• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Furyk Takes Lead Over Singh at U.S. Open

Posted on: Saturday, 14 June 2003, 06:00 CDT

Jim Furyk became only the third player in U.S. Open history to reach double digits under par, making a short birdie on the ninth hole Saturday to get to 10 under and take a one-stroke lead over Vijay Singh.

There was plenty of movement in the third round at Olympia Fields, and three players had at least a share of the lead at one point.

Furyk took the lead with his birdie on No. 9, joining Tiger Woods and Gil Morgan as the only players to reach 10 under or better at any point in a U.S. Open.

Morgan was 10 under during the third round at Pebble Beach in 1992, but dropped shots quickly and closed with 77-81 to tie for 13th. Woods won the 2000 U.S. Open at 12-under 272, playing his final 26 holes at par or better.

Furyk and Singh were tied for the lead at 7 under to start the third round, and halfway through on a sunny, dry day at Olympia Fields, they remained the players to beat.

Singh took the early lead by chipping out of deep rough to 4 feet on the par-5 first for an easy birdie, and he got up-and-down from a bunker on the par-5 sixth.

Furyk tied him with birdies at Nos. 5 and 6, then went ahead with a brilliant approach to No. 9 to reach 10 under.

Nick Price had the lead to himself at one point. He birdied the first four holes, all with putts inside 15 feet, and two-putted for birdie at No. 6 to reach 9 under. Price was 5 under through his first six holes.

But he had a tough lie in the bunker on No. 7 and made bogey, then quickly gave up more shots with bogeys on three of his next five holes.

Woods, meanwhile, was losing hope of becoming only the second player in the last 50 years to win back-to-back U.S. Open titles. Woods was 4 over through 13 holes and back to even-par for the championship, 10 strokes out of the lead.

Woods has won all eight of his majors with at least a share of the 54-hole lead.

More News in this Category