UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. - Masters champion Jordan Spieth added another chapter to golf’s record books with a nerve-jangling, one-shot victory at the U.S. Open on Sunday after a wildly fluctuating final round of high drama.
The American young gun sank a curling 28-footer to birdie the 16th and forge three ahead, then shrugged off a double-bogey at the 17th before becoming just the sixth player to slip into a green jacket and hoist the U.S. Open trophy in the same year.
Though Spieth birdied the par-5 to close with a one-under-par 69, he then had to watch as fellow American Dustin Johnson, in the final pairing, had a 12-foot eagle putt to win it at the 18th.
Johnson’s putt slid past the cup and he missed a four-foot birdie putt coming back to squander the chance of forcing an 18-hole playoff today at Chambers Bay.
The 21-year-old Spieth posted a 5-under total of 275 on a challenging links-style layout that firmed up under a baking sun as he became the youngest winner of the U.S. Open since Bobby Jones in 1923.
“I’m in shock,” Spieth said. “Wow. I watched it with (caddie) Michael (Greller) in there.
“I just wanted a fighting chance tomorrow. I feel bad for Dustin. I had that feeling on 17. I’m just proud of the way we rebounded on 18.”
Asked how he had rebounded from his double at the par-3 17th where he pushed his tee shot way right, Spieth replied: “I was happy 18 was a par-5 first and foremost, and I put a drive right where I wanted to.
“I got a nice little bounce off the side and two-putts later ... I didn’t think it was good enough but I couldn’t be more happy right now.”
Spieth, who stunned the golf world with a wire-to-wire victory by four shots at the Masters in April, became the youngest player to win back-to-back majors since Gene Sarazen in 1922 (U.S. Open and PGA Championship).
Johnson, seeking his first major crown, had to settle for a share of second place with South African Louis Oosthuizen, who sensationally birdied six of the last seven holes, including five in a row from the 12th, for a 67.
It was further major heartbreak for the big-hitting Johnson, a nine-time winner on the PGA Tour who came desperately close in his title runs at the U.S. Open and PGA Championship in 2010.
South African Branden Grace, whose victory hopes evaporated with a double-bogey at the 16th, where his tee shot ended up out-of-bounds, closed with a 71 to share fourth place at three under with Australians Adam Scott (64) and Cameron Smith (68).
Johnson, one of four players tied for the lead overnight in the year’s second major, appeared to have the title within his grasp when he moved two strokes clear at the turn on a picture-postcard afternoon in the Pacific Northwest.
However, Johnson lost his way with bogeys at the 10th, 11th and 13th, leaving playing partners Spieth and Grace effectively duelling for the lead.
Spieth then benefited from a three-shot swing at the 16th, after he sank a left-to-right breaking birdie putt from 28 feet and the South African ran up his double, before further drama unfolded over the last two holes.
World number one Rory McIlroy had earlier sent a tremor of excitement across the course as he racked up six birdies in his first 13 holes to reach two under for the tournament, just two off the lead.
The Northern Irishman drained a curling 70-footer at the par-four 13th to spark thunderous roars from the grandstands but bogeyed the 15th and 17th on the way to 66, and a tie for ninth at level-par.
“I hit some good shots early on, made some nice putts and just got a little bit of momentum going there,” McIlroy, who won the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional by eight shots, told reporters.
“I feel like it’s sort of one that got away, especially the way I putted this week. I don’t think I’ve ever hit the ball as well in a major championship.”
Low scoring was plentiful, especially for the early starters, on a par-70 layout made more receptive by overnight watering and a set up at its shortest yardage of the week.
The links-style venue became the longest course to stage a U.S. Open when set up at 7,695 yards for the second round, but was cut back to 7,384 yards for the final round.
GOLF
U.S. Open
University Place, Wash.
