STUNNING BROWN FINISHES STRONGLY

11th August 2008

The Mark Brown who turned up to play the final round of his first major was a calmer, more focused version of the one who completed his third round this morning and it showed on the scoreboard. Still learning the art of consistency across rounds and the nuances of playing in the big time, Brown started on the back nine holes, the tougher of the two nines. He bogeyed the eleventh but played the twelfth strongly to birdie before three putting the thirteenth. While scores were inflated in the cold, blustery and rainy conditions, Brown steadied his ship with a two on the par three seventeenth, one of the hardest holes on the course.

Through the turn at even par for the day, Brown got to three under with birdies on two, four and six before giving shots back on the tricky seventh and eighth to finish at 9-over par for the tournament and in a share of 25th place at the time of writing, up 22 places today and a stark contrast from the T109th place he was in on Thursday evening. The tournemant is set to go down to the wire with a battle on between Sergio Garcia of Spain and two-time Open champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland.

Mark will now head back to London for a well deserved two week break before three European Tour tournaments in Scotland, Switzerland and Germany respectively. 

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THIRD ROUND COMPLETED

11th August 2008

Mark Brown has carded a 4-over par 74 in the third round of the USPGA after completing the last five holes of his rain delayed round in cool, crisp conditions at Oakland Hills Country Club. The cars back to the tees were delayed after the gate had not been opened, and Brown knocked his chip a long way past the hole and missed the putt for a bogey start. Hole fifteen saw a good par but distater struck on sixteen when Mark hit his second into the water after his tee shot went right. A resulting double bogey was followed by a good long par putt on seventeen. Brown's drive on eighteen plugged in the bunker leaving him no option but to hit out and take a bogey while his playing partner bled his way to a triple after being in the middle of the fairway off the tee. Brown is now 10-over par for the tournament and currently tied for 47th place ahead of this afternoon's final round.

Click here for full scores.

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RAIN DELAYS USPGA

10th August 2008

Mark Brown is even par through 13 holes in his third round at the USPGA Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club. A thunderstorm stopped play at 2:30pm and has failed to pass leaving the leaders yet to tee off. Brown has showed real grit in his round so far in very  blustery conditions. 

In his own words he has "sprayed it round like an aerosol" but scrambled exceptionally well to remain at 6-over par for the tournament. He made birdie on the par five second despite missing the fairway and hitting his second into the bunker. The fourth hole yielded a double bogey after hitting his tee shot into a bunker on the left before his 9-iron failed to clear the lip of the bunker. When he did get out of the sand he found the thick rough (twice) so a double was something of a good result. Brown fought back strongly by finding the fairway on five and hitting his second shot close but missed the tricky birdie putt. Three more solid pars ensued before a nice birdie on the incredibly long 257 yeard par three ninth.

Brown made another birdie on the par five twelfth, again from an up and down and unusually just his second birdie on the par fives this week. He gave it back on unlucky thirteen with a tough three putt shortly before the hooter sounded for the weather delay.

Play will resume at 7:15am tomorrow (11:15pm Sunday NZT) and the fourth round will be played in threes off a two tee start commencing, optimistically, between 12:20 and 2:20pm.

Click here for full scores.

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BROWN MAKES CUT IN ROOKIE MAJOR

9th August 2008

Mark Brown has shot a stunning 1-under par 69 in the second round of the USPGA Championship to be at 6-over par for the tournament and make the halfway cut. Brown was the biggest mover of the day, up from T109 to T35 and shot one of just six under par rounds today. American JB Holmes leads the tournament at 1-under par.

In one of his finest rounds of golf this year, Brown got off to a flying start with a birdie on the first hole. In cooler and breezier conditions Brown played the tough greens well with birdie chances skimming the cup on five and six. Mark put his second shot right into a bunker on seven but sensationally holed his recovery to the delight of the packed grandstand. Playing the front nine at 2-under par was a seven shot improvement on yesterday and even more impressive in the tougher afternoon conditions.

A tough three putt on the tenth saw the Wellingtonian drop a shot but a crucial clutch putt on eleven to 'up and down' for par limited the damage. A bogey on twelve after hitting his third shot into the rough was quickly amended by a birdie on the par three next hole after hitting his five iron to four feet then making a stunning 25 foot putt on fourteen. By now, sensible play was required on the tough remaining holes and Mark's course management was good as he approached the long par four eighteenth at 5-over par for the tournament. After hitting his tee shot left into the rough Brown laid up and just missed his par putt for a 'sensible' bogey.

Brown will take a lot of confidence from today's round in that not only is he still playing at the weekend of his first ever major but has played one of the best rounds in what is a very tough golf tournament.

Full scores can be found here. Tomorrow's tee times TBC.

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MIXED BAG FOR BROWN

8th August 2008

It was a different Mark Brown from the one who played last Thursday through the first five holes of the USPGA Championship. In stark contrast to last week Brown looked relaxed and calm as he birdied the eleventh hole (his second) and had chances on ten, twelve, thirteen and fourteen. After missing a short par save putt on fifteen, Mark hooked his tee shot on sixteen into the corporate hospitality. Fortunately he still had a shot into the pin but put his shot 15 yards right of the target and the ball rolled off the green into the water resulting in a double bogey. The going got tough after that as the already slick and tricky greens dried out and the breeze picked up. An impressive birdie on the difficult eighteenth hole proved to be Mark's last as the front nine yielded five bogeys leaving Mark with a 7-over par 77, nine shots behind the early leaders and with work to do to make the cut in his first attempt at a major. Mark will tee off in his second round at 12:45pm (4:45am Saturday NZT).

Click here for full scores.

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