Graham DeLaet was out on the practice range working on his game on Monday morning, preparing for his first U.S. Open. Its almost hard to believe that the player ranked 32nd in the world, who has earned more than $2 million this year, dazzled at last years Presidents Cup and has 16 top-10 finishes in the last three years, is just now completing the career slam - in terms of playing them, that is. Sometimes we forget that as good as he is, hes still relatively young in terms of being at the elite level. His talent exceeds his experience at this point of his career, which isnt necessarily a bad thing. Still, he does know a good course when he sees one. Having toured around the back nine at the famed No. 2 course here at Pinehurst, DeLaet quickly pronounced it to be a favourite. "It automatically went into my top 10 of all time," said the lone Canadian entrant in the American championship this year. "Its a great test, its an awesome old-style golf course and its going to be a lot of fun." Fun? The U.S. Open? Yep, this is definitely his maiden voyage in this tournament. While he hasnt been playing it, DeLaet, of course, has been an avid viewer of the American championship, and he knows that unlike most of the past, oh, 50 or 60, U.S. Opens, this year there is no long, punishing rough lining the fairways. Instead, Pinehurst has been returned to its original design, thanks to Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore, with scruffy waste areas full of wiregrass bushes on the borders of the short grass. Its something that DeLaet says could prove to be a bit of a lottery for those who stray from the fairway. "This is my first U.S. Open but Ive watched in on TV for years," he said, "and its always been the deep rough and this year there is no rough at all. But the waste area or whatever you call it, sometimes you can get in there and have a pretty clear shot and get a lot of club on it and you can get in there and have a lot of bad breaks as well." DeLaet believes that hitting it into the scruffy section - officially, native areas - will give you about a 50 per cent chance of having a good lie. You might be able to play the shot like a fairway bunker or you might end up behind a tuft of grass that will mean chipping out sideways. The frustration levels could rise significantly if a player gets enough of the bad lies. DeLaet knows that too will be a big part of surviving the week, keeping his patience at an even level and trying to survive the mental test that is a big part of this event. Along with the predicted high temperatures, it will be a tough task for any player to keep their minds focused at all times. While DeLaet is working on his mental side, his physical appears to be in order. He was forced to miss the Memorial two weeks ago with a sore leg, something he now feels is on the mend. "I just kind of had a strained tendon on the outside of my right foot," he stated. "It wasnt extremely painful or anything like that but I just knew if I kept playing - and walking on uneven slopes is the worst for it. And Memorial unfortunately is up and down. I mean thats one of my favourite golf courses and I love that tournament and I have good vibes going in there. It killed me to miss that tournament but I knew for the rest of the year I had to be smart and I just didnt make it worse and over the last couple of weeks with some rest, it has gotten a lot better." While this has been a good year for the Saskatchewan native, he has been in search of more consistency on the greens. In the second round of the Players, he switched to a left-hand-low putting grip that he was practicing with on Monday, under the watchful eye of short game coach Gabriel Hjertstedt. Its just one more little thing he hopes will unlock the mystery that is putting. DeLaet is also hoping that he can bring his game around in a big event. While hes posted six top-10s this year, including consecutive runner-up finishes at Torrey Pines and Phoenix, he missed the cut in both the Masters and the Players. Its understandable as he adjusts to tougher set-ups and deeper fields, but this is where he wants to perform, this is where he wants to be contending. Hell get that opportunity starting at 1:36 on Thursday afternoon. Adidas Continental 80 Heren . Zdeno Chara scored with 13 seconds left in regulation after David Krejci tied it late, lifting the Bruins to a 3-2 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday night in a game that saw Orpik taken from the ice on a stretcher. Adidas NMD Dames . Or take a relaxing vacation somewhere warm. Brayden Schenn and Scott Hartnell scored, Ray Emery stopped 32 shots and the Flyers beat the Calgary Flames 2-1 on Saturday for their fourth straight victory. http://www.nmdbelgie.com/kopen-yeezy-boost-700-sale.html. Billy Hamilton finished off Cincinnatis biggest comeback of the season for a doubleheader sweep. Adidas NMD XR1 Dames . 