Inspired Europeans Pull Off Stunning Come-Back In 'The Miracle Of Medinah'

13 years ago a stunning US fight-back to win from 10-6 down in the tournament dubbed 'the Battle of Brookline' shocked the European side. This time it was the Europeans who replicated that famous day with a breath-taking come-back to retain the Ryder Cup after a 14.5 13.5 win, sealed by a Martin Kaymer knee-knocker for par on the 18th in the penultimate match. 

With the match tied at 13-13 and the last two matches level, it all came down to Kaymer v Stricker and Tiger Woods v Francesco Molinari. On the 17th the German holed a tense short putt for par to win the hole and take a one hole lead up the 18th. Kaymer's tee-shot found the fairway bunker and Stricker's ended up in position A on the short grass.

Both players found the green with their second shots but both faced  long birdie putts down the hill. 45-year-old Stricker completely mis-read his to leave about eight feet for par, but with the Ryder Cup on his shoulders Kaymer clearly felt the pressure as he raced it seven feet past. 

Despite putting poorly all week, and missing a vital putt on the last yesterday, Stricker showed nerves of steel to roll it in to the centre of the hole and pile the pressure on Kaymer. The 2010 USPGA champion took his time before stepping up and confidently striking his effort up-hill into the bottom of the cup, a stroke which resulted in a clenched-fists celebration. 

Jose Maria Olazabal named four of his strongest players to go out first and Luke Donald, Ian Poulter, Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose all duly delivered the goods. Donald survived a late Bubba Watson come-back to prevail 2&1 before fellow country-men Rose and Poulter both grabbed wins on the final green in dramatic fashion. Poulter won his fourth point from four of the tournament with another magnificent iron shot on the last while Justin Rose showed amazing guts to birdie the last two holes and defeat Phil Mickelson, despite being one down with two to play.

After his match he was understandably delighted and paid tribute to the late great European Ryder Cup player Seve Ballesteros: "To dig myself out of that game is incredible. I felt like we needed that point. Phil Mickelson had the flag out at 17 and I thought he might make that chip but then I buried it in on top of him and that was one of the best feelings of my life. I've just had a look at my left sleeve [at the picture of Seve Ballesteros] and that is that sort of thing that man would have done. I think we can [win] and that's going to shake things up a bit."

World number one McIlroy was always half a step ahead of youngster Keegan Bradley and won 2&1. The winners of the last two USPGA championships played out a thrilling match but it was the Northern Irishman who had the class to come through and claim a price-less point. 

Scotsman Paul Lawrie proved his doubters wrong with a magnificent display against Fed-Ex Cup winner Brandt Snedeker to win 5&3 and bring Europe level at 10-10. He finished off the American in fitting style with a tap-in birdie after a pitch-perfect approach shot on 15. 

Dustin Johnson brushed aside a Nicolas Colsaerts surge to win 3&2, just minutes before Zach Johnson completed a 2&1 victory over an-out-of sorts Graeme McDowell. The 2010 Ryder Cup hero was not at his best and missed several putts before succumbing to the ever-reliable man from Iowa. Name-sake Dustin proved to be too strong in an exciting battle of the long-hitters against the spirited young Belgian. 

The away team took the lead for the first time in the competition after Sergio Garcia bounced back to beat a dejected Jim Furyk and Lee Westwood played excellently to mop up an off-colour Matt Kuchar. Sergio was slightly lucky to see off Furyk who missed several short to mid-range putts, including an eight footer on the last which would have squared the match. However big Swede Peter Hanson could not find a win on the final hole to square his match against Jason Dufner and the scene was set for the drama that followed. 

To rub salt into the Americans' wounds Europe did not just draw the competition, but went on to win it as Francesco Molinari secured a half with Tiger Woods on the final green when the 14-time major champion showed how far he has fallen with a missed straight, up-hill, three foot par putt. 

An amazing tournament will always be remembered for the final day and how the Europeans came back from the dead, but Saturday's four-balls will also surely never be forgotten. The way that Poulter birdied the last five holes yesterday will live long in the memory and that was the turning point that gave Europe some momentum going into the final day.

He was clearly as stunned as anyone else with the victory: "Ollie said to us at the start of the week, the Ryder Cup is what memories and stars are made of. Last night we were buzzing, we weren't 4-0 down, we were all square and we knew we had a chance. This is history. This has been unbelievable. I'll tell you what, I'm going to enjoy it with the best team I've ever seen and the best captain I've ever seen because this is special."

