No McIlroy but Spieth in spotlight at Open

ST. ANDREWS -- Rory McIlroy's "kickabout" may have deprived the British Open of having the world number one defend his title, but the potential storylines next week at St Andrews are still strong, starting with golf's new golden boy Jordan Spieth.

The 21-year-old Texan has dominated the sport during the first half of this year, becoming the second-youngest winner of the Masters after Tiger Woods in April and last month becoming the youngest winner of the US Open since Bobby Jones in 1923.

That brings him to St Andrews with a shot at becoming just the second man - after Ben Hogan in 1953 - to win the first three majors of the year, setting up the mouthwatering prospect of him pulling off the Grand Slam at the PGA Championship next month.

Spieth raised a few eyebrows by electing not to travel to Scotland early to acquaint himself better with links golf. He has only ever played St Andrews once, four years ago ahead of a Walker Cup match in Aberdeen.

Instead, he stayed at home to compete in the relatively low-key John Deere Classic in Illinois for which he has a special affection, having won his first pro tournament there two years ago as a teenager.

His decision was vindicated after a 10-under 61 in the third round, the best round of his US PGA Tour career, set up his second victory in the event via a play-off on Sunday and continued his incredible run of 2015 success.

He made it clear that he had no regrets about opting to stay in the United States and travel to Scotland only on Monday.

"I committed to this event well ahead of time, never really crossed my mind to drop out," he said.

"I felt like I've played well in the Open Championship the last couple years having played at the John Deere right before and competed.

"When I get over there, whether I play well or don't play well has nothing to do with what I did the week before.

- High energy Spieth -
"I will certainly have enough energy. I will certainly have enough rest, and I will be as prepared as can be, as I am for any other event, by the time I tee it up at St Andrews. I'm not worried about any of that."

Spieth will be taking part in just his third Open having tied for 44th place at Muirfield two years ago and tied for 36th last year at Hoylake.

But his superb touch and finesse on and around the greens allied to his excellent course management skills make him a natural for links golf courses where imaginative shot-making is key.

What he won't be able to do at St Andrews, much to the dismay of the golfing world, is go up against McIlroy, with the two holding all four of golf's major titles and touted to be embarking on a rivalry that will fire up golf over the next two decades.

The 26-year-old Northern Irishman, winner of the Open and PGA Championship last year, sustained a bad ankle injury in a football "kickabout" with some friends, ruling him out of St Andrews and possibly also Whistling Straits, host venue for the PGA Championship.

- Woods seeks inspiration -

Spieth, though, said that with or without McIlroy, for him the challenge remains the same.

For Tiger Woods, the last golfer prior to Spieth to win the Masters and the US Open in the same year in 2002, the challenge of St Andrews is on an altogether different plane.

Unlike Spieth he knows the Old Course like the back of his hand, having won his first Open title there by eight strokes in 2000 and then again, by five strokes, in 2005.

It's his favourite course anywhere and if there is one place that can inspire him to revive his flagging fortunes - alongside Augusta National - it is St Andrews.

The former world number one is currently ranked 226th after a nightmare season featuring career-worst scores on the PGA Tour and in the US Open and a best finish of tied 17th in the Masters.

However, the 14-time major winner did card three sub-par rounds to finish joint 32nd in the Greenbrier Classic in his last start, including a bogey-free closing 67.

"I feel good," the 39-year-old said on Saturday after getting reacquainted with the Old Course at St Andrews.

"Sunday at Greenbrier is probably the best I hit it in two years. That was fun. It sounds crazy when I told everyone at Greenbrier that I felt close, after the scores I shot at the Memorial (85) and the US Open (80).

"I put it together at Greenbrier and hit it really good. (Instructor) Chris (Como) told me it was the first time I led the field in proximity to the hole with my iron game."

Spieth and Woods apart, the Open has numerous sub-plots worth keeping an eye on.

Phil Mickelson will seek a second Open crown in Scotland after his Muirfield triumph of two years ago, Louis Oosthuizen will try to resurrect his form of five years ago when he won by seven strokes at St Andrews and Justin Rose will spearhead the quest for a first English winner since Nick Faldo in 1992.

Faldo will play the Open for the last time as will five-time Open champion Tom Watson.

