Jeev eyes top 20 finish US Open; Tiger on prowl

Oakmont, Pennsylvania, June 17 (UNI) A top 20 finish was very much in sight as Jeev Milkha Singh carded an improved three-over 73 to jump to tied 35th spot after the penultimate round of the US Open here.

After two identical rounds of 75, that saw him barely making the cut, Jeev looked all set for another forgettable round as he dropped four strokes on his front nine. The Asian No 1 dug in deep and hit two birdies in the first three holes of his back nine. Last three holes were a roller coaster as dropped a stroke, gained one, before signing off with a bogey.

Jeev aggregates 13-over 223 after three days of struggle at Oakmont course, one of the toughest layouts, and is whopping 11 strokes behind the leader Aaron Baddeley of Australia who grabbed the pole position from a four-way tie after a level-par 70.

But it was Tiger Woods who stole the thunder with a near-perfect one-under 69 -- one of two under par scores of the day -- to jump to tied second with just two strokes off the pace.

After two subdued rounds, the World No 1 was expected to make a charateristic late charge and he obliged. Woods birdied the third and fourth holes and missed out on a lot more. He just about rescued himself after hitting the ball into a bunker on the final hole but his 20-foot par-putt stopped on the edge of the hole.

Notwithstanding the last hole bogey, Woods, four-over 214, was in to a position from where he could go all out for his Major No 13.

A stroke behind at tied third was the quartet of Englishmen Paul Casey (72) and Justin Rose (73), Canadian Stephen Ames (73) and American Bubba Watson (74).

American Steve Stricker (68) played the best round of the day to go up to tied 7th with compatriot Jim Furyk (70) and second-round leader Angel Cabrera of Argentina, who set a miserable 76.

Vijay Singh of Fiji made a recovery with a commendable penultimate round of 70 to move up to tied 13th.

UNI