Defending Champion Finishes Near the Bottom

OAKMONT, Pa., June 17 -- Geoff Ogilvy's reign as U.S. Open champion ended Sunday with a 5-over-par 75. The Australian's second such round this week left him one stroke from 300 and seven shots from last place.

Ogilvy missed 9 of 14 fairways in the final round and often found himself in sand throughout the tournament.

"I know I don't need to practice out of fairway bunkers anymore," said Ogilvy, who won the 2006 title at Winged Foot at 5 over. "It doesn't matter if you're good or not out of them. We should just add one shot and drop it out in the fairway and go. It's just frustrating. If you miss a shot by a yard, it's just a one-shot penalty. Didn't have much fun the last three days."

Ogilvy began the week with promise, shooting a 71. He got into the weekend with a 75 Friday, then unraveled with an 8-over 78 in the third round.

"It's hard. It's no fun, but what are you going to do?" Ogilvy said. "No one's coming out here with a great score. It is what it is. I just didn't bring all my game here this week, and you need to."

Kim: 'Nothing to Lose'

Anthony Kim took advantage of more receptive greens early by posting a 67, 13 shots better than his Saturday round.

"I had nothing to lose today," said Kim, who turned pro last year after an illustrious college career at Oklahoma. "I'm almost in dead last, so just fire at some pins, and hopefully it works out."

Kim, 21, was a three-time all-American and was the NCAA freshman of the year in 2004. He left school after his junior year and went through three stages of qualifying school to earn his PGA Tour card.

Kim has earned more than $1.2 million in prize money this season on the strength of four top 10s, including a tie for third at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

"The greens were a bit softer today," Kim said. "They watered it obviously. Because I played so bad the first three days, I got to play early and got the ball rolling out there. I feel pretty fortunate to get out there and put up a good number."

Different Sort of Driving

Unforgiving rough, awkward bunker shots and slick greens are synonymous with U.S. Open venues. Having won the event in 2005 at Pinehurst, Michael Campbell was game for those challenges this week at Oakmont.

What the New Zealander did not figure on encountering were tractor trailers, but that's just what he got courtesy of a bridge golfers must cross after the first hole.

"You get those big trucks, and also you can hear the rumbling," Campbell said. "It makes you think twice. . . . You see the car crashes and truck crashes. The damage, it's just frightening."

Many international players are accustomed to trains running next to British Open courses, not cars and 18-wheelers beneath them.

"For me this is the first time I've come across where you've got to cross a highway or freeway," Campbell said. "It's different stuff."

At least Campbell did not have to contend with large wild animals. Olin Browne's caddie, Ted Scott, said he spotted a bear and cub along the seventh hole but opted not to tell Browne so as not to spoil his concentration.

Browne played in the fifth group out and shot 74.