ese days it will happen. Maybe itll be 2013."

PINEHURST, N.C. -- A tough Pinehurst No. 2 tried to make a game out of this U.S. Open. Martin Kaymer always had an answer. Already with one bogey on his card, Kaymers tee shot on No. 4 was so deep into the trees that his golf ball settled in sandy patch that had been washed out by rain, stacked up against 6 inches of pine straw. With nowhere to go and no relief available, he turned to USGA President Tom OToole and said, "If you have a way to play it, Ill follow you." Kaymer navigated his way out of trouble just fine. He escaped with a bogey by getting up-and-down from 165 yards. He followed with an eagle with a 7-iron from 202 yards out of more sand and weeds. And a birdie on the final hole gave him a 2-over 72 and a five-shot lead in a U.S. Open that finally lived up to its reputation Saturday. "I kept it very well together," said Kaymer, who was at 8-under 202. Now he has to do it one more time, with a different cast of challengers behind him. Rickie Fowler, with teen idol status in American golf, birdied the par-3 17th hole and shot 67 to get into the final group of a major for the first time. Even more unlikely was the other player at 3-under 207 -- Erik Compton, the two-time heart transplant recipient who considers it a victory just to be playing golf. Compton ran off five birdies and an eagle for a 67 "If I were to win the tournament, it would be obviously something that would be extremely special, not only for me, but for my family and for those who have been around me, and I think also for the community and those who have been through some tough times," Compton said. "I might just sail off and never play golf again." Even so, this tournament is in the hands of a 29-year-old German who kept his cool on a broiling day of some wicked pin positions. Only one player in U.S. Open history has lost a five-shot lead in the final round, and that Mike Brady in 1919. "It would be nice if they make it difficult again," Kaymer said of the pins, several of which were on the edges of the Donald Ross turtleback greens. "Because then its all about ball-striking. I enjoy playing those courses a lot more than just a putting competition. ... So I hope they put them in tough positions. Not as tough as today. It would be nice if we could have some kind of a chance once in a while. But that is what you get at the U.S. Open. Its OK. You just have to play very well." Only six players remained under par, and considering no one has come from more than seven shots behind in the final round to win a U.S. Open, they might be the only ones left with a realistic chance to catch Kaymer. Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson each shot 70 and were at 2-under 208. Brandt Snedeker had a 72 and was another shot behind. Asked how much that birdie mattered on the 18th hole, Kaymer said, "One shot." "If youre four shots, five shots, six shots, if you play a golf course like this, it can be gone very quickly," he said. "You could see it today. So the challenge tomorrow is to keep going and not try to defend anything. So well see how it will react tomorrow, how the body feels and how I handle the situation." Kaymer had his way with a softer, gentler Pinehurst No. 2 by becoming the first player to open with 65s to set the 36-hole record at 10-under 130. Some players wondered what tournament he was playing. There was no doubt what it was on Saturday. "Theyve set it up so that no one can go low," Retief Goosen said after a 71. "Some of the pins look like theyre about to fall off the greens." Toru Taniguchi shot an 88. Brendon Todd, playing in the final group with Kaymer, had a 79. Phil Mickelson had a 73 and was 13 shots out of the lead. Hell have to wait until next year to pursue the only major keeping him from the career Grand Slam. Adam Scott, the world No. 1, made bogey on all but one of the par 3s and was 11 shots behind. Kaymer nearly joined the parade of players going the wrong direction. He ended an amazing streak of 29 holes without a bogey by failing to get up-and-down from short of the second green. Trouble really was brewing on the fourth hole, when he pulled his tee shot into the trees and couldnt play his next shot. After being denied relief, he took a one-shot penalty drop and punched out to the fairway. From 165 yards, he hit his fourth shot to 15 feet right of the flag and lightly pumped his fist -- big emotion for Kaymer -- when it dropped for bogey. The other mistakes were sloppy. Kaymer hit a birdie putt off the green on the par-3 sixth and had to scramble for bogey. On the back nine, he twice took three putts for bogey, once from off the green. But he closed with his best shot of a long day, and still had control of this U.S. Open. Mike Brady is the only other player to lose a five-shot lead. That was in 1919 at Brae Burn Country Club in Massachusetts. He shot 80 in the last round, and Walter Hagen beat him the next day in a playoff. Kaymer is all about looking forward, not back at history, hopeful of winning his second major before turning 30. In the last 20 years, only Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Ernie Els have done that. Hydro Flask Cheap Ombre . - Playing a road game against a division rival raises the intensity for linebacker Clay Matthews. Hydro Flask Ombre Sale . