Ross KinnairdSOUTHAMPTON, N.Y.— Garrett Rank missed the cut in his U.S. Open debut at 18-over par, which made it all the more confusing why he was playing Sunday at the U.S. Open alongside Andrew “Beef” Johnston.
Turns out Rank, an amateur who makes his living as an NHL referee, was asked to be a marker for Johnston in the day's 8:21 a.m. pairing. The two darted around Shinnecock Hills in a little more than three-and-a-half hours, and perhaps not surprisingly, Rank was able to put together his best golf of the week once the pressure was off.
“It was obviously because there was nothing on the line and I could just hit it out there and hit it around and have fun,” Rank said.
A challenging week for Rank still proved instructive, and not just in recognizing technical differences between himself and the best golfers in the world. Although he's played in three Canadian Opens and dozens of elite amateur events, Shinnecock Hills provided his best opportunity to study the tour's ..

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — The aftermath of Phil Mickelson's peculiar putt on Shinnecock's 13th green during Saturday's third round has seen plenty of fiery takes from media members and fans dumbfounded by what Lefty did. Some called for him to withdraw since the USGA opted not to disqualify him. Obviously, it's not nearly as serious a situation as those around the game are making it out to be. No one died, but many of the opinions have their validity.
RELATED: Phil Mickelson briefly loses mind, hits moving ball on 13th green at Shinnecock
Then there are those who chose to make light of the situation, including Phil and Andrew “Beef” Johnston, who yucked it up as they walked off the 13th green like nothing even happened. Others, like the famously hilarious ClubProGuy, had an absolute field day on Twitter.
But the best thing we saw came from the Instagram account of Bob Menery, who many on social media know as that guy that commentates sports highlights in the ways real ann..

Watch Rickie Fowler's great shot on Sunday during the final round of the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) The Latest on Sunday’s final round of the U.S. Open (all times local):

4:25 p.m.

Nine holes to go at the U.S. Open and defending champion Brooks Koepka has a one-stroke lead.

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Koepka is 2 under par through nine at Shinnecock Hills and 1 over for the tournament. Tommy Fleetwood is in the clubhouse with a 7-under 63, tying the record for the lowest round at a U.S. Open. Fleetwood is 2 over for the week, tied with Masters champion Patrick Reed and Dustin Johnson, who are just starting the back nine.

Third-round co-leaders Daniel Berger and Tony Finau had a rough start and are up to 5 over as they approach the turn.

Shinnecock played easier on Sunday morning than in the third round, when the USGA admitted that it lost control of the course when the winds picked up in the afternoon.

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3:55 p.m.

England’s Tommy Fleetwood has tied the U.S. Open record with a 7-under-63 in the final round.

With Shinnecock Hills playing far easier than..

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) The Latest on the US Open (all times local):

9:30 a.m.

Happy Father’s Day, Vic Parziale.

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Now get to work.

The retired Brockton, Massachusetts firefighter will be spending the day at the U.S. Open, carrying the bag for his son, Matt, in the final round. Matt Parziale earned a spot in the tournament by winning the Mid-Amateur, and then became the first mid-am to make the cut in 15 years.

The Parziales say they don’t usually make a big deal about Father’s Day.

This one is different.

”It’s special,” Vic Parziale said. ”It’s the best one ever.”

Both Parziales were firefighters as their real jobs. Matt is on leave from work to play in the Open and a couple of other tournaments. Vic is retired, but quickly found work as his son’s caddie.

He thinks he’s got a future.

”I keep my mouth shut and carry the bag. If he asks me a question, I answer it. I haven’t gotten fired yet,” he said after the third round. ”Can’t find anybody cheaper…

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) The Latest on the US Open (all times local):

12:30 p.m.

The USGA pledged to ease off the severe conditions at Shinnecock Hills. Rickie Fowler responded with the low round of the U.S. Open.

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Fowler tapped in for birdie on the 18th hole for a 5-under 65. If nothing else, he wins most improved. Fowler was 19 shots better than his 84 in the third round, the highest score in his U.S. Open career.

Fowler played with Phil Mickelson, who shot a 69 in his 27th U.S. Open without winning. That included a par on the 13th hole, where on Saturday he swatted a moving ball to keep it from rolling off the front of the green. Mickelson was given a two-shot penalty and made a 10 on the hole. This time he raised his arms in mock triumph.

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11:30 a.m.

The U.S. Open won’t be so tough on Sunday with the trophy at stake.

After the third-round conditions prompted complaints from some of the world’s best players, Open officials promised to make things e..

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) The water hoses were out early Sunday for the final round of the U.S. Open in its attempt to slightly soften Shinnecock Hills.

USGA officials have conceded that wind and dry conditions made the third round tougher than it needed to be. Tony Finau and Daniel Berger started the weekend 11 shots out of the lead. They go into the final day tied for the lead with Dustin Johnson and defending champion Brooks Koepka.

That set the stage for a final round in which 15 players were separated by four shots.

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Koepka has a chance to become the first back-to-back winner of the U.S. Open since Curtis Strange in 1989.

Among those playing early was Phil Mickelson, who purposely struck a moving ball on the 13th green Saturday.

For one Golf Digest writer, Father's Day has a unique meaning when it's celebrated at Shinnecock Hills

Phil Mickelson's choice to hit a moving golf ball during the U.S. Open will ultimately harm his reputation even if it didn't get him DQ'd from the championship

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) What people were saying Saturday at the U.S. Open:

”I’ve wanted to do that many times. I should have done it several times at Augusta on 15.” – Phil Mickelson after he intentionally swatted a moving putt on the 13th green, invoking a 2-stroke penalty that gave him a 10 on the hole.

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”It’s something you might see at your club with your mates. It was strange, no one ever has those thoughts, it just happens.” – Mickelson’s playing partner, Andrew Johnston, about Mickelson’s actions on No. 13.

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”We must slow the course down tonight, and we will.” – USGA chief executive Mike Davis on how the course will be handled overnight to set it up for the final round Sunday. The USGA admitted that Shinnecock Hills wasn’t a fair test for portions of the third round.

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”I’m going to find Mike Davis. It’s the U.S. Open, it’s supposed to be hard. When is enough enough? It’s not about hard. There’s no other tournament where you see the guys putt ..