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell. Adidas Tennis Hu Kopen . In a matter of days, he went from unwanted to wanted, from fired to hired, from discarded by the Philadelphia Eagles with reputation tarnished to rock star treatment and a new fat contract from the Washington Redskins.SAN FRANCISCO -- As fans filed out of AT&T Park and into a sunny San Francisco afternoon, they serenaded the home team with chants of "Sweep! Sweep! Sweep!" The tune has become a familiar sound here this season -- and its only June. Gregor Blanco doubled, singled and drove in three runs, and the surging San Francisco Giants beat the New York Mets 6-4 on Sunday for their fifth straight win. "Theres nothing I can complain about," manager Bruce Bochy said. The Giants completed their fourth sweep of the season. Theyve won 14 of 17 games to build baseballs best record at 42-21, and they own a 9 1/2 game lead over the rival Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. Even those on the 2012 and 2010 World Series teams cant remember a regular-season roll like this. "Were going to ride it out, ride the wave," said Tim Lincecum, who allowed two home runs to Curtis Granderson in six innings. "Its fun to be a part of." San Francisco has done it behind a deeper lineup, which was evident again in its latest victory. Blanco gave Angel Pagan a day off in centre field. Hector Sanchez started at catcher for All-Star Buster Posey. Off-season addition Michael Morse played first base for Brandon Belt, who is on the disabled list with a broken left thumb. And Brandon Hicks started at second base, as he has most of the season for the injured Marco Scutaro. Morse, Hicks and Brandon Crawford each drove in a run for the Giants, who chased Zack Wheeler in the fourth. Wheeler (2-6) gave up four runs and six hits. "The club is getting contributions from everybody," Bochy said. "Last year, it seemed like your hope is through the heart of the order and then you have to wait for them to come back around." Grandersons two long balls provided the biggest highlights for the Mets, who have lost a season-high six straight. Lincecum (5-4) allowed six hits, struck out six and walked one in six innings. Four relievers held the Mets to one run in two innings before Sergio Romo recorded his 20th save in 22 chances. "Its tough to keeep losing by one or two runs," Wheeler said.dddddddddddd "But were at least keeping them close and on the edge of winning games by one or two runs." The Giants overcame deficits against the mistake-prone Mets in all three games. Following the pattern that played out all weekend, Granderson drove a 3-0 pitch over the wall in centre to give New York a 2-0 lead in the first. He hit his eighth homer of the season in the sixth and doubled in the eighth. The Mets might have scored more if Matt den Dekker had not been caught stealing third in the first. Blancos two-run double capped a three-run second for the Giants. Morse drove in another run to give San Francisco a 4-2 lead when he grounded into a double play in the third. "We do have confidence," Blanco said. "Anytime we see ourselves losing a game, for some reason, we step it up. For some reason, we get mad and things start happening." Lincecum singled in the fourth for his first hit of the year. That also ended the afternoon for Wheeler, who gave up four runs and six hits in 3 2-3 innings. He struck out six and walked two. Granderson started to bring the Mets back with a solo shot over the wall in right and into McCovey Cove in the sixth. It was his 15th multihomer game and first since Oct. 3, 2012, while playing with the Yankees against Boston. After Blancos RBI single in the seventh, Granderson doubled in the eighth, putting Daniel Murphy in position to score from third on Jean Machis wild pitch. Machi got Chris Young to fly out with Granderson on third to keep the Giants ahead. Brandon Hicks singled home another run for San Francisco in the eighth. NOTES: Mets 3B David Wright was out of the starting lineup for the first time all season. He struck out as a pinch-hitter in the seventh. ... San Francisco opens a four-game home series against Washington on Monday, sending Ryan Vogelsong (4-2, 3.39 ERA) to the mound opposite Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg (5-4, 3.10). ... The Mets have Monday off before beginning a three-game series against Milwaukee on Tuesday in New York. ' ' '
