Perth golfer Michael Simcould be in the eye of a storm this evening when hecompletes his final roundat the US Open alongside Tiger Woods.
Although seven shots behind leaders Ricky Barnes and Lucas Glover, who are both on 7-under,a birdie from Woods just before play was suspendedthis morning (8pm Sunday local time)will have fansbuzzing about a possible surge from the defending champion tonight.
Woods and Sim still have 11 holes to play, while American outsiders Barnes and Glover had completed just one hole of their final round when darkness fell overNew York'sBethpage Black course.
Sim, 24,who usually competes on the second tier Nationwide Tour in America, is the best-placed Aussie alongside Adam Scott on 4-over, amassive11 strokes off the front two.
"Any time you can play with the best player in the world, it's pretty special," said Sim, who equipped himself admirably until an unfortunate double bogey at the par-four seventh hole.
"You have to be (nervous) but I think it really helped a lot playing with Rocco (Mediate in the third round), because the New York crowd loves him too.
"My first major, playing with Rocco and Tiger, I couldn't ask for anything more."
Sim and Woods were waiting to hit their second shots at No.7 when the horn sounded in fading light, ending competition for the day, but players had the option of finishing the hole they were on.
Woods wanted to finish and he subsequently made a birdie to pull within seven strokes of the lead, but Sim was inclined to mark his ball and call it a day.
He changed his mind after consulting his caddie Scott Sagtinac.
Unfortunately, he sprayed a three-wood right of the green, hit a mediocre pitch and then three-putted.
"I probably should have waited but you don't know what conditions are going to be like in the morning," he said of his decision to complete the hole.
"I had a little bit of mud on the left side of the ball and it just shot straight right.
"I had a pretty good lie with the chip, got under it a little bit and then three-putted. It's very disappointing at the end of the day."
To add insult to injury, his van got temporarily lost on the way back to the clubhouse.
In the third round, Sim experienced the raucous New York galleries at their rowdiest when he played with Mediate.
Mediate is a crowd favourite after his gallant play-off loss to Woods last year, as Sim quickly found out.
"It was crazy last night," said the West Australian."A few fans had had a few too many drinks. Every hole was, 'Rocco, Rocco, Rocco'. I haven't experienced anything like that in my life. It was like a football stadium."
NEW YORK AAP