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Injury rules holder McIlroy out of British Open

LONDON - Rory McIlroy will not defend his British Open title at St Andrews next week after announcing on Wednesday he did not want to risk further damage to the ankle ligaments he ruptured playing football last weekend.

The world number one's presence at the spiritual home of golf had looked extremely doubtful after he suffered the injury in a kickabout with friends and posted a picture of himself wearing a protective plastic boot and his withdrawal was duly confirmed on his Instagram account.

"After much consideration I have decided not to play in the Open Championship at St. Andrews," the Northern Irishman wrote.

"I'm taking a long-term view of this injury and, although rehab is progressing well, I want to come back to tournament play when I feel 100 percent healthy and 100 percent competitive."

McIlroy's potential showdown with double major winner Jordan Spieth was expected to be the highlight of the Open but the American will now start the tournament as the favourite.

Spieth is one of several players who have come to McIlroy's defence after the usual social media "storm" questioning the wisdom of him playing football on an astroturf pitch so close to the Open.

Spieth said this week that he happily plays basketball with his caddie and also revealed a near miss on a fishing trip after he won the US Open last month when a shark took a tuna he was trying to reel in and almost pulled him overboard.

Phil Mickelson, speaking ahead of the Scottish Open which begins on Thursday, said he missed the 1994 Masters after breaking his leg in a skiing accident.

"I said then, and I feel the same way now, you can't live your life in fear," said the American. "You have to enjoy the moment. I didn't feel like he (McIlroy) was doing anything that was an unnecessary risk. He was just playing around and accidents happen.

"People get hurt taking a shower and doing normal day-to-day things. You can't stop living your life."

Justin Rose took a similar view, suggesting that total focus on golf could be counter-productive.

"It's a tough question, before a major championship...it's probably the last time he does play football in the middle of season," said Rose, who is back at Gullane to defend his Scottish Open title.

"But he likes to have fun. He likes to get his mind away from golf. I think he's the kind of guy that, if he practiced 24/7 and got too much in his own head, it's not going to help him."

(Editing by Ken Ferris and Toby Davis)

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Ready or not McIlroy and Spieth are golf's hottest rivalry

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Washington - It was Fathers Day on Sunday but the kids were in charge at Chambers Bay as Jordan Spieth won a U.S. Open that put all four majors in the hands of golf's young guns, signaling a changing of the guard is complete.

By the time 21-year-old Spieth was celebrating under a gorgeous Puget Sound sunset, Tiger Woods had long ago left the scene having missed the cut while Phil Mickelson, six times a runner-up at the U.S. Open, finished well down the leaderboard in a tie for 64th alongside a few other of golf's golden oldies like Angel Cabrera and Colin Montgomerie.

With 26-year-old Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy in possession of the British Open and PGA Championship, Spieth holding the U.S. Open and Masters titles and Rickie Fowler (26) winning golf's unofficial fifth major the Players Championship, the sport has taken on an undeniable youthful vibe as the greats who dominated the game for two decades fade into the background.

At Chambers Bay Woods, Mickelson and Ernie Els proved they can still attract a crowd but those fans appeared more interested in a trip down memory lane than the huge galleries packed with young men and women following Spieth and McIlroy.

McIlroy thrilled the Sunday throng with an early morning charge up the leaderboard before Spieth took over the spotlight scrapping to a one shot win over Dustin Johnson to become just the sixth golfer to win both the Masters and U.S. Open titles in the same year.

"It's kind of cool. I think to have two players hold the four majors and Ricky having the fifth," smiled Spieth. "It's awesome that the game is in young hands.

"I don't think much of a rivalry.

"Rory has four majors and dozens of wins and I'm just starting out.

"I'm just happy to have this and to be chasing that number one spot which he holds."

Whether Spieth and McIlroy are willing to embrace the idea of a rivalry or not the Texan and Northern Irishman are already being hyped as the new Tiger and Phil or Jack (Nicklaus) and Arnie (Palmer).

Certainly all the elements are in place for an enthralling battle.

ULTIMATE TEST

The two men from two different continents hold the top two spots in the world rankings, McIlroy number one and Spieth number two, own all four major titles and could face each other for a gold medal at next year's Rio Summer Olympics.

But the ultimate test of any great rivalry is how it stands up over time and Spieth and McIlroy are just getting started.

