Ames joint 9th in US Open

SOUTHAMPTON: Trinidad-born golfer Stephen Ames finished a creditable joint ninth in the prestigious US$6.25 million US Open at Shinnecock Hills, New York yesterday. Ames was plus-7 for the four-day tournament, but finished eight places above World #1 super golfer Tiger Woods who completed the course in plus-10. South African Retief Goosen, in a sterling display of clutch putting and great escapes, captured his second US Open in four years by taking one putt on the final six greens and letting Phil Mickelson self-destruct.

In the toughest final round at the US Open in 22 years, Goosen closed with a one-over 71 for a two-shot victory made possible when Mickelson three-putted from five feet on the 17th just as the raucous New York gallery was ready to send him off in pursuit of the Grand Slam.

Final scores: 276 -  Retief Goosen 70 66 69 71; 278 - Phil Mickelson   68 66 73 71; 281 - Jeff Maggert 68 67 74 72; 284 - Mike Weir 69 70 71 74 and Shigeki Maruyama  66 68 74 76; 285 - Fred Funk 70 66 72 77;
286 - Robert Allenby 70 72 74 70 and Steve Flesch  68 74 70 74; 287 - Jay Haas  66 74 76 71; Stephen Ames 74 66 73 74, Chris Dimarco 71 71 70 75; Ernie Els 70 67 70 80; 288 - Tim Herron 75 66 73 74, Spencer Levin 69 73 71 75,  Timothy  Clark 73 70 66 79; 289 - Angel Cabrera 66 71 77 75; 290 -  Skip Kendall 68 75 74 73; Tiger Woods 72 69 73 76, Corey Pavin Pavin 67 71 73 79.