‘Old man golf': Aussie veteran poised to make history at the US Open
Veteran Australian golfer Adam Scott could make history on Monday after overcoming treacherous conditions at the US Open to put himself into contention to win a second of golf's major tournaments.
Scott sits in equal second at three-under, after finishing the third round at Oakmont Country Club with a three-under par 67. The 44-year-old held a share of the lead toward the end of his round, but will go into the last day just one shot behind leader Sam Burns.
If Scott goes on to win the US Open, he will break a record for the longest wait between first and second major wins - after the Queenslander famously won his first in 2013 with a drought-breaking victory at the Masters. Scott would also become the second-oldest golfer to win a US Open.
Scott showed all his experience and guile on Sunday, coming home with three birdies in the final six holes
In a sign of how brutally tough the Oakmont Country Club course is to play this year, just four players are under par for the tournament after three rounds. The course's length, tricky greens and impossibly thick rough have made some of the world's best look like everyday hackers.
But playing his 96th consecutive major tournament - dating back to 2001 - Scott played superbly to shoot back-to-back rounds of even par on the first two days, setting him up for a climb up the leaderboard in the 'moving day' third round.
Scott said post-round he'd used all his years' experience to negotiate the course, and take advantage of the rare opportunities on greens that were softened up by some rain.
'I played really well, although you know I was fairly safe,' Scott said.
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- The Advertiser
Pristine day heralds winter solstice and longest night of the year
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But the good news is that from then on Aussies will get an incremental increase in the amount of visible sunlight each day. There were - to use the journalist's favourite literary device - 'sealier' places to be than soaking up the sun just off Newcastle Ocean Baths on a near-perfect winter's day on Friday. It boasted a pristine sky, fair surfing conditions and clean sets off the Cowrie Hole. Awash in a warm and sunny 19 degrees, and just off the back of the Newcastle Ocean Baths, a bulky Australian fur seal luxuriated in the serenity as the surfers gave it a respectful berth. The fur seal - which, along with their long-nose cousins, frequent the Hunter - is a somewhat regular visitor to the ocean baths. Lifeguards on Friday morning, speaking of the big pup like an old friend, said it drops by usually around this time of year to check in. Its whiskers just crested the water line as is bobbed between the swell. Time seemed to slow down as residents and shutterbugs mingled to take it in. "This is a process called thermo-regulating," a spokesperson for Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia told the Newcastle Herald in 2023, when another seal was spotted off the Nobbys breakwall similarly waving a flipper as it floated. "When they get too hot, it helps them cool down." Friday's sunshine was expected to gradually give way to cloudier conditions, with a chance of showers toward the middle of next week. Surf conditions are expected to remain fair through Sunday, with a swell just above two feet, at waist height. Southern swell spots were making the best of the conditions, surf forecasters said, with chest-high waves for the short boards, or the sheltered zones optimal for the longboards on the incoming tide. The southern hemisphere's winter solstice is on Saturday, June 21. It marks Australia's shortest day and longest night of the year based on sunlight hours. 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But the good news is that from then on Aussies will get an incremental increase in the amount of visible sunlight each day. There were - to use the journalist's favourite literary device - 'sealier' places to be than soaking up the sun just off Newcastle Ocean Baths on a near-perfect winter's day on Friday. It boasted a pristine sky, fair surfing conditions and clean sets off the Cowrie Hole. Awash in a warm and sunny 19 degrees, and just off the back of the Newcastle Ocean Baths, a bulky Australian fur seal luxuriated in the serenity as the surfers gave it a respectful berth. The fur seal - which, along with their long-nose cousins, frequent the Hunter - is a somewhat regular visitor to the ocean baths. Lifeguards on Friday morning, speaking of the big pup like an old friend, said it drops by usually around this time of year to check in. Its whiskers just crested the water line as is bobbed between the swell. 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The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Day storms into contention at rich PGA Tour event
