Tiger Woods, with 1 stroke under par, leads the ranking of U.S. Open in course on the Lake course, of the Olympic Golf of San Francisco. With a measured and "patient" game, as he himself defined it, Tiger managed to win against an impossible field, which has made dozens of excellent victims. Tied with Woods are two other Americans: Jim Furyk, winner of a US Open in 2003 and David Toms, winner of last year's PGA Championship. Also very good Matteo Manassero who passed the cut, after recovering dozens of positions, closing yesterday at 69, after the disappointing 76 of the first day, for a total of 5 strokes above par. Francesco Molinari played very well on the first day (71), while yesterday he suffered from the fast and unpredictable greens, while confirming his excellent game on the course. At the time of writing he is at +7, so on the cut line and could make it.
Certainly the route is living up to its sinister reputation as a "tomb of legends". Indeed they failed to qualifyi for the final days the number one and number two in the world, Luke Donald and Rory McIlory. Donald closed the first 36 holes with a disheartening +11, once again crushed by the anxiety of winning a major and silencing those who indicate him as a fallback number one. The English champion collected the disappointment with his usual elegance: "it doesn't matter how many times you fall - he wrote on Twitter - but how many times you get back up".
Also out with +10 is Rory McIlroy, the young Northern Irishman who won this tournament last year. McIlroy with his powerful and aggressive game is a crowd puller, but this season, after the results achieved in 2011, he doesn't seem really concentrated. It is difficult to remain solid after great successes, it is tiring to face the psychological pressure with the same determination, still want to suffer for golf, you have to be Tiger Woods and McIlroy still seems far from that strength of character, but he has time to mature.
The American champion, who won his last major in 2008, a US Open, got off to a good start yesterday, with a couple of pars and a birdie. It seemed that the first, impregnable, six holes gave way under his claws. On hole 3, Woods was already in the lead while Michael Thompson, who started 3 strokes ahead (with -4), was shipwrecked between bogeys and double bogeys. But at 5 Tiger's fate also changed and, thanks to bad luck, bunkers and a few too many putts, three bogeys arrived in a row. However, restraint and patience were Woods' best allies, who took over the drive only when the field allowed it, making up for lost ground.
Modest performance instead for his travel companions: Bubba Watson Masters champion, closed the first two days at +9 and remained out of the cut, and Phil Mickelson he took the last train and returned with a +7, after recovering, with great class, a few strokes in the last few holes.
The ending promises to be captivating: Tiger is fit and determined to win, but his rivals are tough, experienced and solid champions like Toms and Furyk and they won't make life easy for him. A few strokes (+1) is also Graeme McDowell, winner of the US Open in 2010, a precise player capable of bringing out the best in moments of greatest tension, in short, someone who could have a lot to say. The field also presents many pitfalls and even luck can play a decisive role. In the first two days there were also good shots unjustly punished by dizzying slopes and the speed of the course. The best comment entrusted to Twitter is that of McDowell: "I'm not enjoying myself at all, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world."
Finally, it should be noted the extraordinary performance by a 17-year-old Californian amateur: Bean Hossler, which closed at +3 and which, for a moment, made amateurs from all over the world dream, going down to -2 and taking the lead of the race. At the end of the 18 holes he had lost some positions, but he will play the final two days and this is already a victory.
