SAN FRANCISCO: The U.S. Open yields few birdies or big celebrations. And at Olympic Club, they always come in strange places.
Webb Simpson walked off the 18th green on a fog-filled Sunday evening with his face red and his legs limp, settling into a corner of the locker room to recover and watch Jim Furyk and Graeme McDowell chase his 1-over par 281 on the course.
Simpson saved par from the collar around the 18th green and sweated out a pair of past champions three groups behind, becoming the latest to claim his first major title at a club that always crowns the guy nobody expects to win.
Olympic Club is called the ”graveyard of champions” for a reason. Proven major winners who were poised to win the U.S. Open – Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Payne Stewart – all lost out to the underdog.
The North Carolina made four birdies in a five-hole stretch around the turn on the final day, and converted a tough par from the thick grass around the tiny 18th green. He shot a 2-under 68 that created more pressure than two tested champions and a 14-time major winner wearing red could handle.
Furyk was flawless for much of the week until he snap-hooked his tee shot on the par-5 16th hole to fall out of the lead for the first time all day. He made bogey on 18 and closed with a 74.
”I don’t know how to put that one into words,” said Furyk, the 2003 U.S. Open champion, ”but I had my opportunities and my chances and it was right there. It was, on that back nine, it was my tournament to win and I felt like if I went out there and shot even par, 1 under, I would have distanced myself from the field. And I wasn’t able to do so.”
Neither was McDowell, the champion two years ago at Pebble Beach, who made four bogeys on the front nine. He gave himself a chance with a 20-foot birdie putt on the 17th and a shot into the 18th that had him sprinting up the hill to see what kind of chance he had.
The putt from 25 feet stayed left of the hole the entire way. He ended with 73 and shared second place.
Tiger Woods, starting five shots behind, played the first six holes in 6-over par and was never a factor. He shot 73 and finished six strokes back.
Of the last 18 players to tee off in the final round, Simpson was the only one to break par. He also was the lone player to shoot two rounds in the 60s on the weekend.
”It was a cool day,” Simpson said. ”I had a peace all day. I knew it was a tough golf course. I probably prayed more the last three holes than I ever did in my life.” (AP)