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U.S. Open 2019: Watch Gary Woodland turn an awful break into a highlight-reel birdie

June 15, 2019

If there's one thing we've learned during the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, it's that Gary Woodland is great out of sand-filled divots. During Saturday's third round, the tournament leader found the center of a particularly gnarly one on the fourth hole. But rather than let the bad break halt his momentum, the three-time PGA Tour winner turned the opportunity into a highlight-reel birdie.

Check it out as Woodland punched a low wedge from the bare lie to within three feet:

Tasty.

And Woodland's divot mastery has as much range as his jump shot. On No. 9 on Friday, his final hole of the second round, he found another divot after pumping a 317-yard drive. From there, Woodland blasted an 8-iron 207 yards to the front of the green and rolled in a 50-footer to take a two-shot lead through 36 holes.

This isn't the first time sand-filled divots have played a role in a U.S. Open. In 1998, Payne Stewart found one on the 12th hole during the final round, made bogey, and lost to Lee Janzen by one. This time, though, Woodland could wind up hoisting the trophy in spite of winding up in a couple of these.