Brooks Koepka's globe-trotting golfing odyssey landed on a fairway to heaven at the US Open on Sunday (Monday in Manila) as he celebrated a brilliant first major victory.
"The 26-year-old has climbed to 21st in the world rankings and said: "'I've never contended for a major before, so when you get to Saturday and Sunday you've got to see how you react and how you feel.
The number of birdies in Dustin Johnson's first round as defending champion. I thought that if I thought ahead, if I strayed from the gameplan at all, that's where things were going to go wayward and sideways. "I don't know if I have 14 under in my bag to play". "I just tried to keep the hammer down and go as low as I could". Right before I won the final Challenge Tour event to get to the European Tour.
That put him in Sunday's final pairing - a 2:54 p.m. tee time - and Thomas, an early bird, said it was "bizarre for me", hanging around the house he shared with Fowler, trying to avoid the phone, the TV, all that was being written and said about him until it was time to go to the course. I couldn't have shot any higher. "I probably haven't won as much as I would have liked, but this will do". "It's simple", Johnson said.
Left defenseless by rain soften greens and calm conditions the U.S. Open, long regarded as the toughest test, was made to look easy through the opening three rounds as golfers attacked the pins with bravado in smashing scoring records. Pressure can do amusing things, and with the pressure off Matsuyama flourished on Friday.
Not many can boast a great uncle inducted into the college hall of fame for two sports, but then not many have taken such an unusual journey to the top.
Justin Thomas went where no player has gone before in the U.S. Open. He then calmly sank the putt for the record round and to take a two-shot lead into the clubhouse. I felt like I underachieved.
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This weekend did not fare well for the top-10 golfers, six of them missed the first cut, and the top three did not make it to June 17. Niebrugge finished on Saturday with his only round under par, and a tie for 35th.
The best of the action from the final...
Hadwin had a more hard second round on Friday, shooting a two-over par 74, but his two-round total was still enough for him to make the cut and qualify for the final two rounds of play. It was a pretty special week all around. "But can't complain the way I finished it off", Stricker said.
Despite finishing nowhere near the leaderboard, Niebrugge said the excitement of the many home-state fans in the crowd made the experience enjoyable.
"I just felt like I should be winning more", Koepka said. "It's truly an honor".
His name is now etched on the US Open trophy alongside the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, and his winning score to par of 16 under equals the tournament's all-time record mark set by Rory McIlroy at the par 71 Congressional Country Club in 2011.
The Florida native happens to be descended from one of the most versatile American athletes of the 20th century, Dick Groat -- a former All-America basketball star, two-time World Series baseball champion and MLB most valuable player.
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