Jason Day has roared into contention at the PGA Tour's lucrative Travelers Championship despite revealing he is not even firing on all cylinders. Australia's former world No.1 repeated his first-round 66 with another four-under-par score on Friday (Saturday AEST) to jump into outright fourth, just one stroke behind the halfway leaders. World No.1 Scottie Scheffler (62-69), fellow American and dual major winner Justin Thomas (67-64) and Englishman Tommy Fleetwood (66-65) share the lead at nine under through 36 holes. Scheffler is chasing a fourth win from six starts, Thomas his second of the season while Fleetwood enhanced his hopes of maiden PGA Tour victory with two eagles and a birdie in a spectacular four-hole back-nine burst. Day defied extreme winds to conjure seven birdies at TPC River Highlands, including four on a flawless back nine, to be right in the mix for the $US3.6 million winner's cheque. 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"I feel pretty good," Day told the Golf Channel. "Obviously I had the disc protrusion in my neck, and that feels like it's been a year-long thing. "Unfortunately I haven't been able to hit it as hard as I'd like to. It's just like a little freak thing that happened, and unfortunately the wrist goes with that as well. "So I had a little TFCC strain and I feel good now, which is great. I'm still trying to manage it all. From here (the neck) down, I feel tremendous. "Everyone probably knows that I've battled some lower-back issues in the past, and I feel like I've had a pretty good handle on it. Then these two things have just come out of the blue and unfortunately just set me back. "I missed five out of six weeks, missed two signature events on top of that. Then I really didn't have a great prep going into the PGA, a limited prep going into the US Open, so it's nice to be in the mix coming into this weekend." Day looks the only Australian chance, with Min Woo Lee (73-69) back in a tie for 49th at two over. Cam Davis (71-73) and Adam Scott, on a come down from his US Open surge, are four over and equal 59th in the 72-player, no-cut field. Jason Day has roared into contention at the PGA Tour's lucrative Travelers Championship despite revealing he is not even firing on all cylinders. Australia's former world No.1 repeated his first-round 66 with another four-under-par score on Friday (Saturday AEST) to jump into outright fourth, just one stroke behind the halfway leaders. World No.1 Scottie Scheffler (62-69), fellow American and dual major winner Justin Thomas (67-64) and Englishman Tommy Fleetwood (66-65) share the lead at nine under through 36 holes. Scheffler is chasing a fourth win from six starts, Thomas his second of the season while Fleetwood enhanced his hopes of maiden PGA Tour victory with two eagles and a birdie in a spectacular four-hole back-nine burst. Day defied extreme winds to conjure seven birdies at TPC River Highlands, including four on a flawless back nine, to be right in the mix for the $US3.6 million winner's cheque. "There was 40-mile gusts out there, so, you had to hit on the right wind," he said. "To be able to walk out at eight under - four under, four under - after two days, I'm very pleased with it." Day continues to enjoy an impressive season, despite freak neck and wrist injuries derailing the former PGA Championship winner's campaign over the past three months. After chalking up top 10s at The Masters, Arnold Palmer Invitational and The American Express, the 37-year-old had to sit out The Players Championship through illness then The Truist Championship after hurting his neck. Compounding his troubles, Day then suffered triangular fibrocartilage complex damage to a wrist while moving a bike. He couldn't play for almost a month between missing the cut for the first time at the PGA Championship and finishing a creditable joint-23rd at last week's gruelling US Open at Oakmont Country Club. Little wonder he is chuffed to be back on the leaderboard at the $US20 million event in Connecticut. "I feel pretty good," Day told the Golf Channel. "Obviously I had the disc protrusion in my neck, and that feels like it's been a year-long thing. "Unfortunately I haven't been able to hit it as hard as I'd like to. It's just like a little freak thing that happened, and unfortunately the wrist goes with that as well. "So I had a little TFCC strain and I feel good now, which is great. I'm still trying to manage it all. From here (the neck) down, I feel tremendous. "Everyone probably knows that I've battled some lower-back issues in the past, and I feel like I've had a pretty good handle on it. Then these two things have just come out of the blue and unfortunately just set me back. "I missed five out of six weeks, missed two signature events on top of that. Then I really didn't have a great prep going into the PGA, a limited prep going into the US Open, so it's nice to be in the mix coming into this weekend." Day looks the only Australian chance, with Min Woo Lee (73-69) back in a tie for 49th at two over. Cam Davis (71-73) and Adam Scott, on a come down from his US Open surge, are four over and equal 59th in the 72-player, no-cut field. Jason Day has roared into contention at the PGA Tour's lucrative Travelers Championship despite revealing he is not even firing on all cylinders. Australia's former world No.1 repeated his first-round 66 with another four-under-par score on Friday (Saturday AEST) to jump into outright fourth, just one stroke behind the halfway leaders. World No.1 Scottie Scheffler (62-69), fellow American and dual major winner Justin Thomas (67-64) and Englishman Tommy Fleetwood (66-65) share the lead at nine under through 36 holes. Scheffler is chasing a fourth win from six starts, Thomas his second of the season while Fleetwood enhanced his hopes of maiden PGA Tour victory with two eagles and a birdie in a spectacular four-hole back-nine burst. Day defied extreme winds to conjure seven birdies at TPC River Highlands, including four on a flawless back nine, to be right in the mix for the $US3.6 million winner's cheque. "There was 40-mile gusts out there, so, you had to hit on the right wind," he said. "To be able to walk out at eight under - four under, four under - after two days, I'm very pleased with it." Day continues to enjoy an impressive season, despite freak neck and wrist injuries derailing the former PGA Championship winner's campaign over the past three months. After chalking up top 10s at The Masters, Arnold Palmer Invitational and The American Express, the 37-year-old had to sit out The Players Championship through illness then The Truist Championship after hurting his neck. Compounding his troubles, Day then suffered triangular fibrocartilage complex damage to a wrist while moving a bike. He couldn't play for almost a month between missing the cut for the first time at the PGA Championship and finishing a creditable joint-23rd at last week's gruelling US Open at Oakmont Country Club. Little wonder he is chuffed to be back on the leaderboard at the $US20 million event in Connecticut. "I feel pretty good," Day told the Golf Channel. "Obviously I had the disc protrusion in my neck, and that feels like it's been a year-long thing. "Unfortunately I haven't been able to hit it as hard as I'd like to. It's just like a little freak thing that happened, and unfortunately the wrist goes with that as well. "So I had a little TFCC strain and I feel good now, which is great. I'm still trying to manage it all. From here (the neck) down, I feel tremendous. "Everyone probably knows that I've battled some lower-back issues in the past, and I feel like I've had a pretty good handle on it. Then these two things have just come out of the blue and unfortunately just set me back. "I missed five out of six weeks, missed two signature events on top of that. Then I really didn't have a great prep going into the PGA, a limited prep going into the US Open, so it's nice to be in the mix coming into this weekend." Day looks the only Australian chance, with Min Woo Lee (73-69) back in a tie for 49th at two over. Cam Davis (71-73) and Adam Scott, on a come down from his US Open surge, are four over and equal 59th in the 72-player, no-cut field. Jason Day has roared into contention at the PGA Tour's lucrative Travelers Championship despite revealing he is not even firing on all cylinders. Australia's former world No.1 repeated his first-round 66 with another four-under-par score on Friday (Saturday AEST) to jump into outright fourth, just one stroke behind the halfway leaders. World No.1 Scottie Scheffler (62-69), fellow American and dual major winner Justin Thomas (67-64) and Englishman Tommy Fleetwood (66-65) share the lead at nine under through 36 holes. Scheffler is chasing a fourth win from six starts, Thomas his second of the season while Fleetwood enhanced his hopes of maiden PGA Tour victory with two eagles and a birdie in a spectacular four-hole back-nine burst. Day defied extreme winds to conjure seven birdies at TPC River Highlands, including four on a flawless back nine, to be right in the mix for the $US3.6 million