Golf: Late bogeys sink Faldo

Nick Faldo failed last night in his attempt to secure a seventh American victory and second this season as he prepares for this week's US Open. Faldo bogeyed the last two holes of the Kemper Open and had to settle for joint third place, three shots behind the winner, Justin Leonard.

Leonard was handed the title by his fellow American Mark Wiebe, who missed short putts on the final two greens to surrender the advantage. Wiebe had been four clear after seven, but three-putted four of the last 11 holes.

Faldo had a hat-trick of birdies from the 13th to be only two behind, but pulled a five-iron into sand at the short 17th and pushed his approach wide of the final green. Failing to get up and down on both occasions meant he finished with a 71 and seven-under-par total of 277, the same as Greg Norman, Nick Price and Mike Springer.

Faldo, winner of the Nissan Open in Los Angeles in March, nevertheless heads for the second major of the year at Congressional in good form.