The next chapter will be written at next month's British Open where Spieth will try to get his hands on McIlroy's Claret Jug and move one more step closer to one of the greatest feats in sport - a grand slam.

"I think it's in the realm of possibility," said Spieth. "I think that the Grand Slam, I think that -- I'm just focused on the Claret Jug now.

"I think that the Grand Slam is something that I never could really fathom somebody doing, considering I watched Tiger win when he was winning and he won the Tiger Slam, but he never won the four in one year.

"This (Chambers Bay) was somewhat of a British-style golf course, so are the next two majors. I've proven to myself that I can win on a British-style golf course now.

"Now I take it to the truest British-style golf course of any in the world and I'm not going to think about what could possibly happen after."

(Editing by Martyn Herman)

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Mickelson prolongs his US Open drought

TACOMA -- Phil Mickelson's US Open winless drought continued at Chambers Bay after his bid for a career Grand Slam skidded to a halt on a murderous row of front nine par-fours on Saturday.

The 45-year-old American had five bogey's on the front nine en route to a seven-over 77 in the third round of the 115th US Open.

"As bad as my score was, I hit a lot of good shots that ended up as bogeys," said Mickelson.

Mickelson has finished second a record six times at the US Open and needed to win in Chambers Bay to become the sixth player in history to complete a career Grand Slam.

The crowd favourite finished his round with nine bogeys, two birdies to go with seven pars.

Mickelson needed a good showing Saturday after shooting a second round four-over 74, but his game started heading south early on in the third round and continued to go downhill.

He started the day at three-over but the first sign of trouble came on the second tee box.

Already reeling from two bogeys on his first three holes, Mickelson headed to one of the toughest four-hole stretches of par fours in the history of the US Open, beginning with the 509-yard No. 4.

By the time he made the turn he was at five-over 35 and his chances of claiming his first US Open title had all but vanished.

Mickelson parred No. 1 but followed with three straight bogeys starting with the par-four 399 yard second hole.

His tee shot on No. 2 found the deep rough on the left side of the fairway. He knocked it out but the ball sailed across the fairway into the thick fescue on the right side, coming to a stop on the side of a slope and giving him an awkward downhill stance for his approach to the green.

Mickelson then hit a fine recovery shot to about 10 feet but ended up two-putting for a bogey.

He teed off on the par-three third but his ball landed on the lip off the green and after a slight hesitation it rolled about 40 feet downhill giving him a long chip to the green. His first putt from 10 feet missed just left and he had to settle for another bogey.

He bogeyed two of the holes and parred the other two through the difficult par-four stretch to get him to four over on the day and seven over for the tournament.

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Gritty Day grabs share of U.S. Open lead

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Washington - Jason Day wrote his name into U.S. Open folklore on Saturday, grabbing a share of the third-round lead on a punishing Chambers Bay layout that had literally brought the Filipino-Australian to his knees a day earlier.

Even though Day's round will be long remembered, there is still another chapter to be written in the 115th U.S. Open with Americans Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson and South African Branden Grace all level on four-under 206 going into Sunday.

Day had collapsed on his final hole on Friday and had to be helped from the course by medics after he collapsed again when he completed his round three shots off the lead.

There was worry the world number 10 would have to withdraw but he dug deep and on Saturday was back on the first tee.

Looking drained, Day shot a two-under 68 highlighted by a brilliant back nine that featured five birdies, including three over his four closing holes.

His storming finish earned him a share of the lead and a rousing standing ovation from the 6,000 fans packed into the 18th hole grandstands.

SAVOURED THE APPLAUSE

Day took only a moment to savour the applause as he gingerly made his way to a waiting van where he slumped into the back seat with closed eyes and laid his head on the back rest.

"Last year I didn't play the round after I had vertigo and this one was worse," Day told reporters. "I think the goal was just to go through today and see how it goes."

Day's effort dominated another dramatic afternoon on the links-style layout that saw five different names at the top of the leaderboard and an assortment of brilliant and bewildering shots.

Masters champion Spieth and his American Ryder Cup team mate Patrick Reed began the day with a one-shot lead but as the sun set into Puget Sound the leaderboard had a very different look.