Final
Jordan Spieth 68-67-71-69-275 (-5)
Dustin Johnson 65-71-70-70-276 (-4)
Louis Oosthuizen 77-66-66-67-276 (-4)
Branden Grace 69-67-70-71-277 (-3)
Adam Scott 70-71-72-64-277 (-3)
Cameron Smith 70-70-69-68-277 (-3)
Charl Schwartzel 73-70-69-66-278 (-2)
Brandt Snedeker 69-72-70-68-279 (-1)
Jason Day 68-70-68-74-280 (E)
Shane Lowry 69-70-70-71-280 (E)
Rory McIlroy 72-72-70-66-280 (E)
Kevin Kisner 71-68-73-69-281 (+1)
Matt Kuchar 67-73-72-69-281 (+1)
Tony Finau 69-68-74-71-282 (+2)
Patrick Reed 66-69-76-71-282 (+2)
Andres Romero 71-69-71-71-282 (+2)
John Senden 72-72-70-68-282 (+2)
Charlie Beljan 69-75-69-70-283 (+3)
Jason Dufner 68-72-73-70-283 (+3)
Sergio Garcia 70-75-70-68-283 (+3)
Brooks Koepka 72-72-70-69-283 (+3)
Jamie Lovemark 70-68-75-70-283 (+3)
Hideki Matsuyama 70-71-72-70-283 (+3)
Geoff Ogilvy 69-72-75-67-283 (+3)
Thomas Aiken 74-71-73-66-284 (+4)
Billy Horschel 72-72-73-67-284 (+4)
Keegan Bradley 73-71-72-69-285 (+5)
Brian Campbell 67-72-78-68-285 (+5)
Tommy Fleetwood 74-69-73-69-285 (+5)
Jimmy Gunn 72-73-70-70-285 (+5)
Morgan Hoffmann 71-74-74-66-285 (+5)
J.B. Holmes 72-66-71-76-285 (+5)
Alexander Levy 70-69-73-73-285 (+5)
Francesco Molinari 68-73-72-72-285 (+5)
Justin Rose 72-70-72-71-285 (+5)
Henrik Stenson 65-74-72-74-285 (+5)
Daniel Summerhays 70-67-78-70-285 (+5)
Marc Warren 68-74-72-71-285 (+5)
Paul Casey 72-69-73-72-286 (+6)
Troy Kelly 72-73-72-69-286 (+6)
Joost Luiten 68-69-74-75-286 (+6)
Jim Furyk 71-73-73-70-287 (+7)
Denny McCarthy 71-73-71-72-287 (+7)
Ollie Schniederjans 69-73-72-73-287 (+7)
Robert Streb 74-70-73-70-287 (+7)
Kevin Chappell 69-75-73-71-288 (+8)
Brad Fritsch 70-74-72-72-288 (+8)
Kevin Na 70-72-72-74-288 (+8)
Webb Simpson 72-73-71-72-288 (+8)
Sam Saunders 72-72-76-69-289 (+9)
Lee Westwood 73-69-77-70-289 (+9)
Nick Hardy 70-75-77-68-290 (+10)
Ryan Palmer 74-70-73-73-290 (+10)
Ernie Els 72-70-76-73-291 (+11)
Ian Poulter 72-73-69-77-291 (+11)
Mark Silvers 72-71-75-73-291 (+11)
Cameron Tringale 75-68-74-74-291 (+11)
Luke Donald 73-71-73-75-292 (+12)
Brad Elder 76-68-76-72-292 (+12)
Beau Hossler 71-72-73-76-292 (+12)
Jack Maguire 73-68-73-78-292 (+12)
D.A. Points 74-71-77-70-292 (+12)
Jimmy Walker 72-73-72-75-292 (+12)
Angel Cabrera 70-75-74-74-293 (+13)
Marcus Fraser 71-71-77-74-293 (+13)
Ben Martin 67-70-86-70-293 (+13)
Phil Mickelson 69-74-77-73-293 (+13)
Colin Montgomerie 69-76-72-76-293 (+13)
Cheng-Tsung Pan 71-72-76-74-293 (+13)
George Coetzee 72-73-72-77-294 (+14)
Andy Pope 74-71-77-72-294 (+14)
Zach Johnson 72-72-78-73-295 (+15)
John Parry 72-73-71-79-295 (+15)
Camilo Villegas 72-73-80-75-300 (+20)
Chris Kirk 70-73-80-78-301 (+21)