winner's cheque. "There was 40-mile gusts out there, so, you had to hit on the right wind," he said. "To be able to walk out at eight under - four under, four under - after two days, I'm very pleased with it." Day continues to enjoy an impressive season, despite freak neck and wrist injuries derailing the former PGA Championship winner's campaign over the past three months. After chalking up top 10s at The Masters, Arnold Palmer Invitational and The American Express, the 37-year-old had to sit out The Players Championship through illness then The Truist Championship after hurting his neck. Compounding his troubles, Day then suffered triangular fibrocartilage complex damage to a wrist while moving a bike. He couldn't play for almost a month between missing the cut for the first time at the PGA Championship and finishing a creditable joint-23rd at last week's gruelling US Open at Oakmont Country Club. Little wonder he is chuffed to be back on the leaderboard at the $US20 million event in Connecticut. "I feel pretty good," Day told the Golf Channel. "Obviously I had the disc protrusion in my neck, and that feels like it's been a year-long thing. "Unfortunately I haven't been able to hit it as hard as I'd like to. It's just like a little freak thing that happened, and unfortunately the wrist goes with that as well. "So I had a little TFCC strain and I feel good now, which is great. I'm still trying to manage it all. From here (the neck) down, I feel tremendous. "Everyone probably knows that I've battled some lower-back issues in the past, and I feel like I've had a pretty good handle on it. Then these two things have just come out of the blue and unfortunately just set me back. "I missed five out of six weeks, missed two signature events on top of that. Then I really didn't have a great prep going into the PGA, a limited prep going into the US Open, so it's nice to be in the mix coming into this weekend." Day looks the only Australian chance, with Min Woo Lee (73-69) back in a tie for 49th at two over. Cam Davis (71-73) and Adam Scott, on a come down from his US Open surge, are four over and equal 59th in the 72-player, no-cut field.
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
'Hungrier than us': Aussie-bound Lions mauled by Pumas
The British and Irish Lions' dream of an unbeaten 2025 campaign is over even before they fly out to tour Australia after a jolting opening Test loss to Argentina in a thrilling Dublin curtain-raiser. The party-pooping Pumas gleefully ignored all the hype surrounding the Lions as they ripped through the feelgood factor at Lansdowne Road on Friday night with a deserved 28-24 victory against Andy Farrell's predictably rusty but surprisingly outgunned outfit. It was the first time for 54 years since their famous 1971 triumph in New Zealand with Barry John and co that the Lions have lost their opening match of any tour - and the setback left coach Farrell quickly reading the riot act. He didn't hold back about his side's lack of intensity as he declared: "They were hungrier than us - and that's just not acceptable." There were moments, as the Lions scored three tries through centre Bundee Aki, a penalty try and lock Tadhg Beirne, when they showed what captain Maro Itoje called "glimmers of what we can do", the sort of cohesive attacking and forward domination they'll need in their nine Australian matches including three Tests. But their error count was horrendous, allowing the slick visitors, who Beirne had reckoned would be treating the match as their "World Cup final", to lead 21-10 at halftime and then hold out courageously after repelling the Lions' second-half comeback. The excellent counter-attacking Pumas also crossed the whitewash three times through Ignacio Mendy, Tomas Albornoz and Santiago Cordero in a deflating evening for the Lions before they fly out to Perth for their first match against Western Force next Saturday. "It's disappointing. We've got to take the learnings from this," said Farrell, back at the Aviva Stadium where he's led Ireland to so much success. Not for the first time, the Pumas, who crushed the Wallabies by 40 points the last time the teams met in the Rugby Championship, delighted in spoiling the send-off, the world's No.5-ranked side now adding the Lions to their victims for the first time after beating all three Rugby Championship rivals last season. The Pumas took the upper hand early when, after Mendy's try had been answered by Aki's score, Albornoz struck from a Puma's counter from their own 22 on the stroke of halftime. The Lions, deprived of almost half their squad because of recent club commitments and injuries, had a couple of scores ruled out