Iconic shots set up major chance for Louis Oosthuizen, MacKenzie Hughes and Russell Henley at U.S. Open
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SAN DIEGO – Every major championship winner has an iconic moment or shot. Last time we were at Torrey Pines for a U.S. Open (2008) it was a bouncing 12-foot putt that fell into the cup on the 72nd hole to propel Tiger Woods into a playoff he would eventually win.
In Saturday’s third round of the 2021 U.S. Open at the same venue Louis Oosthuizen, MacKenzie Hughes and Russell Henley all had huge iconic moments that in 18 holes from now (20 if there is a playoff) could be looked at as the clincher to a life-changing victory.
Hughes shot a 3-under 68, Oosthuizen a 1-under 70 and Henley ground out an even-par 71 to leave the trio sitting at 5-under in a tie for the lead, two shots clear of the nearest challengers. But the list of stars behind them is stacked.
Two-time FedExCup champion and four-time major winner Rory McIlroy (67) and defending U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau share fourth at 3-under. Five-time PGA TOUR winner (including one at Torrey Pines) Jon Rahm (72) and young stars Matthew Wolff (73) and Scottie Scheffler (70) are a shot further back at 2-under.
Five players sit at 1-under led by two-time major winner and former FedExCup champion Dustin Johnson (68), former PGA Champion Collin Morikawa (70) and local hero and four-time TOUR winner Xander Schauffele (72). South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout (70) and American Kevin Streelman (72) also have hopes of a huge Sunday.
But back to the leading trio and their huge moments.
First there is South Africa’s Oosthuizen, the perennial runner up, who has fashioned an amazing career since winning the 2010 Open Championship at St Andrews even if victories have been scarce. Given his history of near misses the 52-foot, 4-inch eagle putt on the last hole Saturday could almost be seen as karmic retribution should he win the trophy on Sunday.
“I only thought it was going in when it hit the pin and went in,” Oosthuizen grinned despite the fact it was tracking down the famous fault line to the front left hole location.
Oosthuizen has been second five times in majors and was also runner up once at THE PLAYERS Championship (2017). He was third at the 2020 U.S. Open as well. The 2010 win remains his only PGA TOUR win, but he has won nine (including the Open) European Tour events.
First the long time Presidents Cup star was runner up in the 2012 Masters, losing to Bubba Watson’s iconic hooking wedge in a playoff. In 2015 he was runner up in back-to-back majors at the U.S. Open and then again at St Andrews where Zach Johnson beat him (and Marc Leishman) in a four-hole playoff. Justin Thomas was the only player in front of him at the 2017 PGA Championship before Phil Mickelson defied history last month to be the oldest ever major champion at the 2021 PGA.
Maybe this is his time.
“Every major to me I learn something more about my game and what to do under the pressure,” he said. “The two that really hurt was the playoffs. That's so close to winning. I lost to a great golf shot in 2012, and in '15 I probably had an opportunity. I missed a short putt on the 17th in the playoff. Those ones take a little longer to get over.”
For Henley and Hughes their moments came within seconds of each other and just yards apart.
Henley had just come off a bogey on the 10th hole to leave his lead at one-shot when his tee shot on the par-3 11th sailed right and landed in a bunker. The ball barely popped out of its own mark which proved pivotal soon after. Another bogey may have sent his round spiraling the wrong way, but Henley stepped up and holed the shot for birdie and reestablished a two-shot lead.
“Definitely wasn't a perfect back nine, but hit a lot of good shots, a lot of good recovery shots,” he said modestly.
Henley has three TOUR wins with the last one coming in 2017 at the Houston Open. He sits 53rd in this seasons FedExCup after four top 10s including finishing third at THE CJ CUP @SHADOW CREEK and The Honda Classic and fourth at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP at Sherwood.
But his major record doesn’t read well. The 32-year-old has 26 previous major starts and is yet to finish in the top-10. A T11 at the 2017 Masters, the week after his last TOUR win, is his best result.
“I don't know how many more good years I have of golf left, but hopefully a lot, but I'm just excited. I'm excited, and you always wonder what it would feel like or be like to be in contention,” Henley said.
“Felt like I was thinking well… and I’m definitely capable of playing better, and I think I can do it.”
As the roars went up for Henley’s hole-out Hughes was stalking an eagle putt on the nearby 13th green. The Canadian glanced over briefly but never broke from his routine. When he sent his 61-foot, 8-inch putt on its way he got a sense it could be good and raised his arms before it disappeared into the hole. In the blink of an eye the 2017 RSM Classic champion was in the tournament up to his eyeballs.
“I'm excited. You get goosebumps thinking about it, so I know I'm going to be nervous tomorrow,” Hughes said. “I know that my game is good enough to win on the PGA TOUR. I've done it before.”
Hughes will play in the final group Sunday with Oosthuizen in just his eighth major. He’s missed the cut in six of seven majors prior to this week with a T58 at the 2020 PGA Championship his best result. While sitting 82nd in this seasons FedExCup Hughes came into the tournament on the back of five straight missed cuts.
“It really just comes down to mental toughness. I really think that the hard thing to do when you're in the midst of struggling is to stay positive in light of that,” Hughes said.
“It's really easy to get down and to be negative and to pout and feel bad for yourself, but I've been trying to do the hard thing, which is to be positive, glass half full, optimistic, looking for the progress, and that's kind of a little bit what I've been working on.
“More of that tomorrow, and win or lose, I've been making a lot of progress, and I'm excited for the challenge.”
One thing is certain – whoever wins on Sunday, be it from this trio or elsewhere – will have an iconic moment.