fairway. So that certainly adds some length to the drives and the hole has been playing downwind both days. Jansen has just unleashed one right down the left center of the fairway. If he gets a bounce, he may be able to go. Well, he just came off bogey at 11 and dropped him to plus one. And now second shot. Payne Stewart at the 11th. Well, he saw both of his playing partners come up short and he had an eight iron in his hand. He’s got 153 back to the flag, but I think he went back and got the seven. The wind’s picking up. It’s into him a little left to right. So, this is just a nice smooth seven iron for pain. Really playing within himself. Good tempo today. It came off a little bit. It’s heading right but does catch the green. Dan down in the front third. The paint is gone. Birdie on seven. Bogey on eight. Birdie on nine. Bogey on 10. A yo-yo close to the front side. And at 12 this for eagle for Jack Nicholas. up over the ridge. Oh my goodness. That made it about 60% of the way. I head to 13. Colin McGomery trying for his second straight birdie. This will get him one under for the championship. This breaks big time left with the slope of the green. How about that for reading it perfectly? Montgomery one under currently the number one player on the European tour order of merit which he has led the last three consecutive years looking for the major to add to his resume. Back to 12. Birdie attempt go in. So he’ll stay at plus seven back to nine. 1994 Open champion Ernie El’s. L’s one under for the championship and three under today. 93 tied for seventh. Uh sounded the warning and won the championship in the playoff in 94. Missed the cut last year. Disappointed South African. left Shinik on Friday night. In fact, the last three open champions have missed the cut. This is Jack Nicholas now for birdie at 12. Roger. That’s after the worst putt I’ve ever seen Jack hit. Really? Now it has an uphiller. We’ll move from left to right. This for birdie. [Music] Jack Nicholas at plus two on the championship even far on the day. [Music] One little note, Bob Trumpy is Jack’s lucky that he won’t need a driver until the 14th hole. So plenty of time to get a new one. Back to 11. This is Payne Stewart now. Birdie attempt up from about 45 ft. Trump in the first half was just really riding up that ridge. You probably today seen a lot of putts come up short here. Hard to get the right pace the first 20 25 ft and it rides that ridge and actually picks up speed up on top. He can get a two putt from here. I’m sure you’ll be very pleased. Sure, man. You called it at the 12th attempt. Hail Irwin. [Music] And that puts Hail Irwin at plus one on the championship as we continue our coverage in the 96th US Open. Pay Stewart the leader by two. Hail Irwin off the T at 13 again. 168 yds. Got a five iron from hail right at it. Will it stay? There’s a deep bowl in the middle of the front of this green. And that ball will not stay up. Hail will have to come up the slope for his birdie drive. Birdie 12 to get to plus one. Back to 12. Second shot. Lee Jansen. Now he goes to the right of the big maple trees and is safely on the green in two. Jansen again at plus one on the championship just coming off bogey at 11. And now a par putt for Payne Stewart. Dan pole there. Help us. Well from right below the hole he saw Scott Simpson’s putt come up here and move a little bit to his left. But if he hits it soft and move hard left. So, this is a putt where he’s got to just pick the line maybe right on the right corner, hit it firm, and just just hit a good solid putt. 213. Jack off the tea. [Music] This a sixiron right at the hole. If it gets back, it won’t stay there. That two will come back. That’s the main feature of this green as the green slopes severely from back to front. And with that depression, they’ll even collect more golf balls. Send you back to 10. And Tom Watson in trouble here at 10. Had to hack his way out of the rough. This is his fourth shot. And not a real good one there either. So holes costing him. All right, you’re looking at the that familiar combination. Fanny Cinson on the right, the caddy for Nick Faldo. Next third, Gary Ko, you have heavy yardage. I do, Bob. It’s 87 yds. And a little surprising here. Faldo laying up from the fairway with the second shot. I’m surprised he didn’t try to get the ball a little farther left to give himself a little better angle on this shot. He’s now going to come directly over the bunker. And there’s only some six or seven yards before he hits the hole location. So, very delicate shot. Being played downwind, it’s going to be difficult to spin the ball as much as he’d like. [Music] really needs to hit a good shot and get some momentum going. He’s just been stalled in neutral most of the day. This ball needs to spin. It’s going to carry long. Yeah. Went to the right to the edge of the back cut. Nick Faldo does not have a birdie today. and 12 again to repeat the easiest hole here at Oakland Hills. Now Marco Mirror’s third just about the same yardage, isn’t it? Just slightly shorter, Bob. About 80 yards, but he’s got a much better angle. He laid up on the left side of the fairway. He should be able to spin this one a little bit better than Nick did. Stayed underneath the whole location. Omira at plus four. And we move back to 10. Bogey attempt for Tom Watson. Yeah. Well, that’s a big bogey flirting with dropping two shots there. Watson falls to plus one. Payne Stewart’s lead reduced just one shot over Woody Austin and Kelly Gibson. Tom Wiseoff, the defending US Senior Open Champion. Brilliant Eagle early today. Eagle attempt for Lee Jansen at the 12th. Well, that’s a little better effort than Jack Nicholas just had on his Eagle attempt for a birdie and a head to 14. Second shot from 202 yds out. Colin McGomery back-to- back birdies at 12 and 13 to get to one under. Longest par4 on the course. Little short for Monty and back down to 12 and birdie attempt for Nick Faldo. Roger. Can you help? Oh, Bob, it’s Gary and I He’s putting down the hill about 32 feet very quick at the end of the putt. We should pick up speed. The nuances on these greens, Gary. Back to 10. Ernie L’s at the par 450 yd 10th. Second shot. Standing above the ball. Got to stay down to it. Look like a neat iron. Yeah, it’s a beauty. Another chance for birdie. He has three today. Three under for the round. Oakland Hills first play 1918. The club formed two years prior. Payne Stewart and Stewart Sink a qualifier share the lead. Woody Austin and Kelly Gibson a shot back and Greg Norman with the round of the championship 66. And the Sharks eyes were glistening as he came home at 18 with a par to complete that terrific round. Featured in Eagle two at 16. Former champion L’s making his move. You see just how tight this field is bunched together. Stewart to even uh or even Sink make a little hiccup. It’s just going to be so many people a shot at winning. It’s great stuff. And Jack Nicholas on a course that would have him playing through the weekend and that would delight the thousands who have been following here him here. Steuart Sank Eagle the second hole to move up into the first page. Go minus three to nine. Peter Jacobson par three 224 yards big two iriron probably maybe three iron back into a little bit of wind so pretty good shot Peter’s a very good long iron player and driver of the ball that’ll go right in that little gap groove in the green Jake two over today three over for the championship bad back has really hampered his swing Bob Trumpy this is Lee Jansen now pretty attempts to carry well Bob this is one of those putts that uh is so tricky here at Oakland Hills. It’s not long, but there’s certainly some break in it, but wants to wander off to the right if it’s not struck solidly. Well done. So, lead Jansen even far on the day, two under on the championship. [Applause] And let me correct myself with Nick Valdo. He does have one birdie that at five. But first, let’s go to 13. Nicholas trying to save Par [Music] up the slope, but Jack saves Par remain at plus two. playing in his 138th straight major championship and one of three players to get uh special exemptions into this field. Tom Watson and Jumbo the other two and they have fared very well. 20 total major championships including the British and the US amer no one even comes close to that number. Back to 12. Well, he’s got a wood in his hand at the 560 yd par five 12th. Well, he’s got kind of an in between shot here, Trump. He’s 241 to the front going down wind. So, he’s got to really kind of take a little bit off this 3-wood, 252 to the hole, but he can get this there easily. It’s just uh you know how how strong he wants to go at it. I think he’ll just play it to the center of the green. See if he can cut it in there a little bit. Got a beautiful eye. He’s taking in real high and it’s going right at it. Cutting just a little bit on and two is Payne Stewart, the championship leader, and a smile to his face. to 14. Colin McGomery now trying to save Par after a couple of birdies on this tough 14th. Par is a great score at 14 and Montgomery remains at one under for the championship. Back to three. It’s a par three, 198 yds. This is Stewart sink. He is tied for the lead at three underpar with Payne Stewart and he just eagle two but he pull hooks his T-shot at three and let’s move ahead to 13 Lee Jansen one off the pace Gary he’s taking a sixiron Dan and at 168 yds back into the wind he will need to get all of it if he’s going to get it up onto the top level where the hole is located. [Music] Well, he’s got it going left. This is going to miss the green left. This is not good. In the rough on the short side of the green as well. [Music] I guess that’s what you’d call arrogance, huh? Blowing right in the players faces. Johnny, that’s about the third one of those I’ve seen him hit today. I don’t know if you noticed anything in him this morning. It has a tendency to rock off the ball a little bit. When you rock off and don’t come rock it stay continues to roll at the 11th and we move ahead to 15. Colin Montgomery off the tea of this par four dog leg left bunker in the middle of the fairway at about 240 yd mark and uh he’s gone look it’s hard to tell but it looks like it’s gone into the rough or just trickled in the bunker and that was a good shot too he just nailed it back to three and this the second shot of 23-year-old Steuart sink playing in his first US Open he is tied for the lead with Payne Stewart at three under a threetime all-American at Georgia Tech and 210. El’s bid for birdie and Ernie El’s moves to within one of the lead. His fourth birdie today and remember he won last week at Westchester. Uh resoundingly I must might say eight shots. Payne Stewart and Stewart sink share the lead. Jans and El’s and Austin just one back and Greg Norman with his 66 today announced that he will be a factor in this championship to 18 Banana’s approach. His third shot trouble off the tea laid it up to here. Beautiful third shot and leaves himself a tricky sidehill putt but a great shot nonetheless. That for his par back to 11 and L’s on the T. The 11th is 366 yds from an elevated tee down across a knob down into the valley safely into the fairway. Excellent drive by Ernie Ell. And at 12, you’re looking at the green and Payne Stewart will be first to putt. Dan Pole. Well, he hit a beautiful 3-wood in here, but this is a real tricky little putt. He’s got a ridge. You just got to slide over about a 22footer. But, uh, you know, it’s a type of putt that you you want to go at, but it’s real hard because once it get past the hole, it’s going to keep on moving. So, see this putt just kind of trickle it down there. See if you can if it falls in, it’s going to be going real slow. Screen has a lot of grain going back to front. Really picks up the speed once it gets over about 8 ft from this hole. See if you can gauge the speed correctly. Morning. Goodness. So close. Well, looks like it is 11:30. Bob back to the front side. Stewart sink per par to stay tied with Payne Stewart for the lead. That’s a good par save for 23-year-old Stewart sink ahead to 13. And Lee Jansen with a difficult uh shot out of this rough. Difficult isn’t the word for it, Dan. Ball is nestled way down in the grass. Very little green to work with. Only about 12 ft. He’s very good with the short game. If he gets it within 10 ft, he’s done really well. That is just superb. How about a few inches? How about one? What a spectacular recovery for Jansa to 18. and Ken Green, 37year-old, played at Palm Beach Junior College. This is for a 66 today. Big break to the right and slow. Leaves himself a very interesting right to left three or 4 in break. So a par would give him 67. Norman 66, the best of the championship. Neil Lancaster second best round today is 67. Woody Austin [Music] again. 