Europe Fight Back At Medinah To Keep In Touch With The USA

A thrilling evening of golf at Medinah supplied plenty of thrills and spills before the session ended up being  shared 2-2  meaning that the US go into tomorrow's singles matches with a 10-6 lead. Europe produced a stirring fight-back at the end of the day to win the last two matches after being 10-4 behind at one point and down in the last. 

Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter produced a great come-back to defeat Zach Johnson and Jason Dufner to keep Europe in the Ryder Cup hunt with just one day to go. Just before that Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia with-held a Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker come-back to give Europe hope. Colsaerts and Lawrie also played the 18th hole but were beaten one up by Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar. 

Earlier on Webb Simpson and Bubba Watson beat Molinari and Rose 5&4 after a destructive display. Magnificent hitting from both men sealed the comprehensive victory with Simpson's putting well and truly on song. Rose had a putt on the 14th green to keep the match going but, just like so many putts for Europe, it looked in all the way before sliding all the way around the hole and out the other side.

Bubba Watson said of the Ryder Cup experience: "Its very special, its his [Simpson's] first time in the Ryder Cup, lost one but won a couple. Great fans, the competition has been great, its been fun."

Simpson acknowledged the pressure of playing in a Ryder Cup: "Hitting that first tee shot and making that first birdie, I could feel my heart beating. Because you are playing for your team-mates and your country, there is more pressure than in a major, for sure."

At one stage Colsaerts and Lawrie were two down to Johnson and Kuchar but they fought back to one down with five to play. Colsaerts hit a magnificent second shot into 14, only for his eagle putt to somehow stay out after rolling all the way round and then failing to drop, despite being within a centimetre of the hole. To make matters worse, that was the second time that had happened to him in consecutive holes. Dustin Johnson duly holed out from about 3 feet for his birdie and Colsaerts and Lawrie remained one down. 

Matt Kuchar hit the green on the short par four 15th, while both Europeans found the left-hand bunker. The Belgian massively over-cooked his bunker shot and it rolled all the way off the green, down the slope and stopped a couple of feet short of the water. Scotsman Lawrie played his with much more conviction from an almost identical position to leave himself with a 5-foot birdie putt. Kuchar played a near perfect eagle putt and it stopped dead just inches away from the side of the hole to seal a birdie for the USA and pile the pressure on Lawrie, however he stepped up and stroked it in to stay one down with three to play. 

The Europeans's fortunes appeared to be changing as Matt Kuchar's second on the 16th struck a tree and ended up further back than it was originally. Dustin Johnson then missed the green while Lawrie found the fringe to really open the door for the away pair. The 1999 Open champion sealed the hole in par to take the match to all square going down the 17th and really put the cat in the American pigeons. 

On the penultimate hole Lawrie and Colsaerts both hit good tee shots onto the green, but the American duo appeared to hardly feel the pressure and ensured that all four players found the dance-floor. Somehow both Lawrie and Colsaert's birdie attempts didn't drop and Dustin Johnson took advantage with a wonderful 25-foot putt down the hill to regain the one hole lead. That was a crushing blow and it felt as though it could be a crucial moment in the Ryder Cup with the United States guaranteed to at least be leading by three points going into the singles tomorrow. 

Colsaerts almost holed his approach to the last but span quite a way past the hole to leave himself with a 15 footer up the hill for birdie. Johnson responded brilliantly to also leave himself with a birdie try from a similar distance. The Belgian captain's pick missed his putt to the right to give the USA a more than commanding 10-4 lead and wins in the last two matches became a must for Europe if they were to have any chance of retaining the trophy.

The only game that looked destined for a Europe victory, at one stage Donald and Garcia were four up over Woods and Stricker, was the third match, but Woods found his form and the Americans pulled it back to two down with six to play. Woods hit an amazing tee shot on 13 to within about 2 feet for birdie to continue the come-back. Garcia left a 35 footer in the jaws and Tiger converted to bring him and Stricker to within a shot. On the par 5 14th the world number two saw his second shot fly through the green, finishing up just yards away from Garcia's ball. The Spaniard almost holed his eagle chip, only for it bounce out and leave him a tricky birdie putt from the fringe. Tiger responded excellently with a well-executed flop shot to leave himself a birdie putt up-hill from inside ten feet to put Europe under even more pressure. Garcia poured in his putt but Woods proved that he had well and truly found his form with a clinical effort to halve the hole and stay one down.

