English trio out to end US Open drought

Luke Donald of England reacts to his putt on the tenth hole during Round Two of the 113th U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club on June 14, 2013 in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. (Getty Images)

Hopes of a first English win at the US Open since Tony Jacklin, 43 years ago were rising on Friday with Justin Rose, Luke Donald and Ian Poulter all in contention at Merion Golf Club.

Rose (69) and Donald (72) both finished the day on level par, just one stroke back from joint leaders Phil Mickelson and Billy Horschel of the United States.

Poulter had yet to finish his second round, but he too was on level par with four holes to go.

Along with Lee Westwood and Paul Casey, the three close friends have long been regarded as a golden generation of English golfers, but for the moment their haul of major titles amounts to an embarrassing zero.

Rose said that he had taken some inspiration from the win of fellow 32-year-old Australian Adam Scott at the Masters in April.

“I seem to be a year or two behind Adam. But I don’t mind that,” he said.

“I feel that I’m capable of a good week and a big week,” he said. “And I feel like I’m capable of winning these tournaments now.

“I’m not going to get ahead of myself one little bit though. I think that’s part of learning your trade, not get past Friday night. Deep down I believe I can.”

Donald, three years older at 35, has put himself in contention at the halfway stage of a US Open for the first time in what is his 10th campaign.

He even led the field at one stage in Friday’s second round at four under, but had a horror stretch of five bogeys in six holes from the second, on what was his back nine.

A birdie at the par-three ninth to finish got him back to level par and set him up nicely for a crack at a long overdue first major crown at the weekend.

Donald bemoaned his play at the course’s two par-fives, which oddly come at the course’s second and fourth holes.

“But you try not to panic in US Opens — you try to take each hole as it comes,” he said. “It was nice to make a birdie on nine.”

Known for his superb short-game skills, Donald was favored by many to win at Merion this week given the course’s premium on accurate wedge play and pinpoint putting.

Having avoided a recent tendency to get off to slow starts in majors, he feels that he will have a chance to break his duck at the weekend.

“I’m excited to be in contention, and I have a chance,” he said.

“Obviously I haven’t played very well (at US Opens), but when I saw this place last week, I thought it was a good fit for my game.

“And obviously it’s nice to come here and feel like I’m swinging pretty well and I’ve got a chance. So hopefully I can throw a good one in tomorrow and really be in the mix come Sunday.”

Poulter, the oldest of the three at 37, was putting together a fine round when he ran out of light at the 15th, with birdies at eight and 13 against a bogey at the fifth.

“Time to eat and shut it down, great days works nearly half way thru this US Open, I have a 20ft putt on 15 left to right,” he said on his Twitter site.