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Running Updates
Bryant Bears Down, Wins Senior Open
Kohler, Wis. – Anyone who picked Brad Bryant raise your hand.
Out of the didn't-see-it-coming file, Bryant won the 28th edition of the Senior Open Sunday at Whistling Straits on the strength of a masterful 4-under 68. The 52-year-old Lakeland, Fla., native erased a five-stroke deficit to put his name in the championship's record book with the second-largest final round comeback. Allen Doyle's name is affiliated with the record after coming back from nine down last year, surpassing Tom Watson.
"It's hard for me to believe I hit that last putt to win the U.S. Open," said Bryant while waiting for three groups to finish. "Miracles do happen."
Bryant's 6-under 282 was three shots better than Ben Crenshaw (285). Loren Roberts finished with a 286, while Watson, the overwhelming favorite at the beginning of the round, stumbled to 1-under 287. No one else in the field finished under par.
"It's a tough finish," said Ben Crenshaw of The Straits Course's back nine. "It showed some people how exciting this place can be."
Tom Watson learned that firsthand. It was difficult to determine which was more shocking: Bryant's comeback or Watson's collapse. "I have to look at why I failed, why I cause the golf ball to do what it did," said Watson.
Similar to last year at Prairie Dunes Country Club, Watson led the field after the second and third rounds only to reach a disappointing conclusion.
Watson, who began the day with a three-stroke edge on Loren Roberts, maintained that lead until his round went awry on the back side. On holes 11 through 15, Watson lost six strokes by going double bogey, bogey, bogey, par, double bogey. When the hemorrhaging stopped, Watson was three under par and looking up at Bryant (6-under 282) who had been at six under on the 17th hole. Watson shot 43 on the back nine.
Gunning for his fifth major on the senior circuit – none of them being a U.S. Senior Open – Watson simply found trouble at the worst time. He sprayed the ball off the tee after being reasonably straight through the first nine holes. He carded a smooth 1-under 35 at that point. Unfortunately, he leaves another Senior Open empty-handed. It marked the fifth top-five finish in the championship.
"I had it in my grasp," said Watson. "I had the reins, I lost the reins, after 13."
It was Bryant's first major championship of any kind. The former PGA Tour player had racked up just one victory in a career that began in 1978.
"The first nine [holes], I had six really good birdie putts and I made four of them," said Bryant. He, in fact, had five birdies through his first 11 holes before suffering his first of two bogeys on No. 12. He gave himself a chance because he consistently found the greens. Not just Sunday but throughout the entire championship, leading the field in the statistical category.
Ken Klavon is the USGA Web Editor. E-mail him with questions or comments at kklavon@usga.org. This story will be updated.
Championship complete
Kohler, Wis. – Tom Watson played No. 18 like he did the entire back nine. His drive found the rough, his second shot was in the hazard, he elected not to drop and played his third to the green. Watson three-putted for a double-bogey. He finished with a back nine score of 43, and a total of 287.
Loren Roberts also faltered on the back-nine, shooting a 2-over par 38. He finished the championship at one under.
Bryant pars No. 18
Kohler, Wis. – Brad Bryant will now watch. He played No. 18 with precision, hitting the fairway off the tee, reaching the middle of the green, the two-putting for par.
Bryant posted a 4-under par 68, the round of the day, and leads the championship by three strokes.
Watson falters on 15, Bryant saves on 17
Kohler, Wis. – Tom Watson’s attempt at winning the U.S. Senior Open title unraveled further on No. 15. Watson played his second shot from a bunker into heavier rough, reached the green in four, and double bogeyed.
Brad Bryant hit his tee shot on the par-3 17th to eight feet, but ran his putt past the hole. He made the come back, and is now three shots ahead.
Bryant new leader
Kohler, Wis. – Brad Bryant is the new leader. Bryant chipped his third shot from off the green on the par-5 15th to three feet and made his birdie putt. Bryant is now six under, and leads Tom Watson by one and Loren Roberts by two.
Leader in the clubhouse
Kohler, Wis. – There is still a lot of golf to be played, but not for Ben Crenshaw. He knocked his third shot on No. 18 to three feet and tapped in for a par. Crenshaw posted a 2-under 70 today for a 285 total. He is currently three behind Brad Bryant and Tom Watson.
Bunker gets Crenshaw
Kohler, Wis. – Ben Crenshaw came to the par-3 17th hole just two shots behind leader Tom Watson. His tee shot landed in the front right bunker. His shot to the back left hole was well short, and he was unable to convert the 25-foot par putt.
Crenshaw is now 2-under today, 3-under for the championship.
Short miss
Kohler, Wis. – Tom Watson missed a three-foot putt for par and dropped to six under for the championship.
His fellow competitor, Loren Roberts, got up and down from a greenside bunker. Roberts is four under for the championship.
Double trouble
Kohler, Wis. – Tom Watson made a mess of the par-5 11th. His drive landed in a fairway bunker, and it took him five shots to reach the green, and then he missed a 3-foot putt for bogey. The double drops him to seven over for the championship, one shot ahead of Brad Bryant.
Watson gets another
Kohler, Wis. – Tom Watson made a second consecutive birdie on the par-4 11th. He played his second shot to about 15-feet and rolled in the putt for birdie.
