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Furyk on verge of major breakt
( 2003-06-16 09:54 ) (null)

Jim Furyk was on the brink of his first major victory with three holes to play in the US Open final round on Sunday, a birdie-three at the 414-yard 14th putting him four clear of his challengers.

The 33-year-old American, who had forged three strokes ahead of the field with a 67 in the third round, hit a superb approach to within three feet of the flag, and completed the tap-in to move to 10 under for the tournament.

A rock-solid par followed at the 187-yard 15th as Furyk relentlessly closed in on the title.

He had wobbled briefly with his first dropped shots of the day on 10 and 12, and playing partner Stephen Leaney then closed the gap to three with a 40-foot birdie putt at the on 13.

But Furyk hit back immediately with his birdie on 14 to set up a four-shot cushion over the final three holes at a sun-baked Olympia Fields Country Club.

Australia's Leaney had been providing a brave challenge, but experienced a roller-coaster round.

He started the day three strokes behind, but bogeys on one, three, seven, eight and then 11 more than offset his birdies at the second, fourth and the sixth.

Furyk, who possesses one of the most unorthodox swings in the game, had been playing nerveless golf and had to sink two putts from 15 feet to salvage par in the first five holes.

Mike Weir, the US Masters champion, had got to three under but dropped shots at the last two holes for a one-over-par 71, finishing in a tie for fourth with Kenny Perry at one-under 279.

Perry, winner of back-to-back titles on this year's PGA Tour, had earlier carded an impressive three-under-par 67 to hold the clubhouse lead.

Defending champion Tiger Woods, whose title hopes all but disappeared with his third-round 75, was another to struggle after a promising two-birdie start.

His bid to vault up the last-day leaderboard was derailed by a four-putt double-bogey at the ninth, and he dropped two@shots on the back nine to finish with a two-over-par 72 at three-over 283.

NEEDED MOMENTUM

"It's been frustrating the whole week," the world number one said. "I've not got anything going. I felt I was close to putting it together, but I need a bit of momentum."

Woods found the semi-rough at the 576-yard first after pulling his drive.

But, after hitting his second shot into the front left bunker, he splashed out to seven feet from where he made birdie.

Birdie number two came at the par-five sixth, when he rifled his approach to eight feet to move to two under for the day, where he remained following a regulation par at the 212-yard seventh.

At the par-four ninth, however, his approach screwed back to 30 feet below the hole.

With the greens quickening, his first putt shot past seven feet, he missed the putt for par coming back and another from four feet before finally holing out.

He never recovered after that.

Irishman Padraig Harrington shone in the last round, despite the hardening course and quickening greens, firing a 68 to complete the 72 holes at one-over 281.

Ricky Barnes, the US amateur champion, fired the best round of the early starters with a level-par 70 for an 11-over 291.

"It was definitely harder today, the course is firmer and and the greens are speeding up," the 22-year-old Barnes said.