224 yards back into the wind and maybe a little to the right. So, it’s a very difficult u uh hole. The hole is cut way over on the right side. Three is a great score. Woody all pars and one bogey that at three today. Don’t really want to shortside the pins. Uh just it’s not a good move, but easy to do to 14. Second shot for Jack Nicholas. [Music] Whole location on the right side of this uh big valley that runs through the middle and that will creep down into the large valley that runs from the front portion all the way back. So Jack will have to come up for his birdie attempt to 18 for GA for par. Tough putt slices. So he will finish if he makes this with a 72 today. Good plan. former University of Arizona star. You look down at the signature hole 16. Boy, what a dramatic shot by Greg Norman today. Eagle two there. Of course, yesterday it was the demise of young Tiger Woods who came back and answered it. Birdied 16 today to 15. and Colin Montgomery coming out of the primary rough. Had a lot of hang time on that shot and it’s nestled down in a clump. Not very good spot. Back to 12. 30 attempt. Hayne Stewart him back to 400 on the championship. And of course every birdie he makes or eagerly makes it affects the cut line. We project it now at plus 7. But Payne Stewart takes the lead from Stewart sink. He is at foreigner par in this 96th US Open Championship location back third of this green. Excellent shot. One of the closest we’ve seen all day long as it creeps down towards the whole location. Four birdies, no bogeies for Ernie L’s to this point. playing 11 and he is two back of the championship leader Payne Stewart. Back to nine. Second shot for Woody Austin. This par three. Not a lot of green to work with. [Music] Good solid chance for his up and down for the 32-year-old who played at the University of Miami to 13. Payne Stewart getting ready to take aim. 168 yds. Uh Dan Pole difficult to get it back to the hole location today. Well, this is the type of hole you just play into the center of the green or just short front. Just get your three and get out of here. This is a real tricky pin placement back there. And if you knock it over where Scott Simpson just hit it back left in the deep rough, basically no chance to make three. Just going to knock down a sixiron. [Music] Not much wind right now. Uh kind of just right into the center of the green. Well short to 15. Colin Montgomery from off the green. His third shot. Playing it behind his right foot. Just chopped down on it. Let it chipping. Uh sort of a pitch and roll there. Pretty darn good shot, but it’s getting away from him. Look at this. Just trickle city. Look at this. You got to be kidding me. Leaves himself a tough sidehill putt. Not too happy with that one. [Music] A reminder, tomorrow at 8 Eastern and Pacific, NBC Sports proud to present the US Olympic track and field trials. Oh, so important for our top athletes as they buy for the opportunity to compete in Atlanta. We’ll have live coverage. Eight time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis attempts to qualify for the games again in Atlanta tomorrow on NBC. Jack Nicholas for Birdie at 14. Up the slope, right to left. Got the short seeds down. Difficult to get it there. So Jack will have a tester left to remain at plus two. It’s where he began the day. Still fighting off that double bogey at four, but then responded with birdies at six and seven. Then another one at 12. hasn’t really had a fourth round presence in an open championship since 1982. But most consecutive starts 40 in a row. Arnold Palmer next closest along with Jean Sarah and back to 11. All right, Danny, it’s the par4 and this a birdie attempt for Ernie. as he won last week at Westchester by eight shots. He won. [Music] This is very quick. So he will stay at 200 for the championship. Back to nine. Woody Austin for par and the co-leader after the opening round of this championship will drop a shot as we move ahead to Colin Montgomery. His par putt at 15. Montgomery falls to even par for the championship four behind the leader Payne Stewart. [Music] Let’s go back to Woody Austin and there was some controversy. Johnny Miller a little bit. He had his paper uh his picture in the newspaper USA Today and it it appeared that he had struck this putt with his caddy directly in the line behind him which is a breach of the rules. Couple shot penalties. The USJ wanted to check it out because it was reported that maybe it was an illegal move and the USJ is now looking at it with our tape from NBC and uh uh David you’re well David Fay is here. The fact of the matter is that Woody Austin wasn’t putting he was just making a practice stroke. So there was certainly no violation of rule 161F which uh many people referred to as the Johnny Miller rule because the rule was changed in 1976. Yeah. Some people thought I went to into a slump not long after that. They thought maybe because they didn’t let my caddy behind me that was the reason for it. But my caddy actually didn’t even line me up. A lot of you saw at the ladies US Open the the caddies were lining up putts and shots and then of course the putts would get out of the way at the last minute. But Austin with a 67 yesterday, two over as he makes the turn today and just wonder if that didn’t add already pressure in a pressure championship. Well, I think he he knew the rule and he wasn’t there was no infraction. So for him, no big deal. But uh good player, good solid looking player and he certainly appreciates the fact he’s here. the story well known in a year and a half where if the knee injury couldn’t play and did everything from being a teller to a ph working in a pharmacy and a bartender the one thing you want to do on a layup pole you want to lay it up not like Colin Montgomery who laid it up in big trouble if you’re going to lay it up lay it up 10 15 yd short of that bunker or blast it over and looks like Jack’s going over it about 255 yd carry to get over maybe 260 [Music] Nicholas off the 15th T that was a three-way he’s pulled been hooked well left into the middle of the trees on the left hand side. Uh, Roger, would that have come off short of the bunker with a 3-wood at 240? Well, the wind is back into the player’s face a little bit, Johnny. And I’m sure Jack would have uh the way he plays, I doubt he would have brought that bunker into play. So, I’m assuming he thought he’d keep it short cuz Colin just made that mistake. Back to 13. And the situation here, Payne Stewart next to play and uh he’s got to come up out of the swell and uh not give it too much speed to where he has a downhill putt coming back for par. Dan, well, you’re exactly right. Uh you know, this is the type of putt that you can’t be too aggressive with. You want to keep the ball below the hole on the second putt. But, uh this is where Payne has really matured over the years. A lot of times when you’ve got the type of golf game he does, he will attack this particular pin placement because he’s so good of iron player. Now he’s rather content to play it in the middle of the greens. Become a major factor in major championships. See if he can just lag it up there. Get himself a three and get out of here. [Music] Got to check. Got to check. Easy. Look at the slope of this green. Well, Pane Stewart ranked fourth in putting out the 96 PGA Tour stats 14 second shot of Lee Jansen. See that old location just on the left edge of that bunker. That was a sixiron Dan 193 yds and that is going well left of the flag toward the center of the green. Another one of those, huh? Yeah, Johnny. Virtually the same type of shot. It could be a sore wrist. I don’t know. Well, he had a spectacular recovery at 13. He’ll need an excellent two putt at 14 to stay within two of Payne Stewart. [Music] 96th US Open Championship in 96. Let’s go to the 12th hole. Dick Tom Watson has 256. Slightly downhill. Certainly downwind left of the green into the primary rough back left edge ahead to 15 where Nicholas Irwin and Wiseoff this group and Roger. Well, Jack has drawn a pretty good line in this life rough, but there’s not much of an opening. Got a flatfaced club in his hand. probably going with about a five iron. Trying to pick it through one of the holes. There’s actually about three holes he could try to get it through, but they’re all small. Don’t want to get a ricochet out the left side of a tree here. Go any go in the NBC trailer. 153 yds to the hole. [Music] Nope. Not a good sound. Not two good sounds are not good on one shot. It has ricocheted to the right into the bunker in the center of the fairway. Lucky it didn’t go the other way. So, Nicholas plus two today and or even today and plus two for the championship finds himself uh in continuing trouble at 15. Back to 14. Lee Jansen with a bit of a roller coaster run here, Gary. Definitely, Dan. It’s considerably uphill. He’s going to have to hit this button very firmly. Coming up and over one ridge onto the other. And he’s got it a good five or six feet by [Music] remain at two under. That’s where he began the day. Three and three on the birdie and bogey side. [Music] He was just a 21-year-old amateur when he played at Oakland Hills back in ‘ 85. Now Payne Stewart back on the tea at 14. 471 yds. Payne setting up in the T box on the left side and putting it down the right side in good shape. 12 at the 560 yd par five. Nobody else. 12 is the only hole on the back nine here at Oakland Hills. Playing under par for this championship and he is in the fairway but the right side of the fairway. First cut of rough, the intermediate cut of rough ahead to 15. And Nicholas third shot. He’s got 138 to the hole. has to get up reasonably quick, but he can do it from here. He has enough room. [Music] Has really struggled with hitting the ball the last two days. Two over par. [Music] [Music] Caught it thin. Just ticked the grass over the bunker. He’s got it to the front edge. That’s a good shot. Nicholas is only six from the lead at plus two. Ball rolling towards the hole location of Tom Watson. Gold chip. Reasonable. They head to 16. Second shot. Colin McGomery. [Music] Boo. And he put it in another bad spot after doing the same thing at 15 and dropping a shot there to go back to even, which is the way he started the round. So, he has a little work there. Two two shots in a row into the deepest part and he knows he’s in trouble there. Colin, of course, playing very well. Won one tournament in Europe so far this year. Pay Stewart of course with a two-stroke two-stroke lead at this point. Steuart sink just three putted the fourth to drop a shot there. So the young man who was the college player of the year in 1995 having a great first US Open. Look down at this uh Oakland Hills the monster and the Metife blimp Snoopy 2 is navigating the skies above Birmingham, Michigan to provide aerial coverage of the US Open in 1996. The blimp will travel over 60,000 m to cover news, specials, and sporting events. And let’s go to nine. T- shot for John Cook. One under for the championship. Going with probably a fourwood at 224 yds into the wind. Probably to the middle of the green the way he’s not watching it. Cook with six career tour wins, 70 yesterday. 