Webb Simpson used a stunning 10-minute stretch to win the US Open at The Olympic Club at San Francisco on Sunday.
Tied with Jim Furyk for the lead and putting on 18, Simpson sank his par putt to finish with a 2-under 68 and close his tournament at 1-over par, putting the pressure on Furyk two holes back. Furyk, after driving far left on 16, bogeyed the hole to drop to 2 over on the tournament and surrender the lead he had held since Saturday. Furyk parred 17 then hit his second shot on the par-4 18th into the bunker to seal his fate.
It was an amazing turn that saw what appeared throughout the day to possibly be the second Open title for Furyk instead was a major coronation for Simpson, who entered the weekend with only two career victories and a tie for 14th at the 2011 Open as his best finish at a major.
Tiger Woods, the talk of the tournament after his first two rounds, continued his weekend free fall. After Saturday’s 5-over 75, Woods stumbled out of the gate on Sunday, shooting bogey, bogey, double-bogey on his first three holes to quickly from 4-over par to 8 over, and out of the potential-winner’s discussion. He finished the tournament at 7 over after a 3-over 73.
Furyk and Graeme McDowell began the day tied for the lead at 1-under par. McDowell dropped back with a bogey on the par-3 third hole, then allowed Furyk some distance with back-to-back bogeys on 5 and 6, both par 4’s. McDowell mounted a late charge, but entered No. 18 a shot behind Simpson and missed a 24-foot birdie putt that would have forced a tie.
Michael Thompson, the surprise first-round leader after Thursday’s play, shot a 3-under 67 to take the clubhouse lead at 2-over par while as final pairing was making the turn. That number became the mark that most all other golfers took aim at the rest of the day, hoping the leaders would come back to them. But once Simpson ended his round, and Ernie Els followed with a bogey at 18 to finish the tournament at 4 over, the pressure fell squarely on Furyk.
Thompson, 27, was the runner-up at the U.S. Amateur at Olympic Club in 2007.
Seventeen-year-old Beau Hossler, another one of the stars entering Sunday, saved par on No. 1 with a putt out of the fringe, giving a light fist pump and hearing roars the once belonged to Woods. Chants of ”Let’s go Hossler!” could be heard from the second green when Woods was lining up his putt, which he left short for a bogey.
But Hossler bogeyed three straight holes, falling to 5 over on the round through 10 holes. He finished with a 6-over 76, his worst round of the tournament, and ended his Open at 9 over.