Green, Zahringer share low amateur
Kohler, Wis. – Danny Green finished with a 5-over par 77 today. At eight over for the championship, he shared low amateur honors with George Zahringer. At age 50, this was Green’s first U.S. Senior Open.
Bryant birdies, Watson answers
Kohler. – Brad Bryant chipped his third shot from the fairway to within two feet of the hole and made the putt for birdie. He momentarily shared the lead at seven under.
Tom Watson, playing the ninth hole, hit his shot from the right side of the fairway to six-feet. He made his birdie putt and moved to eight under and back into the lead.
Crenshaw, Roberts tied
Kohler, Wis. – Ben Crenshaw made an 18-foot putt for birdie on the par-4 13th. He is now 3-under today, 4-under for the championship.
Loren Roberts’ pitch on the par-4 8th ran long. He was unable to make the 10-foot comeback putt and bogeyed the hole.
Bryant misses opportunity
Kohler, Wis. – Brad Bryant hit a monster drive with the wind behind him on No. 10. He only needed a quarter-wedge to the front hole location. His putt skirted the right side of the hole, but wouldn’t fall. He tapped in for par.
Roberts one back, Crenshaw lurking
Kohler, Wis. – Loren Roberts sank a five foot putt for birdie, and Tom Watson two-putted the par 3-7th. Roberts moves to six under.
Ben Crenshaw has made two birdies and is now three under. He is four shots back of Watson.
Bryant one back
Kohler, Wis. – Brad Bryant shot a 4-under par 32, closing with a birdie on number nine, to move within one shot of Tom Watson.
Loren Roberts may join him momentarily. He hit his tee shot on the par-3 7th to five feet. Watson played his shot to the middle of the green.
Purtzer falling
Kohler, Wis. – Tom Purtzer, after making an early charge, has made consecutive bogeys. He made bogeys at the par-3 7th and par-4 8th. He is now three under for the championship.
Watson drops
Kohler, Wis. – Tom Watson dropped a shot at the par-4 4th hole. Watson is now seven under and has a two stroke advantage over Loren Roberts and Brad Bryant.
Ross falls
Kohler, Wis. – John Ross, playing just ahead of Tom Watson, started off the day strong with a birdie. He tripled the second hole, and bogeyed the third to fall back to even par.
Ross is eight shots behind Watson.
Purtzer, Roberts to five under
Kohler, Wis. – Loren Roberts birdied the second hole. Tom Purtzer made his third birdie of the day on the par-5 5th. Both move to within three shots of leader Tom Watson who is eight under par.
Watson answers
Kohler, Wis. – Tom Watson quickly moved to eight under par when he birdied the first hole. A better start than his bogey yesterday.
The first hole is playing just under par today. It has played slightly over par all week, and was ranked statistically as one of the nine toughest until today.
Chasing Watson
Kohler, Wis. – Tom Purtzer is making the first run at Tom Watson today. He birdied the first and third holes, moving to four under, before Watson had teed off.
John Ross, playing in the group in front of Watson, birdied the first hole and is also four under.
Watson’s opening tee shot sailed down the middle of the first fairway.
Eagles dwindling
Kohler, Wis. – Massy Kuramoto from Japan recoded the first eagle of the day on No. 16. Unfortunately he didn’t follow up well, recording a triple-bogey at the par-3 17th. He is now 16-over for the championship.
There were 11 eagles on Thursday and eight on Friday. Yesterday there were just two.
Leaders starting
Kohler, Wis. – The leaders are starting to tee off here at Whistling Straits. The Tom Watson, Loren Roberts pairing won’t start until 12:45 p.m. CDT.
Among the players who have started, Ben Crenshaw, D.A. Wiebring, Bruce Vaughan, and Jim Woodward all made par on number one. Woodward birdied the second to move to two under for the championship.
Solid finish
Kohler, Wis. – George Zahringer finished with a birdie on No. 18, and posted a 3-under par 69. He finished at eight over for the championship.
Larry Nelson is playing well today. Nelson is 2-under through six holes.
Back to reality
Kohler, Wis. – A birdie at No. 11 moved George Zahringer to four under today, but he made bogeys at Nos. 14 and 15 playing back into the wind. Zahringer still has a chance to post the first, and perhaps one of the few under par rounds of the day.
It can be done
Kohler, Wis. – George Zahringer is proving that a run can be made today despite the wind. Although he is well out of contention, Zahringer posted a 3-under par 33 on the front nine.
The wind is not expected to become much worse today. Gusts are expected to be between 15-25 mph all day.
Zahringer seeking redemption
Kohler, Wis. – George Zahringer is two under today after birdies on numbers one and five.
Zahringer was three over going into the third round yesterday, but shot an 8-over par 44 on the front nine. He played the back at even par and finished with an 80. Entering today he was eight over for the championship.
Sunday begins
Kohler, Wis. – Sunshine and gusting winds welcome the players this morning. The wind is coming strong out of the south.
The first group went off at 7:45 a.m. CDT. James C Blair III recorded a bogey on the first, moving him to 14-over for the championship. Chris Dachisen made a par and remains 12-over.
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