14. Jansen faced with another one of those open par saving attempts. Well, he’s usually very, very good at these. I’ve seen him miss this length for birdie, but very rarely for par until then. And of course, you always put the jinx on them, don’t you? So, Jansen bogeies for the first time since 11 and slips back to one under. Well, all or nothing. Every time he finished in the top 10 last year, it was a win except the season opening Mercedes Championship. He rises to the big occasions, usually in big championships. Now he finds himself three off the pace. This is Nick Faldo and that for par. So Faldo remains at plus4 and plus two on his second round today to number 12. Well, we saw the T-OT, we saw the second shot and the third. Now this for birdie for Tom Watson. Tom this morning birdied one, he birdied two, got him to two under. Then he double bogeied seven. The bogey 10 stands at plus one on the championship. This would get him to even [Music] always been good at taking advantage of the par five. [Music] Let’s move ahead to 16. Montgomery and shot as I suspected unless he hit the flag stick. No chance to get it close. That ball way down in there. Playing with Phil Mickelson who is six over just the way he started. So even for his round today. Let’s go to 15. Jack Nicholas he’s some four, wouldn’t it? Sure would. Roger. Well, let’s put from a little better than 25 ft. Slightly uphill will move right to left. And even though Johnny, he doesn’t strike the ball like he used to, he still manages his game better than anybody else. And he’s the best that ever. Yeah. Hogan and Nicholas probably right up there together. That was almost a routine par. Raj just about. still can putt. He can still do it. Solid effort by Nicholas. We made the point that uh as you look at that reaction that he was only six from the lead a year ago. Um young man Cory Paven was six behind Greg Norman after the second round of play to 14. Payne Stewart after getting a lot of this drive on this longest par4 on the course getting ready for his second yardage. Dan pole. Well, Payne’s looking right at 192 to the flag, but he’s got a downwind. I think this is just a nice solid sixiron for him. Wind’s going to help him right to left. He only got six behind that flag, so he’s not going to be too aggressive and go with a five and try to cut it in there. So, I think he’ll just take a solid six, set it on the right side of the green, let it drift back in. Probably the most s acceptable, you know, pin placement on this particular green. [Music] Going just left of the flag. That’s a beautiful shot. Hole high for Payne Stewart. He already has 11 birdies in 31 holes of this open championship. And a chance to increase his lead at the tough par4 14. The lead is two right now. Colin Montgomery at 16. This for his par. Remember he missed the green to the left. Chipped to there. Looks good. Looks Oh man. Oo, he caught a lot of the hole. Let’s go to the ninth real quick. Birdie chance for John Cook to go two under. Long, long birdie chance. That’s like one of those putts you practice when you’re a kid. What a putt. So, Payton Stewart, who shared the lead overnight by two over L’s and sink, Greg Norman, in case you’re just joining us, spectacular 66 today and an Eagle two at 16. The others very much a part of this championship picture. All with a big chance to 14. Scott Simpson has to make this long putt up that we saw Lee Jansen attempt a moment ago. This is a birdie attempt. Very difficult putt. Probably close to 50footer going up the hill as you do in a lot of these greens. If you listen to the fat side of the green, you’ve got an uphill usually straight zone or goes away from you. Try to get it up there close and get your two putt. Now the swing from right to left just not quite enough for Simpson. It looks like he’ll extend his string of cuts made in the US Open to 10. And that is the longest current streak to 16T. 403 yd par4. Jack Nicholas coming off the bogey at 15 plus three for the championship has lost this ball. Well, right. Right. Rough. Could have been because of thinking of what happened on the last hole at that same club. Huh, Roger? Could be, but that was dead blocked. Yeah. Behind the Gary Player tree. Let’s go to 12. All right. This is the green side bunker. We saw the second shot of Ernie Ellis. Oh my goodness. Oh my. Look where that thing is. Up underneath the lip is an understatement. Unplayable eye probably right there. Johnny, seriously, what are his choices here? Well, David’s right here. I had the same thing happen to me at Pebble Beach in the US Open. I was one behind the lead on the fifth hole, did the same thing, and took an unplayable line. And David Fay, well, uh, he can declare it. Well, it looks like he’s going to play the ball. What would he be gaining by doing that? Well, he just moved it so he could hit it again. So he wouldn’t have it to drop and maybe the ball would bury. Yeah, it wouldn’t bury on that that steep a side slope. No way. That was actually an extremely I don’t want to say dumb, but that could have stayed right in his footprints. That ball just barely got out of his footprint. He did not need to do that right there. If he hit that ball, he could have whiffed it. He could have hurt his wrist there. Just he was gaining nothing by hitting that shot. Watch him too. Yep. See that? Roll right through his footprint. That was so lucky. There’s a guy that probably doesn’t know even know the role. Let’s move ahead to 14. Stewart with a rare birdie chance at 14. There have only been five today. [Music] Didn’t quite stay up. 14 playing about just about a half stroke over par today. Par very good score at 14. Pay Stewart moves to 15 with a two-shot lead intact. And that’s where we’ll go. Lee Jansen trails the leader Stewart by three. Second shot. [Music] I was tracking right at the pin, but um misjudged the wind a little bit to 12. Ernie’s fourth shot now. Par five 12th. Tough to get it to the hole from there. Oh, what a shot. But he’s played it beautifully. [Music] That was a tough break for Ernie Ell. But let’s move ahead to 17. Colin McGomery with a sixiron 188 yds. Well, that looks good. Big full swing, Dave. Yeah. Tell you about that. You know, John, since he’s lo What a great shot. Since he’s lost that weight and he’s gotten a personal trainer, he’s gotten slimmer and he’s gotten stronger. Let’s go to 11. Second shot, Woody Austin at the 11th. Well, he was one of the co-leaders. Began today at three under, but bogei three, bogei nine, stands at one under, and ahead to 13. Tom Watson up the slope for birdie at 13. Gave it a good wrap. And that’s just about all you could ask for from there. 16 Nicholas. Now, Roger Malby, you’ve probably had a look at that line. It looks like he’s going to just chip out. He is going to pitch out, but Hale Irwin is on extremely the other side of the fairway and his away and is playing now. [Music] It’s one way to get out and meet your fans. You don’t want to do too much of that though or we’d have never heard of him. Obviously, he didn’t do too much of it. Yep. Yeah, it was in this area in the PGA Championship in 72 where Gary Player was able to hit a ball and knocked it on the green and made a birdie, but Jack unable to do the same thing in this open. Oh, very difficult lie. Long grass, matted, twisted. All he could do was pitch out left. He could not have carried the water. and Steuart Sink. Meanwhile, this young man on the Nike tour is for par to stay two under a moment ago. Tad for lead, but now just one under for the championship. Let’s go to Ernie O’s 12. And here’s par attempt. Well, that’s a fine save for Ernie Ell. He stays now two back of the championship leader, Payne Stewart. He stands at two underpar 215. Scott Simpson off the 15th T. former US Open champion. Some of the best rhythm of anybody uh that’s ever played the game. Putting, swinging. Uh perfect US Open type of game. very conservative player, know just what you want to do. Of course, one uh beating Watson at Olympic Club in ‘ 87. Dramatic uh back nine where he got it up and in out of a couple bunkers. Fantastic shots and um lost to Stewart also. So, right at the last minute at the Hazeline. So, could have won two of them in 91. And here they are in the same group today. Well, Payne’s going with a two iron off this T. It’s 244 to the front part of that bunker in the fairway. This will be back probably 20 yards short of it. It’s getting in position. It’s a good swing. Heading right up the center and well shy of that bunker and up on the 15th green. Lee Jansen for birdie. So Jansen will remain one under. Ahead we go. Nicholas’s third shot. 130 yds just right of the flag. Hold on. Hold on there. Jack with that attempt to pay Stewart with a two-stroke lead over Ernie L’s in Stewart sink. We’ll be right back. Let’s see now available. Nuke looking down at 16. Claim some victims again in this championship. Sailor win with his third shot. looking good. Did well good luck or bad luck? Depends on which way you look at it. For the three-time open champion, could have gone in, but it stopped it from going about 10 or 12 ft by. Let’s go just forward to that. Colin McGomery, you remember he has a very good sixiron. This for a birdie to get back to even par for the championship. Downhill going to move a little to his left. to par 3 188 y very fast. Well, I couldn’t tell whether it hit the hole and spun out even faster or what, but pulled it, Dave. Left all the way. Take your time, Monty. Sometimes he lets himself get a little bit distracted about things and just need to regroup. He’s doing just that. Just to stay one over with a part last would be 141. And certainly in very good position two pulls, man. and alive. And meanwhile, back at 16, Nicholas for his part. [Music] Didn’t break quite as much as he thought or he might have pulled it a little. One thing, let’s go back to 15. All right, Dave. Scott Simpson second shot even for the championship. is a four iron from 178. Tin only on eight on the left side. He’s hunging out to the right. Got to turn over there and catch that bunker. Well, he can play this game. If you miss it on the fat side of the green and he’s got an easy little pitch and run. Ernie off the te at 13. Most players with a sixiron. Ernie’s got a seven iron. I believe that’s the right club for Ernie. Hole high. Difficult to get it back there. Back to 11. Birdie attempt. Woody Austin. He has yet to record a birdie today. Breaks right. Oh. Oh. Somebody put out the anchor on the edge. Let’s move ahead to 15. The leader Payne Stewart second shot going with a seven iron from 160. That’s a good looking swing there. Going just right of the flag. Gets back there to 16. And that was Hail Irwin’s butt for a bogey five. So Hail drops a shot here and goes to three over for the championship. Nicholas dropped a shot. He goes to four over. He missed that short putt after getting that break. I know. Still good playing though when you think this man that is just dominating the senior tour at the moment is Payne Stewart dominating this tournament at the moment. Two shots and lead of Ernie Ell who won handily last week. And look at Norman just creeping up that scoreboard. That one under on Sunday might be just lovely. Davis Love of course with two good rounds. Frank Nabelo, Scott Simpson again, Neil Lancaster at 67 today with that 29 on the back nine, Braden Watson. You got so many here that can really still have a chance. Helington the PGA champion that you segue over to the 17th T. is par three about 20 25 ft above the level of the T black stick today. Front left portion of the green just 21 ft on Tom Wisecoff not having a good day today. Tom eight over even after that start that he had birdie Eagle. You know, we’ve talked a lot about Jack playing in his last open. Possibly this could be it. This might also be Tom’s last open. I know he hasn’t played in one in quite a while since the early 80s, but he really practiced a lot for this after he won the USDA senior Open last year. He didn’t want to come here and not do well. He’s been such a beautiful player. I wish he’d have played a little longer, but he does uh as a lot of people know, of course, a lot of golf course architecture now and makes some builds some lovely golf courses. Classical swing. Yeah, John. Yeah, one last week in Pittsburgh on the senior tour. So, he came into this thing on a high. Sure did. Roger, do you know what club he might have? It’s a four iron from 188. I’m sure Tom will try to hit this left or right and hold it against the breeze. However, he’s got it going well. Left and hooking. The old double cross into the back fringe. And meanwhile, back at 16, Jansen with his second shot. Dave, that was a little knockdown. Sixiron, 163 yards. And that’s another pull. Gary, he sure got a case of the pulls or the hooks or something. It’s not like it’s painful. I mean, it’s he’s not wincing or flinching when he gets I don’t think it’s his wrist. I think it’s more in the swing. I really do. He just seems to be quitting on it slightly coming through it and letting the face shut down. Go back to 15. Third shot for Payne Stewart. Four under for the championship. Two better than Ernie L’s. Greg Norman 66 today has pushed him up to the third position. two off the lead, Dan. Well, even though he uh didn’t get the results he wanted up on the green, he’s got a pretty level putt coming up out of the fringe. As long as it comes out of that fringe uh initially pretty straight, it shouldn’t move a lot. May move a little bit left. I’m surprised he’s leaving in the flag, Johnny. Is that a normal