Jim Furyk believes he is in the right frame of mind to challenge for the Open title at Turnberry this weekend.
American looking to convert more birdies this time around
Jim Furyk believes he is in the right frame of mind to challenge for the Open title at Turnberry this weekend.
The American has contended on numerous occasions and has five top-five finishes to his name - two of which came in the last three years, when he has warmed up by practising on the nearby links.
This year he has been honing his skills at Turnberry and down the coast at Royal Troon, and hopes the experience will stand him in good stead this week.
"I feel all right about my game. I have been playing well at home and I've been over here a while and played a lot of golf here and at Troon," he said.
"I don't spend a lot of time on my range over here and I feel I am as prepared as I could be.
"It's worked well the last couple of years so I try to keep the same style."
Furyk won the 2003 US Open and has come close to adding to his major championship collection, only to find his putter letting him down when it mattered.
Good breaks
He had just one birdie and 15 pars in his last 16 holes 12 months ago and he hopes he will be able sink more birdie putts under pressure this time.
"I think the difference between consistently coming in the top 10 and winning has a lot to do with controlling the ball and getting some putts to go in," he said.
"You need a couple of good breaks here and there but overall it is about playing four really solid rounds in these conditions.
"When I'm playing well that is one of my strengths but you still have to go out there and hit the fairways.
"Last year I had a back nine on Saturday that slipped away when I shot 43. Those nine holes cost me the chance to win it.
"There was a time on the back nine of the final day last year when I thought I could do it if I could make some birdies and the others struggled.
"Had I made a few and posted a score I would have been tough to catch but it didn't turn out that way.
"Paddy (Harrington) went on a charge at the end of the round (he was four under for his last six holes) and so it probably wouldn't have mattered.
"But I would have liked to have posted something to make him think about it."