On the 15th hole all the players missed the green and it was Luke Donald who put down the gauntlet with a great chip to within 5 feet to set up a golden birdie chance. When Woods's putt stayed up it gave Donald the chance to grab a two hole advantage and he rolled in his birdie try with obvious confidence. Then Woods continued on the birdie trail as he brought it back to within one with two to play. The birdie run from him came as a shock after he had played the front nine the same as a 12 handicapper.

On the 17th tee Woods hit it to about ten feet, but Luke Donald got comfortably inside that with an imperious shot for a tap-in birdie. Despite Donald's brilliance Woods showed his class with a well-played birdie to insure that the penultimate match of the day went down the last.

Donald found the fairway sand and then missed the green before Steve Stricker hit a towering iron shot to about eight feet, despite the immense pressure. Garcia also found the short stuff but had a much tougher putt down the hill with about 15 feet left. Woods did what was needed of him as he found fringe short of the hole to make sure that the Americans would have two good chances of holing birdie putts to draw the match. The Spaniard's effort narrowly missed leaving Stricker needing to hole his putt to draw the match. His effort lipped out, giving Europe just their second point of the day.

McIlroy and Poulter had chances on the front nine but could not hole the putts when it mattered. When two down after 10 Poulter missed a good birdie chance on the 11th green, slipping it below the hole. McIlroy hit a solid second shot to give himself a good birdie chance on 12. Despite missing that opportunity the world number one bounced back in style with a magnificent birdie on the par three 13th to pull to within one hole of Johnson and Dufner. On the following hole, the par five, Poulter holed a nerveless putt for an up-an-down birdie to halve the game and keep the two Europeans in the hunt.

2007 Masters winner Zach Johnson then found the water from the 15th tee which forced Dufner to lay-up and give McIlroy and Poulter another chance to draw the match level. The journey-man American hit his second to about ten feet to give himself a great chance of halving, possibly even winning a hole that the Americans looked out of. Match-play specialist Poulter almost holed his bunker shot meaning that Dufner had to hole his birdie effort to stay one up, he failed to do so and the match was back to all square with three to play.

On the 16th green Poulter holed a magnificent birdie putt to complete the come-back and give Europe the lead with two to play. On the 17th Johnson found the green only five feet from the pin, only for Poulter to hole another birdie putt to give the two Europeans a one hole lead going to the 18th tee.

Poulter hit first from the fairway and found a great spot about ten feet right of the pin before Zach Johnson struck his just outside his opponent. There was still another twist in the tail as Jason Dufner hit a magnificent iron to about four feet, before McIlroy hit a disappointing wedge shot that spun back onto the edge of the green. The Americans decided to let Dufner play first and it proved to be the perfect choice as he rolled it in to pile the pressure on Poulter's twelve footer. He showed why he is regarded as Europe's best Ryder Cup player as he sent it down the hill and straight into the middle of the cup to give Olazabal's men a vital point.

The Europeans will be delighted to snatch the last two matches which keeps them in touch going into the last day when anything can happen. It was still the Americans' day, but it was an admirable fight-back by the visitors to keep themselves in contention.

Europe Struggling In Medinah As The Americans Increase Their Lead

The US Ryder Cup team increased their lead to 8-4 after a disappointing morning foursomes session for Jose Maria Olazabal's Europe side. Leading 5-3 going into the second day the US were quickest out of the blocks as Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson continued their sensational partnership with a comprehensive 7&6 victory over former world number ones Luke Donald and Lee Westwood.

The away team did hit back through the opening pair Ian Poulter and Justin Rose as they saw off 2012 major champions Webb Simpson and Bubba Watson by one hole. Poulter showed great match-play form yet again to improve his already excellent Ryder Cup record, while good friend Rose showed why he is the current world number five. 

Englishman Poulter said of the electric atmosphere at Medinah: "A win is a win. It was a special moment [on the first tee]. It was pretty special of Bubba to pump them up yesterday. It is an amazing amphitheatre and I knew Bubba was going to do it today, so why not join him?" 