uh thing that you would do on this particular putt? Well, there have been studies that show uh that it’s an advantage to have the pin in uh when you’re off the green. So then by Dave Pel got hopped a little bit and took off to a little left. Good. He will accept his par as we go to 17. And Jack Nicholas with his T-OT. Jack now four over for the championship. like to get a nice three four finish just to ensure that you’re here for the weekend as this left of the flag. Yeah. Didn’t get to the high stuff, Roger. So he’s he’s okay, you know, chipping that uh maybe the strong suit of Jack’s arsenal of weapons, but it’s not in the taller part of the of the rough here. Let’s go to 13. Ernie to get within one of Stewart. Just not high enough. But Ernie still has not had a bogey since the ninth hole yesterday. Playing very solid 4under golf and he trails Stewart by two. Norman already in with a spectacular 66 today. And Stewart this looks like he’s got a 3-wood or something. Well, just trying to get in play, Dave Maher. Probably the most important positioning this particular hole going right up the center. Great play there, Dan Pole with this group and it is in perfect or ideal position. Looks like a good line. Meanwhile, on the green or should say in the bunker, Gary co kind of shots you got. Well, not that difficult a shot. If you can just lob the ball out of the bunker, it’ll follow right down toward the hole. [Music] played some wonderful short shots today. Chancing one under for the championship. One over for today. Look down at that’s the lake at 16. The green in the left part there. Reminder, we’re proud to bring you the greatest championship in golf, the US Open. And in 3 weeks, join us for the greatest championship in tennis, Wimbledon. Pete Sampas goes for four in a row. No American had ever won three in a row. Borg has the record five straight to 17. Jack Nicholas, this his second shot. Johnny, can you tell us a little bit about problem he has? Of course, his ball is on the left side of that screen there and he’s going to go up and then over. The pin is in the left side of that and you can see the big hogs back in the middle that’s caused all kind of problems yesterday. And the green goes away in the back. His Donald Ross’ greens are all thinking about drainage. The the water is always coming off the green, so it makes very difficult putting surfaces. Probably a good idea. Just slow down a little bit. Slow down. Slow down. Boi the last two holes. Well, hit some hit some bad shots. Let’s go to 14. 471 yds. Ernie El two behind the leader. See that tree to the right. Want to work it right. Cut the ball if possible. Crowd likes it. And a good result for Ernie. I have to say, Dan, the two best swingers in the golf tournament are the guys that are one two in in the in the championship. Pay Stewart and Ernie L. You just cannot swing any better than those two. Greg Norman isn’t a bad one either, but his is more of a hit than a swing. One back at 16, Lee Jansen with this putt for a par. It’s another one of those tricky little putts you get here at Oakland Hills. Sliding off to his right. Lee has gone to a shorter putter this year and seems to be putting the short ones well. Well, that’s a good good four after one of those indifferent iron shots that he’s hit here on the back nine. Three or four pulls. That up and down he did at 13 was nothing short of miraculous. As we go to 17 and Jack with his putt for a par to stay just four over. And Roger, I was out here when this man came out to play 100 years ago. And I tell you, I have never seen him not try. I think every player should if they tried as hard as Jack, a lot of these guys might be a lot better. You’re not kidding. He’s never hit a casual shot. Every shot, regardless of the distance, including seemingly 6-in putts, get his full attention, even in practice rounds, guys. That’s right. They all count one, don’t they? He’s facing a tough one here. It looks like it wants to start trying to move to the left in the first part of the putt, but I believe if he gets it off the hole, it will straighten up and not come back. That’s right. Did he hit it? Oh, no. Wasn’t hit solid. That’s He kind of quit at that one. Looked like stabbed at a little solid. So, another drop shot. Three in a row. Projected cut as we now know it to be is plus 6 which would be 146. PAR being 140. That’s what they call par here. I always thought par Oakland Hills was about 75. Hail now. Hail struggling a little bit. This for par two. One over for the day. Three over for the championship. A good solid par by the very fine senior player now leading the senior tour in Money One. Threetime US Open champion is Tom Wesoff. [Music] Um eight over coming to here. This for his bogey. So Tom not going to make the cut. But he gets his putt there and stays know over and we’ll be watching him in the first week of July defending his uh senior open. Let’s go to Ernie. Second shot for Ernie at the par4. Huge big drive. What a swing. And just on the back collar. That’s a good spot. The divot hanging on the 16. Let’s go right to Dan Pole. Dan, what’s he got? Well, he’s looking right down at 169. Dave Mars just got to take a little sixiron. Wind’s picking up on him. Doesn’t have much behind it. I think he’s real comfortable with this. Just going ahead and putting a nice smooth swing on it in about this distance that he had of the last hole. came up short with the seven. Top of it, man. It’s up in the tree. Well, it hit something hard over there. I hope it wasn’t anybody’s head. It uh I don’t know. They’re looking at somebody over there or something. That was a last minute don’t do a Tiger Woods. Oh man, that was uh Well, no matter who you are, you’re going to make some bad swings. He was lined up left like he’s going to play a cut now. Right there he gets over it, spins out of the way. You can see the ball start not left, I mean left of left. And actually he hit the crowd that was not watching 16, but watching 17T. Yeah, we’ve um he wasn’t hitting the friendly guys. I It hit I knew it hit something very hard because that ball bounced awfully high. It’s Marco there. Too bad. Yep. That uh smarts, I tell you. You ever been hit by a golf ball? I have twice. I’ve been hit three times, man. It does hurt. I hope he’s okay. Let’s go up to 18th hour. All right, Dave Mar. Yesterday, 12 played subpar. Today, it’s been reduced. At this moment, only six men under par for the championship. Well, they’re right on track right now where the score that was shot by Andy North is looking pretty darn good. one under because usually on major championships there’s guys four, five, six, seven under par and by Sunday afternoon even par is looking pretty good. So Oakland Hills should be proud of itself if that’s what it’s trying to accomplish. PAR is going to be a wonderful score. Let’s go to 18. The storied threesome of Tom Weissoff, Jack Nicholas, and Hail Irwin. 85 appearances in the US Opens combined. Nicholas, of course, his 40th consecutive on the team. wants to set up uh just left of those bunkers on the right side of the screen. It’s 265 yd carry to get over them. And I he I don’t think he can do that anymore. He’s pulled it and hooked it, John. Going at or left of those bunkers. Caught the bunker, I believe. Well, not a very good finish by the Golden Bear here. And you got to be a little careful what he might do from there. Up on the green, Phil Mickelson. This is for Bogey. One of the favorites. Boy, was that a pretty putt or what? A big stroke too late. Perhaps a bogey at 18 puts him plus seven. 7671 in the championship. We mentioned six subpar. One of those Greg Norman a 66 today. And here’s the biggest shot of this second round of the championship at the par 416. Eight iron back left pin. It’s above the hole. Yes. [Applause] And a roar you could hear to Battle Creek as Greg Norman with an eagle too to move himself in position. Currently three behind the leader Payne Stewart who has maintained his edge over this starstudded field. The second round of the 96 US Open Championship and our aotted time has expired. We’ll look forward to 6 hours with you both Saturday and Sunday. We’ll be back tomorrow with our 6 hours of coverage. Third round of the 96 US Open from Oakland Hills at 12:30 Eastern here on NBC. And tonight NBA action continues in prime time 9:00. Game five, NBA finals, Shan Kemp and the Sonics against Michael Jordan and the Bulls. And for our entire broadcast crew here at Oakland Hills Country Club, I’m Dick Henber saying so long from the 96 US Open. Coverage of the Open continues in 5 minutes on ESPN. See you tomorrow. [Applause] The NBA Finals, the US Open, Wimbledon, the US Olympic trials, the US Senior Open, baseball’s allstar game. Welcome back to Oakland Hills outside of Detroit as ESPN’s coverage of the 96 US Open Championship continues. There’s Greg Norman on the practice range and not hitting balls out of anger, hitting balls out of glee. Had a big round today to get himself right in the middle of the championship as our coverage continues here in just a moment. Hi once again everybody. I’m Chris Berman. If you weren’t with us a little bit earlier today for our morning and early afternoon coverage, some great shots made by Greg Norman and some others. The leader, Payne Stewart, is playing this afternoon as we speak. Tom Weissoff doing one for the older fellas. Look at this 93 ft putt. [Music] Oh, it’s an eagle for Weiss. Greg Norman second shot eight iron on 16 par4 16 140 yards oh like it was a yo-yo that was the eagle that got him in the tournament the US Open champ two years ago Ernie his approach on 10 settle beautifully done he would birdie the holes Ernie L’s Norman was a four under 66 6 today to go 100 for the tournament. L’s right now is still on the course. He’s four and a part for the day, but they’re all chasing Payne Stewart. More on golf for a moment, but now let’s catch you up on the rest of the day in sports. A mini Sports Center. Here’s Larry Beal. We’ll look for you on Sports Center after our two and a half hours of live coverage of golf. Then after Sports Center, a repreeze of the day’s best action. And later on tonight, you’ll want to join Andy North, Gary Ko, Jimmy Roberts, and yours truly for our 1 hour. It’s like prime time of golf. 12:30 Eastern. I know it’s a little late, but stay up for it. It’s Friday night. You can do it. Join us then. But now, two and a half hours of coverage here from Oakland Hills. Our leader is on the course, Pay Stewart. It’s my pleasure to kick it over to our compatriate, Dick Enber. Dick. All right, Boomer. It’s been a superb day of golf this second round of the US Open Championships. And we’re delighted you’ve joined us here at the Oakland Hills Country Club uh with Johnny Miller. And the drama right now is on 18 where Jack Nicholas battles in his 40th consecutive US Open to stay for the weekend. The numbers are simple, the 10shot rule. Payne Stewart is minus four. Jack currently is plus five, but uh Nicholas is in the middle of the fairway and his third shot upcoming. He has hit his third while we were welcoming you back. So he uh acknowledges the gallery as he comes to 18. He’s got a long putt for a par and uh with a huge break. So, uh, it’s not the kind of putt you expect to make even in your dreams, but nice, uh, ovation for the greatest player that ever lived. Maybe the last time he plays in an open unless something great happens to his game. Well, golf royalty four times an open champion. 62 at Oakmont, 67 Baldis Roll, 72 Pebble Beach, and again 80 at Balders Roll. Let’s go back to the leader at 17. 16 Stewart at 16. It’s taking a while to clear out the people and and get where he can play this shot. Dan Paul, what’s he have to work with? Well, he’s got a little bit of a break and then he’s got some grass under the ball. Tried to flop and he came up short. Did he catch that tree limb at all? Yeah, I’m surprised he went ahead and hit a blast shot. I thought maybe he’d hit a little more of a little lower run shot. Maybe just get it on the 30, 40 ft away and just take his five and get out of here. Well, maybe he was trying to get just a little cute there and you do that in an open and sometimes you pay a heavy penalty for that. So, anyhow, pay Stewart the championship leader in the bunker. Let’s go to 18 real quick. and Jack Nicholas. 