in the first half - including one from Sione Tuipulotu - because of knock-ons. But Farrell was briefly enthused at the start of the second half when their robust response led to the penalty try and home favourite Beirne powering over. But Cordero then put the also under-strength Pumas back in front with a superb team score and they held on grimly under pressure near their own line only for the Lions to spurn their last chance when a penalty in front of the Argentina posts was reversed over a Beirne neck roll. "Argentina deserved the win and capitalised on all the errors we made," said Farrell. "There is a lot to do. You can't win a Test with that error rate. We lost enough balls in that game for a full tour, throwing balls that weren't on. "There was good and bad throughout. We were just a little bit off - and I take responsibility for that." There was at least some good news for the Lions in the performances of their three Australian-born players - Scotland's Tuipulotu plus the Irish pair of prop Finlay Bealham and replacement wing Mack Hansen, who all made excellent debuts in the scarlet. Melburnian Tuipulotu looked the Lions' most incisive attacker even if his handling may have been just a tiny bit off while Canberra's Bealham was instrumental in the Lions' scrum domination. The ebullient Hansen, another Canberra native much loved by the Dublin faithful, got one of the biggest cheers of the night when he came on for the last 20 minutes, and repaid the ovation with a couple of fine raids. The British and Irish Lions' dream of an unbeaten 2025 campaign is over even before they fly out to tour Australia after a jolting opening Test loss to Argentina in a thrilling Dublin curtain-raiser. The party-pooping Pumas gleefully ignored all the hype surrounding the Lions as they ripped through the feelgood factor at Lansdowne Road on Friday night with a deserved 28-24 victory against Andy Farrell's predictably rusty but surprisingly outgunned outfit. It was the first time for 54 years since their famous 1971 triumph in New Zealand with Barry John and co that the Lions have lost their opening match of any tour - and the setback left coach Farrell quickly reading the riot act. He didn't hold back about his side's lack of intensity as he declared: "They were hungrier than us - and that's just not acceptable." There were moments, as the Lions scored three tries through centre Bundee Aki, a penalty try and lock Tadhg Beirne, when they showed what captain Maro Itoje called "glimmers of what we can do", the sort of cohesive attacking and forward domination they'll need in their nine Australian matches including three Tests. But their error count was horrendous, allowing the slick visitors, who Beirne had reckoned would be treating the match as their "World Cup final", to lead 21-10 at halftime and then hold out courageously after repelling the Lions' second-half comeback. The excellent counter-attacking Pumas also crossed the whitewash three times through Ignacio Mendy, Tomas Albornoz and Santiago Cordero in a deflating evening for the Lions before they fly out to Perth for their first match against Western Force next Saturday. "It's disappointing. We've got to take the learnings from this," said Farrell, back at the Aviva Stadium where he's led Ireland to so much success. Not for the first time, the Pumas, who crushed the Wallabies by 40 points the last time the teams met in the Rugby Championship, delighted in spoiling the send-off, the world's No.5-ranked side now adding the Lions to their victims for the first time after beating all three Rugby Championship rivals last season. The Pumas took the upper hand early when, after Mendy's try had been answered by Aki's score, Albornoz struck from a Puma's counter from their own 22 on the stroke of halftime. The Lions, deprived of almost half their squad because of recent club commitments and injuries, had a couple of scores ruled out in the first half - including one from Sione Tuipulotu - because of knock-ons. But Farrell was briefly enthused at the start of the second half when their robust response led to the penalty try and home favourite Beirne powering over. But Cordero then put the also under-strength Pumas back in front with a superb team score and they held on grimly under pressure near their own line only for the Lions to spurn their last chance when a penalty in front of the Argentina posts was reversed over a Beirne neck roll. "Argentina deserved the win and capitalised on all the errors we made," said Farrell. "There is a lot to do. You can't win a Test with that error rate. We lost enough balls in that game for a full tour, throwing balls that weren't on. "There