Fellow country-man Rose acknowledged that it was a hard-fought, but crucial point: "We won ugly. That was a good point. We didn't have our best out there but we won." 

Yesterday's European hero Nicolas Colsaerts was unable to repeat the trick today alongside Spanish Ryder Cup veteran Sergio Garcia. The solid partnership of Jason Dufner and Zach Johnson were excellent from tee to green and fully deserved their 2&1 win. The point increased the US lead to 7-4 and put them firmly in pole position. 

Garcia and Colsaerts were always behind the 8-ball and they could not find the consistency to match their American counter-parts. Two down with three to play Garcia did conjure up some magic to chip-in for birdie, but that was about as good as it got for the continental pair as they succumbed to defeat on the next hole. 

The Northern-Irish pair of Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell struggled early on against Jim Furyk and Brandt Snedeker but McIlroy conjured up some magic to force the match down the last. Half a point was always going to be vital for Europe as they looked to hold onto the USA's coat-tails going into the four-balls. 

McIlroy hammered his tee shot miles down the 18th fairway and Snedeker clearly felt the pressure as he found a fairway bunker. Furyk did brilliantly well to get his partner out of trouble as he managed to hit a great shot onto the front of the green and leave McDowell needing to stiff it close to give world number one McIlroy a chance. 

McDowell tugged his chip left and over the back of the green effectively ending Europe's chance of getting into the clubhouse at less than four points behind. 

The 8-4 deficit means that Europe will need to replicate, or do something close, to the incredible Saturday fourballs session of two years ago to give themselves a realistic chance of retaining the trophy.

Golf's Show-Piece Event Has No Favourites Ahead Of Friday's Foursomes

For so many years the Ryder Cup was almost seen as a pointless event that was always going to be won by the team from the west of the Atlantic. The last 18 years have seen a huge swing in momentum as Europe have won six out of eight competitions and are unbeaten at home since 1993. This September Jose Maria Olazabal's side travel to Medinah, Illinois to play in one of golf's most hyped up events: The Ryder Cup. This year there are no favourites, as although the defending champions have big names such as world number one Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia and match-play specialist Ian Poulter, the Americans have an in-form Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and the big-hitters, Bubba Watson and Dustin Johnson. 

With so many big names gearing up for this afternoon's foursomes it is very hard to pick which players will shine and which players won't. US captain Davis Love III has already made a very bold decision by sending out Cup rookie Brant Snedeker first alongside old hand Jim Furyk. Snedeker has been on great form in a season that culminated with a Tour Championship win while Furyk has shown flashes of his best, most notably in the US Open when he blew a great chance to win his second major. Love defended his decision to throw Snedeker in at the deep end: "We wanted to get Brandt going - Brandt likes to get out there and get after it." 

However they will be facing the Northern Irish juggernaut that is Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell, a combination that features the world's number one and 18 golfers, as well as three major championship wins. McIlroy and 'G-Mac' will go into this one as favourites, although Furyk has done everything there is to do in the sport and Snedeker will be going out with all guns blazing. 

In the next foursomes match is probably the most successful Ryder Cup foursomes team of all-time in the shape of former world number one Donald and Spain's Sergio Garcia. Neither player have ever lost in this format with Donald holding a record of six wins out of six and Garcia unbeaten in eight matches. They are tough opponents for anyone, but if anyone can beat them then it will be the star-studded American pairing of four-time major champion Phil Mickelson and rookie Keegan Bradley, the 2011 USPGA champion. 

The third match looks to be very much in the balance with world number four Lee Westwood and Italian Francesco Molinari taking on Zach Johnson and Jason Dufner, both in the world top 20, and both very much in form. This is the battle of the 'steady eddie's' with all these players very solid from tee to green. Europe skipper Olozabal said of his decision to choose Molinari: "He's straight off the tee, he hits good iron shots. When I look at foursomes, I want to have players who are consistent and are steady from tee to green."

Englishmen Ian Poulter and Justin Rose round off the session for Europe and are up against the two old pros that are Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker. Both have been around for what seems like forever with Woods holding 14 major titles and Stricker being in the world top 20 for the last five years. Both have not scored as well as many would have expected in the Ryder Cup, but both will out to prove their doubters wrong this week-end. Woods said of previous matches: "I didn't earn the points I was put out there for. Hopefully I can do that this week, and hopefully the other guys can do the same and we can get this rolling."

