43 years since the last US Open victory and 17 years since the last Major victory, it isn't quite like the football team waiting 47 years for a World Cup but last night England's drought was ended with the stunning victory of Justin Rose at the magnificent and brutal Merion Golf Club. One crushed drive and a pured 4-iron on the daunting par four 18th hole set up the par which would secure the first major title of the 32-year-old's career, some 15 years after he burst onto the golfing scene in spectacular fashion at Royal Birkdale.
The 113th US Open championship came to a thrilling conclusion after four exceptional days of golf on a golf course which belied its short length, with beguiling greens and punishing rough lining the fairways keeping the scoring high despite torrential rain earlier in the week. The first two rounds spilled into Friday and Saturday due to the dramatic storm which covered the area on Thursday, play resumed following a three and a half hour delay but the world's best golfers still could not take the course apart as had been so crudely suggested by some in the media.
The lowest round all week was 67, just three under the par of seventy, nothing close to the ridiculous 62 suggested earlier in the week. And the leading score went from 3-under at the end of the first round, to 2-under at the end of second round to 1-under after 54 holes, and then the winning score was 1-over at the completion of 72 holes. This was a typical, traditional and brilliant United States Open Championship.
For so long it looked as though Phil Mickelson would have a US Open trophy to add to the three green jackets and one Wanamaker trophy he has in his trophy cabinet, but a final round of 74 put paid to that and he had to settle for a heartbreaking sixth runner-up spot in the US Open. For his long-time rival Tiger Woods it was a nightmare week, posting his worst four-round aggregate score in a major in his career, and for Rory McIlroy it was just as bad with the pair finishing at 13 and 14 over par respectively.
Hunter Mahan, Steve Stricker, Luke Donald and Charl Schwartzel all flirted with the lead but none showed the consistency and clutch play under pressure to match the incredible final round from Justin Rose. The Englishman hit one, maybe two consecutive contenders for shot of the year on the 530 yard par four 18th hole to seal the deal and become the first US Open champion from England since Tony Jacklin in 1970. The win is the third British win in the championship in the last four years and the fifth British major title since the 2010 US Open. Rose joins McIlroy, McDowell, Clarke, Kaymer and Harrington in winning a major since 2007, a total of 8 major championships for European golfers in 7 seasons.
It should be no surprise to the world that our players are winning US Open's now, with the BMW PGA Championship now set up to replicate the shots required in a US Open, testing iron play and short game. Wentworth now has many of the features of a US Open course aside from the thick rough and the likes of Rose and Donald have each played great golf around the west course in the last four years.
From Merion the US Open moves to the incredible Pinehurst and a course that is of stark contrast to the east course at Merion, Pinehurst Number 2 doesn't have any rough but will defend itself with arguably the most challenging green complexes in golf. The 2014 US Open and US Women's Open will be played on the same course back-to-back next June in a unique first for major championship golf.
As with The Masters this year's US Open produced a first time major winner, but it provided enough story-lines and drama to fill two majors and a course that defied the odds and took the players apart.
For so long it looked as though Phil Mickelson would have a US Open trophy to add to the three green jackets and one Wanamaker trophy he has in his trophy cabinet, but a final round of 74 put paid to that and he had to settle for a heartbreaking sixth runner-up spot in the US Open. For his long-time rival Tiger Woods it was a nightmare week, posting his worst four-round aggregate score in a major in his career, and for Rory McIlroy it was just as bad with the pair finishing at 13 and 14 over par respectively.
Hunter Mahan, Steve Stricker, Luke Donald and Charl Schwartzel all flirted with the lead but none showed the consistency and clutch play under pressure to match the incredible final round from Justin Rose. The Englishman hit one, maybe two consecutive contenders for shot of the year on the 530 yard par four 18th hole to seal the deal and become the first US Open champion from England since Tony Jacklin in 1970. The win is the third British win in the championship in the last four years and the fifth British major title since the 2010 US Open. Rose joins McIlroy, McDowell, Clarke, Kaymer and Harrington in winning a major since 2007, a total of 8 major championships for European golfers in 7 seasons.
It should be no surprise to the world that our players are winning US Open's now, with the BMW PGA Championship now set up to replicate the shots required in a US Open, testing iron play and short game. Wentworth now has many of the features of a US Open course aside from the thick rough and the likes of Rose and Donald have each played great golf around the west course in the last four years.
From Merion the US Open moves to the incredible Pinehurst and a course that is of stark contrast to the east course at Merion, Pinehurst Number 2 doesn't have any rough but will defend itself with arguably the most challenging green complexes in golf. The 2014 US Open and US Women's Open will be played on the same course back-to-back next June in a unique first for major championship golf.
As with The Masters this year's US Open produced a first time major winner, but it provided enough story-lines and drama to fill two majors and a course that defied the odds and took the players apart.
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