138 consecutive majors for the Golden Bear. Every major since his rookie year, 1962 when he started that streak, more than half the field in this Open weren’t as yet born. Pretty healthy uh record by the way, healthwise. I mean, it’s amazing that he would go through that whole career without, you know, he’s had a little bit of bad back, but he’s gutted it out and he’s been very healthy all those years and not much to keep him from playing. I can tell you that. Well, he’s left with a giant putt for his par. Let’s go back to 16. And the fourth shot of Pain Stewart, well, it’s a pretty straightforward bunker shot. Got plenty of green to work with. Just hit it about four or 5 ft out of the green. Let it trickle down to the hole. [Music] Let him go just a little. Well, not a bad bucker shot, but just that kind of putt you hate to leave yourself. So, he needs that for his bogey, which means he would drop to just three under back to even par for today and three under for the championship. Well, there’s going to be a lot of people looking at these next couple of holes with pain finishing because if he makes a double here, that’s going to bring in a lot of people into the cut. Sure. And one of those is Jack Nicholas earlier. Hail Irwin. His third shot in front of the green. Little pitch and run. Beautiful shot. Nice shot. Hail. Irwin plus three for the championship. Now back live at this the toughest of the tests of this 18hole layout. Par 70. And he’s walking right now to a big hump in the green just up now about u a foot and a half and then back down now to the low where his ball is at. And he’s got a putt that’s got to go up and over with a huge left to right break. Got to aim probably outside definitely outside his C’s feet and come in from up above. Not an easy two putt really, but I’d say he does so many things well, but one of the things he does best is number one, not three putt, and his lagging ability is as good as anybody that’s ever played the game. Well, John, he’s going to have to get this ball up there by that left fringe and let it die. If he can get it within 3 ft of the hole, that would be fabulous. He’s not looking that far left. If you look at his eyes, his eyes are looking, you know, more in the five, six uh ft uh left of the hole range. Pretty sweet, Roger. And a good putt right there. A bit of a disappointing finish though. Four bogeies last four holes. But these fearsome five holes at the end of this golf course are amazing. 17. Baldo came up short on his T-shot. This his chip at the 17th. You have the one wonderful chipper. The ball. Look at this. Look at this. Aha. A little good news for Fo. That puts him three over for the championship. Let’s go back to 18. Tom Wiseov for Bogey. So after such a exciting start for Wiseov, Birdie Eagle on one and two, things uh crumbled for him. 74 today. And that little putt miss by Wiseoff. Uh he could just miss the cut because of that. Dale Irwin cleans up his par and a smile for the former Colorado football star. 7271 plus three. He’s uh right there with Payne Stewart the leader at four under losing at least a shot at 16. Now Jack for bogey. So it appears the bear will have a chance to growl on the weekend. Many are cheering for that possibility. Great group of golfers right there. That’s as good as it gets. That’s a senior tour represented uh in its highest order. That’s not just a chapter. That’s several in the history book. Well, very appreciative, grateful man, a great man on the course and off. Now to 16 where Payne Stewart faces this five-footer for a bogey downhill. Move a little to his right. Oh, what a That’s good stuff there. Well, he gets a bogey after a good drive and a very poor second shot. Let’s go to 15. And Ernie Els who has played as if he wanted to better Greg Norman’s uh top championship round of 66 today. He’s been solid throughout. Little uphill shot here in left side in the front. Effortless swing just ahead. L’s four under for the round. Miss club by a full club. Maybe he thought the wind was going to affect it, but there’s a lot of trees there that are buffeting that wind that would be coming from his left to 17. Lee Chanccom [Music] here goes now even for the championship, two over for the day. Still certainly very much in contention. Look down over this beautiful testing golf course and go to AT&T and the Mast’s champion Faldo. 460 yds of par4. Toughest hole on the golf course. Hits a nice little fade out there. Center cut. Gonna leave him a long shot to the green though. Faldo’s 10th open. He finished second in 88 [Music] at 13. Woody Austin 168 yds either just a nice sixiron. Most of the players have been hitting and most of the players have been doing just that. And that will roll back another 15 ft. [Music] to 17 and Payne Stewart this hole today playing 188 yds the flag this a five iron Dan Pole still with that group well huge boost confidence there with that putt that was a real difficult putt he came back through the crowd gave the guy that he hit the head of the ball and now he’s just got to regroup a good swing on a five iron. I’m going right at it if it’s enough. Gets enough. And just hit the flag. Hit the flag stick. I guess that’s right at it. That’s That is You call that one right, Dan? Huh? That’ll bring a little smile to his face. That’s a little bit better swing than he put on the second shot at the last hole. Bob Twe now. Bob playing quite a bit better after having a slump for a few years. Really back on his game. Not so much today. Yeah, excuse me. A lot of confidence right now, but he struggled a little bit today. He’s right at that cut mark. Plus six for the tournament. Let’s get in with a couple of solid pars. And that’s going right at it also. almost as good a shot Dan goes on by a little bit and you’re right too far to get him in. So closing toward the end of the second round. Welcome back. And uh Payne’s Payne assaged a bit as the fan struck by the ball at 16 in the gallery is given a couple of pieces of memorabilia from the leader Payne Stewart. It’s cheaper in litigation, I can tell you that. Bernie L’s at 15 for Birdie. This would tie him with Stewart for the lead. That was a bold run at it. That thing uh was thinking about going in back to 13. [Music] Nick Faldo at 18. Here’s approach. Faldo plus three for the championship off of birdie at 17. [Music] It’s got about u 210 from there which is a big shot uphill. Wind is going left to right. It’s every bit of two iron he’s got in his bag. I can tell you that. [Music] It’s a great looking shot. See if it comes back off that bank there off the green. See the turn back. So, Faldo safely on at 18 and uh somewhat safely in the clubhouse. Jack Nicholas uh pulling for you down the stretch. I couldn’t make anything happened, Dick. I was just terrible. Uh I really wasn’t very good most of the day. I kept double crossing myself uh early in the day and uh um then I I got in decent shape. I was even par through 14 and then uh I just into the wind coming home which has been my problem trying to keep the ball keep my club left in my line swinging coming home I just flip it down underneath myself and then hook it 17 for birdie pay Stewart after a beautiful uh shot that hit the pin glanced off to go four under Dan well he’s got it right at 15 ft Johnny and that’s one of those putts where if you hit a a little softer, could break pretty hard on the left, but he saw Bob Twice kind of firm putt and stay up high. So, I think maybe Jack would agree that it’s just the pace of the kind of this putt going down the hill. [Music] Real dainty left all the way. I don’t know if he misread it or whatever, but he started outside left looking perplexed. Ernie Ell’s trailing steward by one as for par. remember it boldly went by on his birdie attempt. So El’s falls to one under for the championship. So there’s our updated leaderboard with Payne Stewart enjoying a two-shot advantage over a group at one. Jack, this looks as if par is a beautiful word again in the US Open. It’s a good score on this golf course, a tough golf course, Dick. And um you know, even even struggling a little bit with my golf swing, I uh still got it around in pretty good shape. And uh uh you know, I hit so hard I knocked knocked the face right out of my driver. Yeah, I saw that. Was that a little disconcerting when you got the new driver? Um would you get it on 14? Yeah, it’s it was a prototype driver and uh you know, we fiddling with logs and uh I think that we worked a little too hard on getting uh shaving a little loft off of it and I think it probably just came apart. I’ve had a couple other ones do that on on the prototypes, but it’s uh I hit a hit a pretty good drive at 12 and then then I hit a really big 3-wood to knock it on the green. That’s big for me. That’s not a five iron. Then I saw a tiger hit it there yesterday. But uh to knock it on there for me is pretty good. And then I played played decently the next we’re playing next two holes fine. And then uh uh in the trees left, right, left, left, a little bit of everything. This effort though was not a ceremonial effort this week. I mean, you didn’t come in here just for cruising, right, Johnny? I’m in position to put myself right in the middle of the golf tournament. I’m two over par with four holes to play. I don’t think 15 is all that difficult a hole. If you get a decent T-shot at 16, it’s not that hard. Pins for the taking at 17. 18 is a very difficult hole. And I bogey all four of them. You know, I mean, if I par them or play them just one over, I’m sitting in in a position where, you know, I’m only two or three shots out of the lead. That’s right. That’s true. You you know, even par is probably a magical number the way uh major championships progress. Yeah. No, no question about it. I was in the golf tournament and I know Oakland Hills. I love the golf course. uh playing playing well enough to uh uh compete and uh uh to let it get away from the last four holes just you know makes oh you know you know it looks like I’m going to get to play tomorrow and if I get to play tomorrow then uh you know I just got to make a few birdies. Is this going to be your last open? You just don’t know. You’re not going to come? I don’t know. I you know I said that this would be my last open that uh uh that I would really want the USJ to give me an exemption. uh you know and and if they want to come back and give me a ceremonial exemption, you know, Pebble Beach or someplace else, you know, like they did for Arnold, that would be very nice. But uh as far as being competitive, as far as playing opens in a row, 40 opens in a row is a is a is a big number. And uh if I happen to win the senior open this year, qualify through another means, then I’d love to play again. Of course, I’d love to play again, but I really don’t want to take up a spot if I’m not competitive. And uh I I I my golf game should be competitive. I don’t see any reason why it can’t be. And uh uh except for my I just my golf swing I just make too many bad shots and and that and that’s not uh you know that’s not your uh uh or age or something else. That’s just making bad golf swings. And uh you know I certainly my nerves are good. I don’t have any problem with my putting anything else. So that that’s not my problem. My problem is just that I’m not I’ve been in about a 5year slump. We uh we talked as you were playing, Jack, about how you’ve always competed so well and how proud you are of that. And for fans who want to be nostalgic because of your great career and it in its twilight at least in terms of US Open or major championships, you can see you’re not nostalgic at all. You’re still angry inside. You want to continue to compete. Sure. Sure. I I want to compete. There’s no question about that. I love to compete. Uh but that’s why I I felt like at 40 opens age 56, you know, let the younger fellas take over. That’s fine. Uh I understand that. I understand we all have a have a length of time we’re going to play. And uh I’ve been very very fortunate with what I’ve had. I’ve played well. I have no I have no regrets whatsoever. Uh but you know, anytime I’m out here, I want to do my best. And I’ve always wanted to do my best. And when I come home the last four holes in a US Open and make four bogeies, I don’t care whether I’m 26 or 56, I get upset. and we’ll hope to get a chance to talk with you on Sunday. I hope so, Nick Dick. Thank you very much. Meanwhile, the leader on the tea at 18, Payne Stewart leads by two over Norman El’s and Austin. Needs a big one. This fairway is about 32 yds wide. And with his best drive, it’s probably going to be at least a four iron into this green. Well, he hit it down in there low and cut it back into the fairway. Beautiful