Furyk ‘plods’ way to share of lead at Open’s halfway

By Joe Juliano

The Philadelphia Inquirer

SAN FRANCISCO

Jim Furyk doesn’t think it’s disrespectful to be called a plodder. In fact, he thinks it’s a fine description for how you have to play in the U.S. Open.

Furyk posted a 1-under-par 69 in the second round while playing in the morning half of the draw at the Olympic Club and settled in at 139, a score that was not bettered by anyone in the afternoon. Furyk is in a three-way tie with Tiger Woods and David Toms for the lead.

Furyk, who won the 2003 Open at Olympia Fields near Chicago, carded three birdies and two bogeys. And other than tap-in putts, none of the shots were easy.

“I plodded along today,” he said.

“The way the golf course is set up, that’s pretty much what you need to do. It’s get the ball in the fairway or in a playable spot as best you can, get the ball on the green or in a playable spot as best you can and try to make par.

“So I’m just trying to plod, I think that’s a good word. You take what the course gives you and play the best you can from there.”

Asked if he thought he was having fun playing Olympic, Furyk replied with a smile, “It would be a really fun golf course to play with the members.

“With this setup and as firm and fast as it is, fun might not be the first word that comes out. It’s draining both mentally and physically. You have to be on top of your game the whole time.”

For a while, 17-year-old Beau Hossler was treating the U.S. Open as just another junior event before Olympic trees and rough grabbed him by the throat.

Hossler, a senior at Santa Margarita High School near San Diego, birdied Olympic’s first hole — his 11th of the day — to get to 2-under and take the lead. But his last seven holes consisted of a double bogey, four bogeys, a par and a chip-in birdie to wrap up the day with a 73 and 3-over 143 total through two rounds.

“I was pretty excited about it,” Hossler said about taking the lead briefly, “but then again I had another 40 holes at least to be playing in the tournament. You’ve got a long way to go but you can’t get too wrapped up on where you’re at.”

Hossler said his problem down the stretch had to do with getting out of his rhythm off the tee.

“Those really killed me,” he said. “But I don’t think at all it was based on the stage. I think it was just based on making some bad swings, unfortunately at the wrong time.”

Hossler, who has committed to attend Texas in 2013, is playing in his second U.S. Open. He was the youngest competitor last year at Congressional but shot 76-77 and missed the cut.