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I didn’t think he could do it the way he was putting. But at Oakmont today, it was contagious. Nobody was putting. Short putts, long putts, medium putts, putts gumbo … sorry got carried away! Everyone was about average in the medium game. But Tiger and Cabrera set themselves apart on these “tweener” shots. Maybe that’s what golf is coming to. Anyone, with some practice can boom a drive. Or become a decent putter. But the “tweener shots”, that’s where real talent and skill come to a forefront. Can you take a drop out of a hazard in a PGA event? Yesterday’s miracle cut out of a cave-like bunker saved Angel at least a stroke or two (and a playoff with Tiger Woods on Sunday). And with nobody else in the field putting on Sunday, that’s all it took.

For all those that say “Tiger Choked” and the like … blah blah blah. I heard nothing but silence. Tiger put himself in a position to win … and he took the final shot that counted. I could have written my masters thesis in the middle of the gallery … you could hear nothing but the NBC background “bird noises” CD. Woods, as all weekend, just couldn’t sink another long putt. But that’s all.  He was there, where he should of been. Please don’t throw any numbers at me about Tiger leading after 3 rounds or coming from behind. It’s irrelevant. I saw the greatest golfer of all time gut it out on the final two holes of the 2007 US Open. It showed just as much moxie as his previous 12 major wins. Don’t believe all the spin that Tiger’s chasing Jack, or chasing anything for that matter. Just enjoy the kind of performance that Tiger Woods put on this weekend! 

The story of day three of the 2007 US Open in Oakmont was probably the great play of Tiger Woods. He very amazingly hit 17 of 18  greens in regulation. Only Tiger could make that look like another uneventful day at the office. Had some of those very close putts hit the bottom of the cup, Woods would have had a round for the ages.

Cabrera went into the day as the leader, but a couple errant drives and less than stellar putting dropped him from the top of the leader-board. However, he did hit an unbelievable shot out a deep hazard on 17. It was one of those that made you think, how the heck did he do that! Aussie native and current Scottsdale resident, Aaron Baddeley shot par for the day. That was enough. He finished strong with a birdie on 18 and took the lead going into the clubhouse Saturday. For his efforts he’ll be paired with Tiger Woods in Sunday’s deciding round.

But hands down the most jaw dropping play of the day was Bubba Watson melting down on the ninth hole. He hit a bad shot from the rough, well short of the green. It actually landed in the same rough again … only a couple feet from his original lie. He then boils over and hurries up to ball and gives it a good twack. It skys over the cup and onto the rough on the other side of the green! I was amazed. The cameras zoomed in and Watson’s face was beet red. I’m not sure if he was mad, or just embarrased by his display.

Afterwards, he denied being upset or hurrying the second shot. “I had a bad lie and I didn’t flub it,” Watson explained regarding the first attempt out of the rough. He want on to explain, “An impossible lie is an impossible lie.” I’d have to agree. It was on national television, we all witnessed the meltdown. Those explanations are an “impossible lie”. However, you have to hand it to Bubba. He regained his composure and parred out the back nine, except for a lone bogey. Watson is still very much in contention and anything can happen on Sunday. Well, unless of course Tiger plays like he did today - and a couple of those putts start breaking for him.

Whooda thunk a “Bubba”, one of the many whom must have graduated from the University of Georgia,  would be second on the US Open leader-board. That’s exactly where the hard-driving Bubba Watson is, heading into the 3rd day of play at the US Open. Yes, it’s ironic. The young golfer with the Nascar name, is the best distance driver in the field. Oakmont has eaten up many familiar names this week. Mickelson, Montgomerie and O’Hair all failed to make the cut to advance into weekend play. What’s the young 28 year-old Bubba Watson’s secret to success? “I’ve never had a coach,” Watson said. “And fitness? I’m lazy. I hate running for no reason, and I hate lifting weights.” The kid from a tiny town in the Florida Panhandle (considered “South Alabama” by most Floridians) may be America’s best shot to to win the US Open. NBC has just announced that “Bubba is on the grounds”. Will the Cinderella ride continue?

Butch Harmon, Phil Mickelson’s new swing doctor made the recent declaration, “Tiger’s got a big lead as No. 1 in the world so it’ll take a couple of years but I think he can and I think he will, actually.”  Is Harmon being overly optimistic or can he really perform miracles? Can he change hearts and minds as well as golf swings? Hopefully, Sawgrass was a precursor of things to come. We’d all like to see Woods get a little competion on Sunday. Speaking of Tigers, however, they don’t change stripes overnight. Though we hate to admit it, we’re all morbidly waiting to see Mickelson’s next “Tin-Cup-Esque” majors meltdown. To shamelessly paraphrase another Kevin Costner sports movie, “You’ve got a million dollar swing but I got a good idea about that five-cent head or yours.” I’m not sure if Harmon’s comments will help with this, but they will certainly fan Tiger’s competitive flames. This might not be the best thing in the world if you’re really looking to make a run at golf’s greatest player.

It’s the cycle of sports, young talented players come along and the older established players are pushed aside from the limelight. Apparently, aging Annika couldn’t resist taking a pot shot at today’s most recognizable up and coming talent in women’s golf. To me it sounds a lot like sour grapes. If it were an unknown player, instead of Michelle Wie, Sorenstam wouldn’t be up on her soapbox whining to the media and   demanding an apology for “practicing”. To quote Alan Iverson, “We’re talking about Practice … Practice”! It looks like jealousy over Wie’s popularity despite her lack of accomplishments has really gotten Annika’s goat. It may not be fair, but that’s the game of sports. Come on Ms. Sorenstam, Wie’s not even a member of the LPGA and she’s just a kid for crying out loud. Why not be a gracious hostess and show a little “respect and class” towards your sport.