drive, Johnny. Got a little bit of roll, which is good. Swinging great. Just what a golf swing. Meanwhile, up at the 18th green, Lee Jansen. This is a moments ago, his fourth shot. Oh my word. You got to be kidding me. That thing went underground. Also, Jansen who started after yesterday 68 now the fifth shot. That was a dodgy shot right there. A chip and run from there. U not sure what he was trying to do. And that’s a nightmare in the happening here. He was two under part number 13 at 15. Jeff Maggard is four under for the day. Another one of the great swingers of the golf club right up there. And look at this ball with the backspin. That’s tremendous spin by the way. We haven’t seen a ball do that all day. Um Maggard a chance to move to even par for the championship. Now back to the travailes of Lee Jansen at 18. This is for double bogey. Came here even for the championship. That is not the best effort either. U not bad but I mean it was a very difficult putt but u that is not good. He like I said he was two under par for the tournament for the championship at number 13 and dropped one on 14 and then of course dropped one on 17 and now is going to drop several at 18. [Music] So, uh, that’s part of this, uh, this championship that the fortunes can change. You could change for Paint Stewart at any given time. Uh, you just got to hang in there. Like Jack said, he knew at two over par that he was right in the thick of it. Meanwhile, Nick Faldo coming off a nice chip in Birdie. Uh, he’s three over for the for the championship. And, uh, believe me, he knows he’s not far out of the hunt. Six behind Payne Stewart at the moment. [Music] And for a rare rare birdie, by the way, if he finishes birdie birdie, that’ll definitely uh catch up on a few people. Just barely going to move to the right very fast. Getting it off the toe. just gets it rolling. [Music] Not happy with that, but uh I’ll settle for his par 71 today. [Music] Plus three for the championship. Only four underpar Stewart, Norman El’s, and Woody Austin. And if he can throw something like 68 or nine tomorrow, he’ll be right there to 13. Alexander Chica this for birdie hoy native of Czechoslovakia makes his home in Munich, Germany. And uh I love it. They’ll hoist one in Bavaria on that one. He says it’s great to 15 Jeff Maghert. Four under for the day and this to go five under for the day and even for the championship. What a run by Maggurt. You know, history has shown Maghert’s in a good position. The last two open champions, Paven and L’s, finished second the week before they won. Maghard tied for second last week and Ernie El uh has got a situation he won last week and nobody’s ever won this championship after winning the week before. So Ernie could change that dubious stat. Meanwhile, Lee Jansen underlying the fact that this is the toughest hole on the course. 4.5 average for the championship for triple bogey. The only thing good about this putt for triple, it is um pretty much straight uphill. Made a little work to the right and tough to swallow seven. That takes him to plus three and a round of 75 today. Tom Watson. This for a birdie to go even par for the championship. Oh, beautiful shot out of the right hand. Rough. It’s all right, though. Still in touch with the leaders, but uh you just don’t want to miss too many of those. That win he had at Memorial a few weeks ago was just uh tremendous. I know. Tom found out he’s got a lot of friends around the world that were made very happy by that victory. Let’s go to 14. John Schroeder. Woody Austin’s got about a 35-footer up the hill for birdie. Not a realistic opportunity. Uh he’s played very well today. Just hasn’t had many putts fall. A matter matter of fact, he had a huge driver. Only had about 60 yards to this par4. Little little disappointed with his second shot actually. He is one under par and he’s in this uh low here that runs through the green. The drainage low on John. Yes, he is fairly slow going up there, but you certainly don’t want to knock him by the hole. That’s got to hurry. He’s left that well short. I think he was thinking what I was thinking. Meanwhile, our leader is at 18. Second shot, Payne Stewart. It’s a two iron from 223 yds. 210 to the front. He’s got to get all over it into the wind. I came over top of that one, too. Way left. Man, that is way left. That hit the cart path. And that is going to be in one heck of a spot right there. He’s going to get a a free drop from that temporary obstruction, but uh he’s still going to have the ball 8 10 in below his feet. uh downhill lie. Let’s take a look at this swing. He’s trying to get all over it, of course, and it sound like it caught the heel and twisted the club face over. You can see he’s aiming at the left side of the green, which is the way he normally sets up. Takes the club back maybe a little outside. See what that right elbow does. Kicks out. See that right elbow kicked out too way too early. Uh before he got the club face on the ball, that elbow was already kicking out the right elbow. And he was That’s probably because he was trying to really rip it. I mean, that is a long iron uphill into a breeze. Well, Johnny, he only carries a 3-wood and a two iron, and so he was kind of in between shots. He couldn’t really carve a 3-wood. It was too short a distance for that. So, he was trying to really muscle that two iron up there. Again, um the cut is getting uh quite perplexing because he’s minus three, most likely going to bogey from there. I mean, he makes par from there. He deserves it. I mean, gee, he gets to minus two. Ton of players are in at plus eight or better. 119 right now. Woo. 17T. Ian Wenom. Five iron. He said hold that line. And the line was fine. He just got a hard bounce. He’s been having a tough time two putting from back there. The ball’s still moving as we go just left to where they are hitting from. Ernie L. Second shot to 16. Doesn’t like it. See his head come down. Well, it’s over. But now he’s Well, it it settled down back in the bunker. He’ll be okay there. Was coming out of that rough. Not easy to play. Let’s go back to 14 for par. Woody Austin. Yeah. Remain at one under for the championship. That is a clutch putt. claimed as a grinder on the tour. One win last year in his rookie of the year season. Not uh showing any pleasure with his efforts. Well, I’ll tell you, the US Open is is a hard work at this golf course. I’ll make you earn every par you get to the 16th T. And Jeff Maggard [Music] hear someone say beauty. Five underfoot round today as you know. And a chance after that drive for a birdie here. This man’s got a wonderful golf swing. Plays out of the Woodlands where they hold the Shell Houston Open. Went to Texas A&M. Very solid player. Jeff Maggard is. Let’s go to 18. Scott Simpson. Well, Scott drove it in the left bunker lead up to this position about 125 yds. Take a little nine iron. one of many at plus one. He played real solid today and this guy’s always a factor in these major championships. [Music] Little short, Dan. Long putt for his par. Well, if Oakland Hills is the monster, 18 are the incizers. They’re really biting again. And and you can see Steuart’s lie there up against the grand stands. Um, that’s definitely going to affect his back swing and there’s no way you can move that. So, David Fay, that will be he uh pain will be entitled to relief. It appears it’s a temporary immovable obstruction. Uh, he doesn’t have intervention interference. He just interferes with his uh the area of his intended swing. So, he’s just going to treat it just like a regular immovable obstruction. Now the key will be to determine the point which is not nearer the hole. Now that will be the trick but the official is right there with him and he’s uh overseeing the process and none of those lies up there are wonderful believe me he could play winter rules there and tee it up and still it’ be a super tough shot. While we wait, let’s go to 16 where Ernie L’s this his third shot out of the left hand bucker. Li looks pretty good. Great camera work there. Hold it. Hold it. Green goes away from him there and you get it going. It’s just going to move on about eight or nine ft. So, he has that to stay one under. And remember, he three putted the last hole. let that first putt get away from him. And Ernie, after 72 yesterday, three under today. Let’s have a look at that one more time and see a bird’s eyee view. Let’s go back up to 18. Payne Stewart uh making the long walk to the green. Well, Johnny, it looks like he got a favorable drop. You can see a lot of the ball above grass there. So obviously he uh he got a variety of shots he can play now, but boy, this is one tough little pitch. Well, he’s got so much break that it’s almost impossible to get it quote unquote close to the hole unless he throws it right up into that fringe left to where he’s walking now. Well, you can see he just walked over about a 4ft hill and he’s he’s trying to figure out just exactly if he wants to try to put it up that high because if he does pull a little bit, he could hit it right over into the rough left. be surprising if he tries to hit the ball high because what happens on a down slope if your ball’s on a down slope and you try to hit it high, it’s the easiest way to chunk it there is. I mean, you can hit right underneath and fluff it short. It’d be better if he swung with the slope, I think, with like a lob wedge and drove it in there a little bit lower and got the club on the ball cleanly. So, it be interesting if if he tries this high shot off the down slope. Well, looking at the shot he hit on 16, that’s exactly what you’re talking about. Tried it, caught out heavy, and left it in the bunker. So, I I think he’ll play, like you say, something that just kind of lets the club slide down the slope. You’ll see his hands finish low. He won’t get a lot of movement through the shot. See how he’s swinging with the slope? That’s perfect. Why? Take it up and he’ll move right down with it. See, stay down with it. Probably got to land it about 15 ft on the green short of that one slope. Uh, and let it run over the ridge. Great shot. Boy, is that a great shot there. That’s about as good as you could do, I think, without getting crazy. Meanwhile at 16 L’s with this putt for his par. Ernie three under this round today. One under for the championship. Ball look a little to his left. Stayed straight. Good. Good putt. 17. Watson. This for birdie. Good run there by Tom Watson. Back in 15, Woody Austin tied for second, two behind Payne Stewart. John, he’s hit a beautiful one iron uh to this position. He’s got 150, excuse me, 165 yds up the hill, wind quartering from his right. Very accessible pin. And this is his first US Open, so pretty impressive stuff. But he’s swinging very be very very smoothly today. Stands very close to the ball. Hang a little right. [Music] Very nice. Perfect distance control. [Music] So, Woody Austin, one of only four subpar at the moment in this second round of the 96th US Open. You heard the roar. Let’s see what happened at 18. So, far apart from Scott Simpson only plus one. Still plus one. Right in there. 