Poulter is a well-renowned match-play player with a magnificent Ryder Cup record and won the WGC match-play title in 2010 as well as the Volvo match-play championship in 2011. Rose has been on good form and has four wins on the PGA Tour in the last three years which has resulted in a rise to a career-high of fifth in the world rankings. The last game, as ever, will be the one to watch, but all the matches have a sense of intrigue and the potential for drama surrounding them.

McIlroy Wins With Consummate Ease at Kiawah Island

On Sunday morning the 94th USPGA Championship was hanging in the balance with Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy and Fiji's Vijay Singh tied for the lead on -6. As Saturday's play was suspended the leaders had to resume mid-way through their third rounds and McIlroy got out the blocks the quickest as he moved into the lead on his own with an impressive 67. Singh slipped back to join 14-time major champion Tiger Woods on -2 while Carl Pettersson went into the final round in second place on four under.

The Northern Irishman found himself with the 54-hole lead for the third time in a major after his collapse at Augusta last year and his demolition job at Congressional in the 2011 US Open. Early on it was Englishman Ian Poulter who made a charge as he birdied his first five holes to get to within one with some magical stroke-play and a series of one-putts. He made it birdie number six on the seventh hole as it started to look as though something special was on the horizon. Something out of the ordinary did happen, but it was not Poulter who produced it as he fell away on the back nine to finish with a 69 on four under par. 

Many turned to Tiger Woods to light up the course and he was on the prowl to start with after two early birdies, only for his challenge to also fail to materialise down the home stretch. McIlroy was playing serene golf and went out in just 33 strokes as he opened up a two shot lead over Poulter. Big Swede Carl Pettersson was in contention as he moved to -6 despite incurring a two-shot penalty on the first hole for moving a leaf (loose impediment) with his club in a hazard. However he also faltered as it became the 'Macca' show. 

The Ulsterman rolled in a ten-footer on the 12th green to move six shots clear and after that it was merely a victory procession. Like Congressional he had that bounding walk as he seemed to find fairways and greens with relative ease. When he did find trouble he also found his short game in excellent order as he got up and down on 16 to move seven shots clear on -12. He finished in magnificent style to boot as he holed a 12-foot putt on the 72nd hole to match his effort at Congressional last summer and win by eight shots. He took only 25 putts in a majestic final round of 66 which was added to rounds of 67, 75 and 67 to leave him on -13 with his nearest competitor, David Lynn, on minus five. 

Understandably McIlroy was delighted after regaining the world number one spot and becoming the youngest ever double major champion at 23: "I don't think I have let it sink in yet, it was a great round of golf. I just wanted to play solid, as I did all the way through the week. I got off to a shaky start but settled into it and my putting was phenomenal. It means an awful lot to look at the names on the trophy and to put my name beside them is something special."

Insane Usain Thrashes Olympic Record On Balmy Night

Four years ago Usain Bolt became the first ever man to run the 100 metres in a time of under 9.7 seconds, despite appearing to ease up as he approached the line. Many people said that that his time of 9.69 could stand for many years but Bolt flew out of the blocks like lightning in Berlin the following year, smashing his own record by 0.11 seconds. That was a time that appeared completely unbeatable and no one had come particularly close going into tonight's Olympic final. However this was the first time the four fastest men in history had raced against each other and this was always going to be a great race. 

This year there were doubts surrounding the Jamaican legend after he was beaten in his country's Olympic trials by training partner Yohan Blake; a man who also won the 2011 World Championship after Bolt was disqualified for false-starting. Other contenders included former world record holders Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay, while 2004 champion in Athens Justin Gatlin went into the race as the fastest qualifier after winning his semi-final in 9.82 seconds. 

Bolt was sluggish out of the blocks but quickly caught up with country-man Blake and Gatlin while Powell and Gay immediately struggled behind. Just when it looked like the three-time Olympic champion might lose his title he powered away from the field to win in a new Olympic record time of 9.63 seconds. The records continued to be broken as the other finalists crossed the line. Four men ran under 9.81 seconds and seven men ran sub-ten second times as the record books continued to be re-written in unprecedented fashion. Bolt's apprentice Blake took silver as Gatlin just dipped ahead of team-mate Gay to take bronze. 

