Zhang finds going tough on debut
Source: AFP |
June 16, 2012, Saturday
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Print Edition
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CHINESE teenager Andy Zhang saw his US Open dream rapidly turn into a nightmare when he teed off at San Francisco's Olympic Club on Thursday.
At 14 and 1/2 years, the Beijing-born, Florida-based Zhang is believed to be the youngest player ever to compete in the US Open which was first held in 1895.
And his lack of experience at this level and on such a demanding layout was cruelly exposed from the off as he opened triple-double bogey followed by three more bogeys to stand at a morale-sapping eight over after just five holes.
Zhang steadied the ship somewhat after that, but he still had to settle for a nine over 79, birdieing the 18th to duck under 80. That left him languishing just above the bottom rung of the leaderboard and with little or no hope of making the cut.
Sounding slightly shell-shocked, but not too distraught, Zhang, who made it into the field only on Monday after being the fifth alternate through qualifying, admitted that he had been up against it throughout his round. "It was really tough," he said. "On the first tee I was like, just please don't hit a hundred yard slice off the first tee, and I was shaking really hard. But I hit a great shot.
"After that I didn't hit the ball quite well, but my putting was OK. The course is really tough. So I'm actually OK with what I shot today. At least I broke 80.
"I shot eight over in the first five holes, and then I made that par and then kind of got like a start, knew how to play golf a little bit after that."
Solid start
Tiger Woods got his US Open challenge off to a solid start.
"I was really, really surprised at how much it had changed from last night or from yesterday," Woods said after shooting a one-under par 69. "We knew the greens were going to be a little quicker, but I didn't think they would be this firm this early in the week. So we had to make a couple of adjustments with that.
"But I'm really excited how I was able to execute my game plan all day today and pleased with a one-under par round."
Woods was three shots off the pace set by first-round leader Michael Thompson (66). He was joined on 69 by 2001 USPGA Champion David Toms, 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell, England's Justin Rose and American Nick Watney.
Playing partner Bubba Watson, the reigning Masters champion who staggered to a 78, said Woods showed every sign of being back in major title form.
"Tiger, that was the old Tiger," Watson said. "That was beautiful to watch. He hit every shot shape he was trying to hit. I didn't see any bad swings. I didn't see any bad shot really."
American Nick Watney holed his second shot on the par-5 17th hole for an albatross in the opening round.
Watney hit a five-iron from 190 yards out to notch the second albatross in a major championship this season.
South African Louis Oosthuizen achieved the feat in the final round of the Masters on April 8. Watney's albatross was the third in US Open history.
At 14 and 1/2 years, the Beijing-born, Florida-based Zhang is believed to be the youngest player ever to compete in the US Open which was first held in 1895.
And his lack of experience at this level and on such a demanding layout was cruelly exposed from the off as he opened triple-double bogey followed by three more bogeys to stand at a morale-sapping eight over after just five holes.
Zhang steadied the ship somewhat after that, but he still had to settle for a nine over 79, birdieing the 18th to duck under 80. That left him languishing just above the bottom rung of the leaderboard and with little or no hope of making the cut.
Sounding slightly shell-shocked, but not too distraught, Zhang, who made it into the field only on Monday after being the fifth alternate through qualifying, admitted that he had been up against it throughout his round. "It was really tough," he said. "On the first tee I was like, just please don't hit a hundred yard slice off the first tee, and I was shaking really hard. But I hit a great shot.
"After that I didn't hit the ball quite well, but my putting was OK. The course is really tough. So I'm actually OK with what I shot today. At least I broke 80.
"I shot eight over in the first five holes, and then I made that par and then kind of got like a start, knew how to play golf a little bit after that."
Solid start
Tiger Woods got his US Open challenge off to a solid start.
"I was really, really surprised at how much it had changed from last night or from yesterday," Woods said after shooting a one-under par 69. "We knew the greens were going to be a little quicker, but I didn't think they would be this firm this early in the week. So we had to make a couple of adjustments with that.
"But I'm really excited how I was able to execute my game plan all day today and pleased with a one-under par round."
Woods was three shots off the pace set by first-round leader Michael Thompson (66). He was joined on 69 by 2001 USPGA Champion David Toms, 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell, England's Justin Rose and American Nick Watney.
Playing partner Bubba Watson, the reigning Masters champion who staggered to a 78, said Woods showed every sign of being back in major title form.
"Tiger, that was the old Tiger," Watson said. "That was beautiful to watch. He hit every shot shape he was trying to hit. I didn't see any bad swings. I didn't see any bad shot really."
American Nick Watney holed his second shot on the par-5 17th hole for an albatross in the opening round.
Watney hit a five-iron from 190 yards out to notch the second albatross in a major championship this season.
South African Louis Oosthuizen achieved the feat in the final round of the Masters on April 8. Watney's albatross was the third in US Open history.
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