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Tonight, Michigans Nik Stauskas of Mississauga, Ontario. http://www.cheaphydroflask.net/. On Wednesday night, they showed that stellar defence and a little small ball can get the job done too. With pinch-runner Kevin Pillar aboard after Dioner Navarro opened the bottom of the ninth with a single, Anthony Gose dropped down an excellent bunt along the first-base line. Hydro Flask Clearance . Gaborik was acquired in a trade with Columbus on Wednesday and skated on the top line with centre Anze Kopitar and right-winger Justin Williams. "We created some things," said Gaborik, who logged 16:38 of ice time. Rei Hydro Flask Sale . Right-hander Todd Redmond took the loss. Jose Bautista hit his second home run of the spring. Here are a handful of tidbits from around camp: Hutchison impressive The Blue Jays are being cautious when talking about their young arms but internally, excitement is building over the way Drew Hutchison is looking and performing this spring.HAMPTON, Ga. -- Kyle Busch can rest easy going to Richmond. His spot in the Chase for Sprint Cup championship is secure. Now, hes eager to win a title. One year after missing out on the playoff -- a bitter blow for a driver of his talent -- Busch locked up his berth with a victory Sunday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway. More important, the 28-year-old has some much-needed momentum after his fourth Cup win of the season. "A heck of a lot different than 365 days ago, Ill tell you that much," he said. This was the volatile Busch at his best. Early on, he spit out some salty complaints over his radio, the No. 18 Toyota not performing like he wanted. At one point, he called his car "a joke." But the crew kept making adjustments until the driver liked the way it handled. "I appreciate them hanging in there with me, although I was pretty graphic sometimes," Busch said. "Im passionate about winning, man." Then, after a rapid-fire series of caution flags near the end, Busch emerged from the pits with the lead. He held off hard-charging Joey Logano by a comfortable 0.740 seconds. Busch has 16 victories this year over NASCARs top three series, also winning nine times in Nationwide and three times in trucks. But hes still chasing the prize he really wants -- that first Cup title. "The championship is number one on anybodys list," he said. "Ive yet to collect the big prize. One of these days it will happen. Maybe itll be 2013." Martin Truex Jr., racing with a broken right wrist, finished third on the 1.54-mile trioval, followed by Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman. The rest of the top 10 was Jeff Gordon, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick and Brian Vickers. Kyle Busch was among four more drivers locking up their spot in the Chase heading to Richmond next weekend, where the 12-car field will be set for the playoff. He was joined by Harvick, Carl Edwards and Kasey Kahne, the latter assured of at least a wild card. Points leader Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer and Matt Kenseth had already claimed playoff berths before Atlanta. That means the final five will be determined at Richmond. Logano is one of the top contenders for those remaining spots, going into Richmond eighth in the points and also holding a victory as a wild-card backstop. He had the fastest car on the track at the end of the race, but ran out of time to run down Busch. "Its just frustrating," Logano said. "BBut in the grand scheme of things, its a big points day for us to get into the Chase going to Richmond.dddddddddddd This helps us a lot. A win wouldve helped a lot more." The rest of the top 10 includes Earnhardt (seventh), Greg Biffle (ninth) and Kurt Busch (10th). Gordon is 11th, but hes yet to win a race. For now, the wild cards belong to 12th-place Kahne (two wins) and No. 13 Truex (one win). "The last couple of weeks, weve been battling and passing and having a great time out there," said Gordon, a four-time Cup champion. "We didnt do that earlier in the year, which is why were in the position were in." Bowyer was dominant through the middle of the race, leading 48 laps, but he radioed his crew that that something seemed amiss in his No. 15 car. On Lap 193, those fears became reality when smoke started pouring from the back of his Toyota going into Turn 1. He managed to creep back around to pit road, but he headed straight for the garage, any hope of winning the race snuffed out. "I dont think they wanted to believe me," Bowyer said about his crew. "But I was pretty sure what I was hearing." At least Bowyer wont have to worry about the poor finish -- he wound up 39th -- costing him a spot in the Chase. That wasnt the case for defending Cup champion Brad Keselowski. Winless for the year and on the Chase bubble, he took over the lead and looked as if he had a shot at a much-needed victory. But a couple of cylinders failed and he began dropping back, finally sputtering to a stop 18 laps from the finish. He finished 35th and will go to Richmond knowing he likely needs a victory to even have a shot at taking a second straight title. He slipped to 15th in the standings, 28 points behind Kurt Busch. "Theres just some things you cant control," Keselowski said. "I guess well look at the positive. We were leading the race when it broke. We were doing all the right things. We just didnt put all the pieces together." Busch knows how that feels. He was in that same position a year ago. "This is a humbling sport," Busch said. "Look at what last years champion, what hes going through. Youve got to take the highs with the lows. Certainly Im not very good at taking the lows. Ill be the first to admit it. But when you get the highs, youve got to treasure em, because you dont know how many more youll get. "This," he added, "was a fun night." ' ' '