71 for Scott Simpson today. He remains within four of the lead. Now Payne Stewart, would this be some par4? Well, Scott Simpson widened the hole a little for him and uh got him thinking positively thinking, well, Scott made a miracle par. Maybe I can, too. Got a real good read off that putt, too, Johnny. Just goes a little left, doesn’t it? Yeah, if he just gets the speed, he’s just got to go ahead and feel comfortable hitting it firm. It’s actually a very makeable putt. [Music] [Music] Oh, that was such a good putt. Looked like it was going to fall on the top side and just went right through it. David Fay, you have a little sidebar to this situation. Well, uh, well, nothing’s certain. That was a big putt because, uh, if he had made that, we would have had 101 players at plus 7. And, uh, by going to plus 8, it looks like we’re going to have 119. What that means is it’ll we’ll be unable to play in twos uh this weekend. So now for a 71 two under for the championship. Well, Greg Norman’s 66 earlier today grows larger and larger. He’s within one of the lead at the midpoint of this championship. And I’ll tell you, the scoring is um this is a very difficult course, but with the wet uh greens and the ball holding uh two underpar leading, you’d have to think what it would have been like if the greens were hard and fast faster. And they’re going to get faster if the weatherman’s correct because it should continue to be dry and hot through the weekend. Jeff Maggard, his second shot at 16, five under first round today. Get out. Get out. Looks left. A little bit left, but exactly the right club. Jeff even par for the championship. Just ahead at 17. Watson is for his car. Tom stays one over for the championship. One over for his round today. Certainly in touch. Looking down, Jeff Maggot about to go six under. Today, the MetLife blimp is under the command of pilots Rick Hoffer and Charlie Graham. The blimp typically cruises at a speed of 35 mph and an altitude of,200 ft. Let’s go forward to 18. All right, Demar, second shot of Steve Elkington. Great looking shot here. shot of the day on this hole. Wow, that was a beautiful shot. Elington a chance to birdie here at 18. He’s plus two for the championship. That was from about 198 yds after a big T- shot. Meanwhile, Jeff Maggurt putting together a potential US Open record round 65 the the record and he’s five under the course record here rather 65 at uh Oakland Hills and he’s five under with a chance for birdie. Let’s go to 17. Ernie L’s a good par at 16. And that a five iron. And again, a little bit too much club. And the greens are firming up. Dave seen a lot of three putts are back there. John, this green is three putts everywhere. It seems like yesterday. Remember yesterday? It’s an easier spot today. As we look down from Snoopy’s perch up there, 16 where the lake is and at the 16th green in the middle of your screen, 17 green to the right up here, 18 T just to the right of that. Coming back to the clubhouse. This uh golf course, a lot of players hadn’t seen it or hadn’t seen it in a while. I’m sure they forgot just exactly how tough this son of a gun is. Michael Campbell. Now, the New Zealander who’s shown an awful lot of promise. 70 yesterday and two over for today. So, two over for the championship. This is to get to one. [Music] Haven’t seen very many putts made from that side of the hole for some reason. It seem to be easier read from the side where Michael is now. I know Maggard has a putt from over there playing with Sam Torrance who had a good round. Started one over and is one under round today. So even par for the championship. This group playing very well. Sam Torrance finished second to Colin McGomery last year on what is called the order of merit which is moneywinning. Decided on the last putt, last tournament of the year beat Sam by about $300. Anchors that putter right on his chin. Right on his chin. Take it on the chin, Sam. Well, he does. It saved his life, John. He is really Have you tried this, John? He wins. I might. Yeah, that looked like one of my putters. And he took it on the chin there. Yeah, he’s he can’t be happy with that. And just see how he’s got it. See his glove and and the putter is anchored right on his chin. If you get the head yeps, you’re a goner. Well, Sam looks at it. from a golfing family. His father, a very fine teaching professional named Bob Bob Torrance. Now, Maghick this to go six under for his round today. And we’re putting one under for the championship. Shot 66 in the last round last year to finish tied for fourth at Shikok. Oh. Oh, Jeff. A violent lip out. Yeah. Yeah. That’s [Music] say that should have or would have or could have done anything. But nevertheless, after 75 yesterday, I’m sure if you said we’ll give you 65 today, he’d sure take it. Let’s go to 15. Where Woody Austin has a birdie opportunity to go two under and share the lead. not to be at 16. Sam Torrance and he’s got it. So he stays one under for the round today and even for the championship. It’s very solid player Sam Torrance. He gets in with 140. Sam’s not afraid. all the golf he’s played. As you see, Payne Stewart now with just the one stroke lead over Greg Norman who’s finished. Ernie Ell who’s uh just playing up 17. He’s on the green. Woody Austin just finishing up 15. Davis Love with two good rounds. Frank Nabalo who’s played well in both opens. He’s played in. Torrance Cook with a good round. Cook’s still out there. Scott Simpson, of course, and he just uh Jim Furick, you know, he’ll surprise you. It’s a lot of quality golf shots. Scott McCarron, Colin McGomery didn’t finish well, but let’s go to 14. John Cook second shot at the par4. Even for the championship, even today. Good looking shot. But you can see the greens are firming up. When you get sunshine and a little bit of wind for two straight days, uh that moisture is going to go in a hurry and by Sunday, if we don’t get any more rain, the greens are going to be really tough. The 95 PGA champion, Steve Elkington, he was tied for second last week at the Buick. So, if that run continues for the third consecutive year, uh second the previous week, you win the US Open Championship. Uh he factors. I’ve never seen a tournament where literally the best looking swings are literally all the best scores. I mean, we got nothing but stylus on the top of our leaderboard. So Elkington a 70 today plus two for the championship back to 17. And Ernie Els who won at Westchester last week and maybe he’ll break that little thing that’s going on that no one can win. He’s one under for this championship, three under for today. But got to be very careful here. A lot of three putts in the back of the screen. Very fast. Right about there. Just start going left. Well, one of the few I’ve seen leave it short. The 94 Open champion won in the playoff. Lauren Roberts and Colin Montgomery and Oakmont. Another course with noted fast greens and a lot of slopes. I do think these slopes here a little more severe than they are at Oakan though. But El’s until he played well last week really not having the kind of year that a lot of people thought this young man would have. He came over here a couple of years ago. He just looked like a world beater. Not to say he is a good player, but uh he certainly has shown that he is. Jeff Slumman. Jeff three over for today. Three over for the championship. and Jeff Slimman who’s past PGA champion. Let’s go to 18. And Tom Watson, who continues to battle to be within reach of the lead. In fact, there are now 58 players currently within six shots of Payne Stewart’s lead. after a big T- shot 267 yards. He has 198 yds to the green, a four iron right on the pin underneath the hole. A good good birdie opportunity from about 15 ft. Very contentious championship. It was Cory Paveman six behind Norman after 36 holes at Chinikok Hills a year ago and there are 58 players within six of the lead as I got you. Another hundred years from now, that 10 shot rule, two guys will miss the cut. There are your leaders, only four men under par, but a host crowded behind Payne Stewart to 17. One of those Ernie Els one off the lead. Going to clean up this two-footer or so that he’s got. And you know that he knows how each of these is important. No matter what stage of the tournament you’re in, this ball will go left very quickly if you don’t hit it solid. will hold. Good. Three of 17 trails to stay three under for the day, one under for the championship. Let’s go forward to 18. Tom Watson, one of the most popular of men in golf the last couple of decades. Makes his walk to the 18th green with an opportunity for birdie. still walks with the gate of about a 20-year-old. Uh, tremendous enthusiasm for life and for the game. And what a champion uh since Nicholas, no record quite like it. Back to 17 and Jeff Maggard. Five iron. Hear him say stay in the air and it stayed in the air. But as so many have done here late in the afternoon, land about whole, you’re just going to go to the back of the green. You’re going downwind. Ball hasn’t quit moving yet. But uh that that is the right club. You might not be able to carry a sixiron that far. So Jeff with that all four long putt downhill you got now. Sam Torrance. [Music] be right. That also with a five iron. Got a nice little bounce. Going to be a little bit better than Jeff’s, I believe. I never knew the cake left. So, he’ll get a little read off of Jeff’s putt there. Let’s go to 18. And the powerful swing of Ernie L’s. One off the lead. Perfect balance. Little fade. Beautiful swing. And up on the 18th green. We wait for Tom Watson’s birdie attempt. We’ll check other Well, we won’t check the scores right now, but uh I’ll run through the entire field for you in a few minutes. And you can see Tom Watson uh bogeied the 10th hole, but he’s parked every hole after his bogey at 10. Uh one under of course total for the tournament. Right in there if he could make this. Started with birdies at one and two and then the double at seven and the bogey at 10. Get in there. Pretty good putt. Nice and solid. You can taste that one. Oh, he had it right where he wanted. just a maybe a right edge just outside right edge putt uphill. Um knowing that a birdie here was a pretty juicy score on this hole. Craig Perry lining up his but he off a double bogey. He’s lost three shots the last two holes. Yeah, he was just one over par for the tournament at number 13 and he’s had uh his share with his fearsome last five holes. Four over par the last four holes and so the last five nailed him big time. Five over the last five. Third shot. John Cook at 14. That was on tape just moments ago. And now we’ll take a look at his bid for par. So he goes to plus one at 16. Woody Austin second shot. Notice how close he stands to it. This from 165 yards, guys. Got to hustle. He’s got it up a whole lot high, John. So, and that’s where you can really make a run at it. Absolutely. Good play. He’s played beautifully today, Dave. Really in control of the swing. He’s just not uh well known by the public yet. What I keep hearing about him is that he’s just such a good solid player. Plus, he’s sneaky long. Oh, yeah. He he uh he’s hit a couple huge drives today when he needed to. We’ll go forward to 18. Ian Wenom, this is a for bogey. Plus three for the championship plus one today. Good scores of 7271. 91 Masters Champion. And now Tom Watson. [Music] That was 70 yesterday followed by a 71 today. Plus one just three shots from the lead. [Music] 17. And Jeff Maghard. This his putt on the green with the five iron. This I’m sure Sam Torrance is really going to be watching this. Now Jeff downhill big break to the left. Just way left Jeff five under for the day coming to this hole even for the championship after 75 yesterday. So, that wasn’t much help for for his uh partner there, Torrance. Let’s go to 18 fairway. And the second shot for Larry M. And I mean, he has got a long ways, 232 yds uh uphill. The wind is uh still there a little bit. It’s died down at about half of the amount of was there, maybe 5 mph wind. Definitely a wood shot for him. It’s a time of desperation and urgency for some. Mise is plus nine for the championship. Has lost four shots the last four holes. Probably going to have to go with a sod 3-wood. I would think that nailed four. Got a big enough head for a 3-wood. Would appear he needs a birdie to make the cut. It’s a heck of a hole to have to birdie into the left front side bunker. Back to 17. Sam Torrance is his putt at 17. Almost the same putt that Maggard had a second ago. Sam’s looks a little more to the right, but that’s still going to be left. But a much better lag. But there’s Sam two under for today’s round. And I beg your pardon, one under and even far from the championship. Second shot at 18. Jeff Slumman plus four. [Music] And he rolls it into the bunker. 18 continues to play about 4.5 par. So, you just have to know that it’s one of the hardest four pars that I’ve ever seen the way it’s been playing into the wind and wet conditions. [Music] Ernie El’s one behind the leader Payne Stewart. [Music] 200 yd uphill. [Music] Good shot. Real good shot. Straight uphill putt. Swinging very nicely. Uh if you’re a tall player, you might want to check out his swing or Pane Stewarts or Tom Wisecoffs. Any one of those three would be just pretty nice to copy to 17. Jeff Maggard is 4footer for par. Oh, he pulled it. It’s tough to get that score into the barn, isn’t it, Dave? