Cautionary words on the final round

BETHESDA, Md. -- The first man in with an under-par round Sunday was Sang-Moon Bae, a 24-year-old Korean. He shot 31-36-67. His advance warning to players going out late: "The pins are hard. Up front. Very difficult." Every pin placement left no more than three or four steps to the green's edge -- and two long, important par-4's, the 11th and 18th, had pins way back on deep greens. At 18, Bae had a 4-iron in to a pin 21 yards from the front edge, seven yards from a pond at the left. He made bogey there. Asked what it would be like to play the 18th needing par to win the Open, Bae listened to an interpreter, opened wide his eyes, and said, "Very difficult." Then he smiled, happy to be done.

-- Dave Kindred