With the 50th anniversary of Jamaican independence tomorrow a one-two was a fitting way to celebrate. The champion will go into the 200 metres hoping to become the first man to win four gold medals in 100 and 200 metre sprinting while tonight's win made him only the second man after Carl Lewis to win two 100 metre Olympic titles. In the 200 metres he will probably face an even tougher challenge from tonight's silver medallist.

Bolt acknowledged that this was his best ever win when he said: "I was happy when I went out in the first round, I felt like, I could do this. I think I sat in  the blocks a little bit but the key was that I didn't worry about the start. My coach said to remember that the strongest part of my race is the end and that worked." He also recognized Blake's efforts: "I have to pay tribute to Blake because he always pushes me in training and he'll do even better next time."

All Eyes Focused On Sunday's Blockbuster 100m Final

After the drama of Super Saturday heads now turn to a hyped men's 100 metres final that could go a number of different directions. Iconic Jamaican Usain Bolt will defend his title and world record but for the first time in a long time going into a major championship final there is a feeling that he can be beaten. His old rivals American Tyson Gay and fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell will be there with him hoping to finally get one over him in a major final. Neither Gay or Powell have beaten Bolt in a major final since 2007 when the American won the sprint double at the world championships.

Since then Bolt has dominated sprinting like no man ever before, winning three golds in Bejing and another three in 2009 in Berlin. In those world championships he broke both of the world records that he had set the previous year. Both of these still stand with his 100 metres record at 9.58 seconds and his 200 metres time at 19.19. However in the last year there have been signs that the 25-year-old's power is waning and he lost his world 100 metres title when he was disqualified for false-starting in Daegu. In that final his training partner and team-mate Yohan Blake won in a time of 9.92 seconds. That time would not usually be able to beat the three-time Olympic champion but since then Blake has gradually improved and he beat Bolt at the Jamaican trials in a new personal best of 9.75 seconds. He also defeated Bolt in the 200 metres and has come very close to the world record that many felt would never be beaten by running times of 19.40 and 19.26 this year.

While Blake will feel quietly confident of out-running his team-mate there are other men that will be holding high hopes of taking gold. It is clear that Bolt will be a deserving favourite with Blake close behind but the other sprinter from the small Carribean island, Asafa Powell, has held the world record before and was third at the Jamaican trials. His personal best is an impressive 9.72 seconds and regularly runs under 9.9 seconds but has struggled to perform to his best on the big stage. Despite suffering from pre-race anxiety he does have an Olympic gold to his name in the 100 metre relay and has won four world championship medals. His form this year has been solid if not spectacular and he could put previous Olympic disappointments behind him. 

Despite the majority of focus being on the Jamaican contingent sprinting has been traditionally dominated by the USA. They have lost their stranglehold on the show-piece athletics event somewhat over the last five years but both Gay and 2004 Olympic 100 metre champion Justin Gatlin have had good seasons and could push for a win tonight. The 2007 world champion Gay holds the American record and became the only man other than Bolt to have run under 9.7 seconds when he won in Shanghai in 2009 in 9.69 seconds. He has not been on his best form this year despite looking ominous at times but should not be ruled out as he could win with a good start and something to hold on to.

Olympic champion in Athens, Justin Gatlin, has come roaring back into athletics after serving a four-year ban for testing positive for a banned substance. After returning two years ago he has run under ten seconds regularly, winning the US Olympic trials in 9.80 seconds, the record for a man over 30. He has already beaten country-man Gay as well as Powell this year and has run sub-ten seconds three times this season. He will go into tonight's final as one of the favourites as he looks to win a fourth Olympic medal.

Tiger On The Prowl As 112th US Open Moves Into Full Swing

Tiger Woods is finally starting to look like the player he was when he was winning all those majors a few years ago. Since being beaten to the 2009 USPGA Championship by YE Yang he is yet to look that threatening in a major again. Three tied for fourth finishes since then have shown that he can still shoot low rounds in majors, but he has yet to string four good rounds together. This season he has picked up his first two PGA Tour victories since 2009 and seems to be in good shape and full of confidence. 