was good and bad throughout. We were just a little bit off - and I take responsibility for that." There was at least some good news for the Lions in the performances of their three Australian-born players - Scotland's Tuipulotu plus the Irish pair of prop Finlay Bealham and replacement wing Mack Hansen, who all made excellent debuts in the scarlet. Melburnian Tuipulotu looked the Lions' most incisive attacker even if his handling may have been just a tiny bit off while Canberra's Bealham was instrumental in the Lions' scrum domination. The ebullient Hansen, another Canberra native much loved by the Dublin faithful, got one of the biggest cheers of the night when he came on for the last 20 minutes, and repaid the ovation with a couple of fine raids. The British and Irish Lions' dream of an unbeaten 2025 campaign is over even before they fly out to tour Australia after a jolting opening Test loss to Argentina in a thrilling Dublin curtain-raiser. The party-pooping Pumas gleefully ignored all the hype surrounding the Lions as they ripped through the feelgood factor at Lansdowne Road on Friday night with a deserved 28-24 victory against Andy Farrell's predictably rusty but surprisingly outgunned outfit. It was the first time for 54 years since their famous 1971 triumph in New Zealand with Barry John and co that the Lions have lost their opening match of any tour - and the setback left coach Farrell quickly reading the riot act. He didn't hold back about his side's lack of intensity as he declared: "They were hungrier than us - and that's just not acceptable." There were moments, as the Lions scored three tries through centre Bundee Aki, a penalty try and lock Tadhg Beirne, when they showed what captain Maro Itoje called "glimmers of what we can do", the sort of cohesive attacking and forward domination they'll need in their nine Australian matches including three Tests. But their error count was horrendous, allowing the slick visitors, who Beirne had reckoned would be treating the match as their "World Cup final", to lead 21-10 at halftime and then hold out courageously after repelling the Lions' second-half comeback. The excellent counter-attacking Pumas also crossed the whitewash three times through Ignacio Mendy, Tomas Albornoz and Santiago Cordero in a deflating evening for the Lions before they fly out to Perth for their first match against Western Force next Saturday. "It's disappointing. We've got to take the learnings from this," said Farrell, back at the Aviva Stadium where he's led Ireland to so much success. Not for the first time, the Pumas, who crushed the Wallabies by 40 points the last time the teams met in the Rugby Championship, delighted in spoiling the send-off, the world's No.5-ranked side now adding the Lions to their victims for the first time after beating all three Rugby Championship rivals last season. The Pumas took the upper hand early when, after Mendy's try had been answered by Aki's score, Albornoz struck from a Puma's counter from their own 22 on the stroke of halftime. The Lions, deprived of almost half their squad because of recent club commitments and injuries, had a couple of scores ruled out in the first half - including one from Sione Tuipulotu - because of knock-ons. But Farrell was briefly enthused at the start of the second half when their robust response led to the penalty try and home favourite Beirne powering over. But Cordero then put the also under-strength Pumas back in front with a superb team score and they held on grimly under pressure near their own line only for the Lions to spurn their last chance when a penalty in front of the Argentina posts was reversed over a Beirne neck roll. "Argentina deserved the win and capitalised on all the errors we made," said Farrell. "There is a lot to do. You can't win a Test with that error rate. We lost enough balls in that game for a full tour, throwing balls that weren't on. "There was good and bad throughout. We were just a little bit off - and I take responsibility for that." There was at least some good news for the Lions in the performances of their three Australian-born players - Scotland's Tuipulotu plus the Irish pair of prop Finlay Bealham and replacement wing Mack Hansen, who all made excellent debuts in the scarlet. Melburnian Tuipulotu looked the Lions' most incisive attacker even if his handling may have been just a tiny bit off while Canberra's Bealham was instrumental in the Lions' scrum domination. The ebullient Hansen, another Canberra native much loved by the Dublin faithful, got one of the biggest cheers of the night when he came on for the last 20 minutes, and repaid the ovation with a couple of fine raids.