One of the longest courses ever for a golf major, Chambers Bay was tailor-made for the big-hitting Johnson, who muscled his way to the top with an even-par 70 while Grace, a six-time winner on the European Tour, also had a 70.

With its picture postcard vistas, Chambers Bay may have an attractive look but it has been widely criticised by golfers and commentators with the attacks growing louder with each day.

Most of the grumbling has been directed at the bumpy and undulating greens, but Spieth proved they can be conquered as he rolled in a 38-foot birdie putt at the second to move two ahead.

The world number two continued to wield a hot putter, draining a 40-footer for birdie at the third to open up a three-shot cushion.

But even the best putter in the game would have his problems with the controversial greens and Spieth's first wobble came at the fourth when he three-putted from 30 feet for his first bogey.

That was followed by another at the fifth and suddenly Spieth's three-shot advantage had vanished, leaving him to scramble his way to a 71.

"I knew that even par was a really good score starting the day, but when I get to seven-under for the tournament I don't want to finish at four-under, no matter where you're playing," said Spieth, who will try to become just the sixth player to win the Masters and U.S. Open in the same year.

"I had four three-putts today and that's going to happen out here but two of them are unforced and shouldn't have happened."

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

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Late four-putt leaves McIlroy reeling at U.S. Open

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Washington - An ugly finish to the second round all but destroyed Rory McIlroy's chances of winning the U.S. Open.

The world number one had missed the cut in his previous two events, so the good news at Chambers Bay on Friday was that he did not extend his streak to three consecutive early exits.

But the bad news was that a four-putt double-bogey at the 17th, along with a bogey at the last, left the Northern Irishman a distant nine strokes from the lead.

It was nothing short of disastrous for McIlroy, because he played some fine golf mid-round and after an eagle at the short par-four 12th seemed set to finish the day within striking distance going into the weekend.

But he hit his tee shot at the par-three 17th some 60 feet beyond the hole, and banged his first putt so hard that his ball did not stop until it had rolled some 30 feet beyond the cup.

He hit his next putt to five feet, only to compound his misery by missing the bogey putt.

Not that he was the only player to struggle late in the day on bumpy greens that Henrik Stenson likened to "putting on broccoli" and Justin Rose compared to "outdoor bingo".

A bogey at the brutally tough par-four 18th was no disgrace, but it hardly helped the cause of the four-time major winner, who might felt it was not his day when British TV on-course commentator Tim Barter trod on his ball earlier in the round. (Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina. Editing by Steve Keating.)

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Struggling Tiger says encouraged by progession in swing

Even after posting the worst 72-hole total of his PGA Tour career at last week's Memorial Tournament, Tiger Woods says he has been encouraged by the progress he has made with his revamped golf swing.

The former world number one signed off with a two-over-par 74 at Muirfield Village on Sunday, a day after struggling to a career-worst 85 in the prestigious event hosted by Jack Nicklaus.

Woods has 10 days until the opening round of the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay in Washington State but he firmly believes that is enough time to complete his preparations for the year's second major.

"There's plenty of time," Woods told reporters on Monday in a satellite teleconference from his home in Jupiter, Florida.

"I needed tournament golf and it was nice to have Memorial in there and to be able to play a golf course that's that difficult, that hard, that demanding from tee to green."

Woods, who was speaking on media day for the PGA Tour's Quicken Loans National which he hosts, is still adapting to the fifth swing change of his professional career, this time with consultant Chris Como.

"I've had times like this in my life where I've gone through these periods, but you just have to fight through it," said the 39-year-old American, who has played just five tournaments this season.

"I'm committed to what I'm doing and committed to the changes. Once I start to snowball and start getting more solidified, then that's when things start coming together."

Woods, who finished last at the Memorial Tournament with a 14-over total of 302, said the work on his swing continued to be a progression of "baseline shifts" to build up his game.

"You just don't go from one to 10," said Woods, who claimed the most recent of his 14 major titles at the 2008 U.S. Open. "We're taking it one, two, three, four ... making baseline shifts, that's what Chris and I were just calling it.

"I'm very proud of the fact that I stuck with my game plan ... and I was finally able to hit the shots on Sunday that we've been looking for.

"At one point I got it to three under par and lost it coming home, but I showed signs of what we're working on was starting to come together, and that was pretty exciting to see."

(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Frank Pingue)

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