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. John, as as you well know, these last five holes are really tough. Pay Stewart knows well. He’ll be joining us in a moment. Norman 66, the best of the championship. Very much in contention as you look at the leaders, but uh score of players uh within touch of the lead. big old dollar sign in front of that value of par at this championship. Yeah, I think right from the get-go the players, if you’d ask them, they knew par was a wonderful score when you put four together and with the pressure of a open championship, uh it’s not like you’re out there playing for some normal tour event. But, uh here of course, as the weekend draws closer, um weekend scores will be even, I think, more difficult. The greens are drying out and those three-footers get a little tougher to make. 26-year-old from Johannesburg L’s comes to 18, but we go back to 17. And Jeff Maghard gets his bogey and drops a shot at 17 to go one over for the championship, but still four under for today. So a four at 18 would be 66 and T Norman for low round the championship. Now back on the T, Peter Jacobson. Okay, left. Come on down left. He says, “Come down the hill.” Going to catch the slope. Yes, he’s going to catch it. This is going to turn out nicely. Well done, Peter. [Applause] And in the 18th tower, we welcome the leader, Payne Stewart. Two under for the championship. And uh wow, I mean, you had some interesting numbers on your card today. Well, I did. I did. No doubles today, which uh is better, but a couple of two bad swings coming in. I I hit I good shot on good T- shot on 16, good T- shot on 18, and then pulled u got real quick from the top on a on sixiron there on 16 and a two iron on 18 and made two bogeies. Was 18 you were sort of you had to really nail it. Uh well, I Yeah, I need to hit a really good inside. I was trying to just go up the gap with it and just You feel pretty comfortable though. Your game suits a US Open type uh situation. Doesn’t Yeah, I I feel it does, Johnny. I I hit a lot of I can get the ball in play. I can get the ball on the greens. I’ve got some good imagination. I feel like I’ve got good touch with with, you know, having to putt some greens like this and chip the ball around. I know from watching you a lot of people get mesmerized by your beautiful classical old-fashioned swing and they don’t realize you’re a great bunker player and really chipping a lot of balls. I mean, you’re good around the greens. Oh, yeah. you have to be to to do well in these major championships. It’s, you know, when you have rough like this, you you really, you know, you’re not going to hit every fairway and every green and you’d love to. It it it’d be a wonderful weekend if I could do that. But, uh, yeah, I I know that I it’s more times than not that’s not going to happen. So, I have to deal with with what comes along and play the golf course the way it is. 94 you sort of was dismal, right? And you That’s a good description. What do you want to tell the people? You would you just rededicate yourself? Well, yeah. I I took a look at at what I wanted to do and I decided I you know I’m not done playing golf yet and you know I everybody says well you’re going to get into golf course architecture. What are you going to do? Well I want to play golf and here I am and I’m working at my game very hard and seeing nice results. Well you said last year that it was the attitude. You really going to have that positive attitude and this year you’ve really gone into the gymnasium and worked on your I I I feel very fit. I I feel very comfortable with my golf game and you know I’m looking forward to this weekend. It it’s you know to to have a chance to win the United States Open it it’ll be a wonderful thing. Two men trying to tie you Payne Stewart at two under Woody Austin and he unable to uh you know this putt uh Payne. Well, I was on the other side of the hole, but you know that that that’s all he’s trying to do is get it up there and make a par. And what I get, you know, he finishes one under par, one shot back of the lead. You know, there’s like there’s so many people in this golf tournament that have a chance to win the golf tournament. You know, I’m fortunate to be leading right now and, you know, if we got monsoons and got rained out, you don’t think the USGA is going to declare a winner after 36 holes. So, you you got to play on. Yeah. I had 67 today for L’s. Norman a 66 and Lancaster and Green and L’s with 67s. Uh the best round. So let’s take a look at uh your course of play today. It’s a rather extensive list. Birdie bogey bogie. Birdie bogie bog. Tremendous amount of birdies so far. Well, that’s that’s good. That’s good. You know, this is the fifth hole. Birdie putt. I had I had a six on in there about 12 ft and it was a little left or right. And then uh this is nine. And I I kind of didn’t intend for it to be that far to the right, but it came off. I was just going to cut a two iron up the gap and then I pushed it a little bit and lucky there. Huh. Then you But you got to go ahead and take advantage of stuff like that, you know. And it was a good shot. Yeah, it was. It was after making a five yesterday. This one’s a slippery little one here. And your birdie there at I didn’t hit I didn’t hit a bad shot on that hole yesterday. Made five. And today I you know walk off with two. Well, that’s not a bad score. went over for that hole, especially the 11. I I I quit on this putt a little bit. I I decelerated on it and uh but then I hit a huge drive here on on 12 and and cut this 3-wood in there nicely and hit a really good putt for my eagle. Boy, that ball came down softly on the shot. I was impressed that you were able to take a 3-wood and just make it settle like that. I It was really nice. It was a nice high high cut. And you know, if you hit the ball solid, now this is We don’t really need to see this ugly swing here. Watch this. Over the top. Oh, yuck. Ooh, that was yuck. And that one. Don’t forget about that one. That was one of the gallery. Yeah, it it you always hate when the ball goes in there and hits somebody and it hit a man right on the head. And it that’s just, you know, just bad bad luck. And then, you know, I come back right back on the next hole and put a good swing on it and hit the pin. So, you see the rhythm of that swing was so much better than the the rhythm on the on the Yeah. Just make sure you remember that swing. Right. Exactly right, Johnny. That’s that’s what you got to do. You got to think about that rhythm that that made par at 17 then to 18. Your second shot. I hit a good drive, got it in position, and then quick from the top and pulled this two iron over. And back, you said get the club back, Bane. Yeah. I just I never felt like I I got my full extension on my swing. I started it down before I I you know, in my practice swings. Good lie. Good shot here. Well, I got a relief from the from the stands and I I did hit a good shot. I stayed with it and hit, you know, I went up there and said, you know, get yourself over that hump and it’ll trickle down below the hole and you’ll have to make a 15 footer for par. And I hit a I hit a good putt and it just didn’t go in. You hit a really good putt. I thought put, man, I thought that put was in. It was It was a good stroke. Good putt. I’d like dropping a shot here while nearby Jones with a five iron and John Schroers with this groups probably going to hit a sixiron here. David, he’s a big man. Hits the ball a long ways. Yeah, I just was informed he changed to a six. Wind’s helping slightly. [Music] did it a mile in the air and it’s much going left. Okay. Cutting. I don’t know what kind. Well, it was the right club, John, because anything like a five that’s landed there just gone to the back of the green. So, a good hard six if you can carry it that far. He’s just going to have a pretty tough first putt though, isn’t he, Dave? Down that hill, I mean, it’s going to be good. Two putts on this green has turned out to be good. Looking down from the Metife blimp. Let’s go to 18. Third shot for Brad Faxton and no white lines, huh? Uh, so a little bit surprising there. I don’t even mind saying it with David Pay sitting right next to me, but that that’s a pretty uh rude little rule right there because that area is really uh been just pounded by the gallery crossing and you can see all the ripples and and footprints and mud and it any tournament I’ve ever played at situation like that almost except for maybe the open would be lined off. What do you think, Dave? Well, that’s a very good question, Johnny. It’s uh it’s unusual damage. It hasn’t been white lined. Uh he’s probably going to ask for an official ruling. The the official can’t make can’t declare that area ground under repair. He would have to call over a rover on a rover. There’s Mike Sheay. Mike Sheay is the rover and he is going to tell him something. Well, we’re just so used to on tour having a crossro walk be whited out. [Music] So, a little bit below this test. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. That’s 13. That’s about 118 yds. I I figure to that back right whole location. Yeah. Uphill. So, no relief. No relief. You guys are tough, David. Okay. He can. Perfect angle to this pin though. Sounded solid. You’re right. It was solid. They just I don’t know if you played for the little breeze in the uphill part of it. So that left for his par. [Music] Just a note while he walks to 18 on Norman’s 66 today, he started play in 65th position. And that 66 was so good it moved him to second place one behind the leader. Comparatively so good. As you look at the current leader board, Davis Love the third just two back. Frank Nabelo and Ken Green as well. You just take a look at how many scores are two, three, four behind the leaders. I just uh there’s just bunches of them and I mean they’re good players. John Dailyaly dome the guy’s got two major championships. He’s hitting that zero iron. Who knows? Watson, good one there coming off his memorial win. Thinks he’s pretty magical at the moment. And Colin Montgomery, a lot of people picked him. Elkington has won a major and uh he’s he’s tough and Paul Azinger good story there in Cory of course our defending champion and Tom Layman who’s had a lot of good shots at major championships and then of course don’t forget Mr. Nick Faldo and Lee Jansen who under ball. Hail Irwin’s not out of it either. Look at all these scores. Threes and fours. Three off the lead. 20 players. 26 are within four and 43 within five after 36 holes. And just to underline what we mentioned earlier today, that eventual champion Cory Paven a year ago was six strokes off the lead after the second round. Yeah, great turnaround by Tiger Woods. He plays uh those last uh five holes yesterday uh just in a hellacious uh number over par, nine over par and it was uh uh comes back today and makes the cut and who knows you know he really stared the monster squarely in the eye and uh competed very well today. 69 for Tiger Woods. Jack Nicholas will be around U, which is wonderful. David Duvall barely scraping his way into the weekend. Many liked his chances. And Phil Mickelson seemingly at one point was going to be out of work for the weekend, but he’s in. And nice to see Tom Kite make it. And also Curtis Strange, who’s won this twice, 88 89. Tom Kite of course had that magical last round at Pebble Beach when he won in the toughest conditions I can remember. Now Brad Faxton long putt for par. That was a good looking putt with about a foot to go. was right in the heart and it just side slip slipped to the left and he has a very very uh white knuckle putt coming down the hill from there but he is a great putter probably doesn’t bother him a bit I know Greg Norman had that same putt and he was thinking well I don’t hit this too hard and uh spoil things and made it. Now, David Edwards same putt, firm left edge, singed, and leaves himself an even longer second putt. Edwards plus seven. And he doesn’t Are you serious? Ooh, that uh he’s not going to make the cut. And he has the opportunity. Oh, come on, David. And now for certain he’s uh gone for the weekend. I don’t think he knows he’s on national TV either. Disheartened effort, but actually uh has just um thrown away a chance to play on the weekend in the US Open Championship. That’s going to hurt when he finds out. Now Tim Herren, well, he’s seen this putt twice. I mean, he knows it. He knows it breaks a little more than it looks. Couple inches outside right edge. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him make this in a wonderful uh birdie finish here after a great drive. An excellent second. Let’s see it knock it in to make the cut. Might be left. It was left right off the get-go. So that for his par and plus nine for the championship that uh will leave
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The 90s was the best era in golf
Let’s revert back to this time period…when golf was dominated by real “golfers” and not by “golf equipment”
GOLD.