ESPN Golf Online: 1999 U.S. Open: Hole of the day: No. 18

ALSO SEE
Stewart puts himself on familiar ground

Saturday, Jun. 19
Hole of the day: No. 18

By Mike Grady
ESPN Golf Online
Jockeying for the lead on moving day Saturday came down to the final hole, with Phil Mickelson and Payne Stewart each carding birdie on the 446-yard, par-4 18th.
No. 18 has played fairly easily for the tournament, and was especially so Saturday with the wind at the players' backs. It ended up ranked the easiest hole of the day with a 4.015-stroke average. Only the par-5 fourth hole had more birdies (12 compared to No. 18's 10), and no hole had fewer than 18's nine bogeys on the day.
Mickelson was first to use 18 as a catapult into Sunday. He hit 3-wood off the tee, cut an 8-iron to within six feet of the hole and drained the putt to complete a round of 3-over 73 and move back to even-par overall.
He and his caddie shared a laugh after his approach shot landed so close to the hole, and afterward he explained his reaction was the result of an inside joke.
"It was the first fade I tried to hit all week," said the left-hander. "This golf course sets up well left-to-right. I wasn't going to get to the pin left-to-right on that shot, so I took an 8-iron and hit a cut shot.
"I anticipate trying to hit a lot of fades all day tomorrow, because basically that came off good."
Playing in the next -- and final -- group, Stewart then moved out of his momentary tie with Mickelson by carding his own birdie and moving to 1-under. He hit driver, then shot a 7-iron to 15 feet from the cup, which was situated back left. He, too, flushed his putt as the huge gallery roared its approval.
"I kind of righted the ship a little bit there with that birdie," said Stewart, who had dropped from 3-under at the start of the day to even through 10 holes. "That leaves a very pleasant taste in my mouth."