His pitch on the 16th green at Memorial two weeks ago was nothing short of sensational. If he under-hit it he could have not made the green, if he over-hit it he would have gone at least 10ft past and maybe in the water. However, he caught it to absolute perfection and the ball dropped delightfully into the cup to bring back memories of that famous chip at Augusta's 16th in 2005. Jack Nicklaus said that Tiger's latest magic moment was the 'best shot he had ever seen' and Tiger seemed pretty pleased with it as well saying that it was 'not bad'. "It was one of the hardest shots I've pulled off. If I leave it short, it rolls left, if I hit it long it's in the water. The lie wasn't that great. It came out just perfect."

For the first time in a long time Woods seemed to have his old self-confidence back after his Memorial win: "Boy, I hit it good," he said. "I never really missed a shot, I had the pace of the greens really nice and made a few putts."

Now he is following on from that win with a very accomplished performance so far at the difficult Olympic Club. Rounds of 69 and 70 have given him a share of the halfway lead and his overall play is looking back to its best. A grinding style is required to do well round this course and Tiger said he's "just playing for a lot of pars. This is not a tournament where we have to make a bunch of birdies." Unlike what many people may think, this is the type of course that suits Woods down to the ground. On such difficult courses only the very best can shoot a round near par and Woods is definitely one of the best and his statistics showed that yesterday with 11/14 fairways hit and 14/18 greens in regulation. History proves that Tiger thrives on harder courses with his three previous US Open wins coming on very tough courses. In 2008 his winning score was just -1, in 2002 it was -3 and although he shot -12 in 2000, his closest competitors were 15 strokes back at +3.

However the style of game most suited to this golf course is the grinding style effectively used by old-timers Jim Furyk and David Toms. With one major win a-piece these two players will fancy their chances of taking a second on Sunday. Aged 42 and 45 respectively their experience has helped them so far this week. Solid play and good scrambling and putting have been rewarded this week and Toms, Furyk and 2010 US Open winner Graeme McDowell have all shown these qualities. As a result all are in with a shout of stopping a Woods procession. 

As the tournament heads into the weekend it appears that the world's best will have to continue to scrap hard against the course in one of golf's most difficult tests. Tiger now looks as dangerous as ever and he will be expected to take his major tally to 15 as he endeavours to reel in Nicklaus's magic number of 18. Despite this there will be plenty of other players still hoping to have a decisive say over the weekend in what could become one of the game's most famous tournaments.

Americans Gunning for Sawgrass Glory

When Phil Mickelson holed the winning putt to win the Players Championship in 2007 no one would have predicted that the next four winners of the historic tournament would be players from outside the US. However since then there have been two European winners (Garcia, Stenson), a South African (Tim Clark) and the first ever Asian winner in KJ Choi. But this year there appear to be many Americans who are ready to buck the trend.

2001 champion and 14-time major winner Tiger Woods is in the field hoping to hunt down a second PGA win of the year. After his much-publicised slump he is appearing to be finding his feet again, winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational earlier this season. His old rival Mickelson will be looking to add to his one title, although has recently slipped to 10 in the world rankings. Despite the fact that these two great players will still be challengers; times have changed.

A new generation of American golfers have broken through. Finally winning major titles, Keegan Bradley's PGA Championship win last August was a first US win in seven attempts and Bubba Watson backed it up with his stunning Masters victory. Bubba has risen to number 4 in the world but is not in the field this week while Bradley has become a force to be reckoned with after his major triumph as a rookie. But he is not the only young American with realistic ambitions of winning the 'fifth major championship'. 

Hunter Mahan has two wins already this season, one of them the prestigious WGC World Match-Play Championship, defeating world number one Rory McIlroy in the process. He has climbed into the top five of the world rankings for the first time and is a serious contender for this week's title. Another American on the rise is Webb Simpson, who was beaten so dramatically to the money-list last year by Luke Donald. Last season he announced himself on the world stage with two PGA wins and defeats in two play-offs; being one of the most consistent players on tour and rising into the world top 10. Last week he led going into the final round at the Wells Fargo Championship but shot a 73 as he missed out on a three-man play-off by one shot. 

The winner of that play-off, Rickie Fowler, will also be on a high after winning his first PGA tournament at the 67th time of asking as a pro. Other players looking to add to their PGA Tour win list like Jason Dufner, Steve Stricker, Matt Kuchar, Ben Crane and Ben Curtis will surely mount a challenge to put recent Sawgrass history  right for US golf.