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Rose Out-Duels Mickelson to Capture US Open
Mickelson Suffers Most Agonizing Open Near-Miss
Road to Success for Rose Was a Hard One
Aussie Confident His Day Will Come at a Major
For Woods, The Long Wait Continues
McIlroy Takes It Out on Club at US Open
Brutal Merion Dooms US Open Hopefuls
Stefani bags weird ace at US Open
Rose Out-Duels Mickelson to Capture US Open
ARDMORE, June 17, 2013 (AFP) - Justin Rose became the first Englishman to win the US Open since Tony Jacklin in 1970 with a tension-packed par-70 final round Sunday that delivered his long-sought first major title.
Rose, who also became England's first major champion since Nick Faldo at the 1996 Masters, finished 72 holes on one-over 281 to defeat US star Phil Mickelson and Australian Jason Day by two strokes at formidable Merion Golf club.
Rose, a 32-year-old who was born in South Africa, clung to a one-shot lead when he put his 18th-hole tee shot in the fairway near a plaque where legend Ben Hogan hit a famed one-iron shot to seal a 1950 US Open victory at Merion.
"When I saw my shot lying in the fairway, I thought, 'This is my moment,'" Rose said. "I've seen the Hogan photograph a million times and now it was me hitting the shot. I hit a 2-iron into the green and it all worked out."
The ball rolled to the back edge of the green and Rose used a hybrid to knock the ball an inch from the cup and tapped in for par to take the clubhouse lead, although his triumph was not yet secure.
Mickelson, the three-time Masters champion who sought his first US Open title after five runner-up efforts, came to 18 needing a birdie on his 43rd birthday to force an 18-hole Monday playoff with Rose.
No player in the third or fourth rounds had managed a birdie at the fiendish finishing hole and the US left-hander did not help his chances when his tee shot found the left rough and his approach was short of the elevated green.
When Mickelson's third shot sped inches to the right of the cup, Rose had his long-sought win in his 37th major start and on Father's Day.
"For it all to work out for me, it was such an emotional day, I couldn't help but look up at the heavens and think my old dad had something to do with it," Rose said.
Rose had received an encouraging and prophetic e-mail message from pal Adam Scott after the Aussie won his first major title two months ago at the Masters, saying, "You're time is coming soon." It could not have come any sooner.
"He is a wise man," Rose said.
Rose, 32, produced his best prior major finish of third at last year's PGA Championship, although he might have been best known for his share of fourth at the 1998 British Open as a teen amateur.
Mickelson took a closing bogey and finished in a share of second with Australia's Jason Day on 283 after a closing 74, his result giving him a sixth runner-up finish at the US Open after 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2009.
"For me it's very heartbreaking," Mickelson said. "This week, I thought, was my best opportunity. This is probably the toughest for me because at 42, to be so close, you know, it was really set up for me."
Mickelson, who made a stunning eagle at the 10th from 76 yards, lamented numerous birdie chances that went wanting, notably lipouts on the first two holes, and double bogeys at the third and fifth.
"I should have made bogeys at those holes where I made doubles," he said.
Reigning British Open champion Ernie Els of South Africa shared fourth on 285 with Americans Jason Dufner, Billy Horschel and Hunter Mahan. England's Luke Donald and American Steve Stricker shared eighth on 286.
The back-nine title hunt came down to Mickelson, Rose, Day and Mahan.
Rose missed a 13-foot par putt at the 16th and fell into a share of the lead at one-over with Mickelson and Mahan with Day only one shot back.
At the 15th, Mickelson botched a wedge and he and Mahan each missed long par putts. Mickelson made a two-footer for bogey but Mahan missed from three feet and made double bogey.
Day, the 2011 US Open and Masters runner-up, missed a four-footer for par at the 18th and that left him with a final-round 71 in the clubhouse on 283, level with Mahan but one back of Mickelson and two adrift of Rose.
Mahan took a bogey at 17 and only Mickelson could deny Rose from there, but instead, he found only heartache.
World number one Tiger Woods fired a 74 to finish on 13-over 293 -- his worst 72-hole US Open score over par as a professional -- and shared 32nd.
"It was a very good week overall," Woods said. "I'm just sorry the golf was not where I would have liked it to be."
Donald hit a woman with his tee shot at the third hole on his way to a bogey and was undone after that, with four more bogeys and a double bogey on the rest of the front nine alone.
Stricker, who at 46 would have been the oldest champion in US Open history, went out of bounds off the second tee and shanked his approach on the way to a triple-bogey eight, a career worst one-hole score that helped doom his dream.
Mickelson Suffers Most Agonizing Open Near-Miss
ARDMORE, June 17, 2013 (AFP) - Phil Mickelson's heartbreaking sixth US Open runner-up finish without a victory is the toughest of them all to take, he said, in part because he saw it as his best chance to end the jinx.
On his 43rd birthday, Mickelson yet again settled for a share of second place on Sunday at Merion, with England's Justin Rose capturing his first major crown by two strokes over the American left-hander and Australian Jason Day.
"This week was my best opportunity, I felt heading in, certainly the final round, the way I was playing and the position I was in," Mickelson said.
"This one's probably the toughest for me because at 43 and coming so close five times, it would have changed way I look at this tournament and the way I would have looked at my record -- except I just keep feeling heartbreak."
Mickelson is only one shy of the career record of seven runner-up finishes in the same major held by Jack Nicklaus from the British Open. The 18-time major winner was second at the British Open in 1964, 1967, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1977 and 1979.
But more importantly, Nicklaus won the British Open in 1966, 1970 and 1978.
"If I had won today or if I ultimately win, I'll look back at the other Opens and think that it was a positive thing," Mickelson said.
"If I never get the Open, then I look back and I think that every time I think of the US Open, I just think of heartbreak."
Mickelson previously finished second to the late Payne Stewart at Pinehurst in 1999, Tiger Woods at Bethpage in 2002, Retief Goosen at Shinnecock in 2004, Geoff Ogilvy at Winged Foot in 2006 and Lucas Glover at Bethpage in 2009.
"It's very heartbreaking," Mickelson said. "This could have been a really big turnaround for me on how I look at the US Open and the tournament that I'd like to win after having so many good opportunities."
After leading at the end of each of the first three rounds and especially after sinking a 76-yard eagle from the rough at the 10th hole to take the lead in the final round, Mickelson's thought his long-sought victory was in reach.
"To see that ball go in, I really thought that I was in a good position," Mickelson said. "I also knew, though, that I wasn't ahead of anybody by much... but that shot vaulted me up and allowed me to be more patient."
But Mickelson surrendered the lead after bogeys at the par-3 13th and par-4 15th following bad wedge shots. Those will haunt him when he looks back at what seemed to be a date with destiny at Merion.
"Those wedge shots on 13 and 15 are the two I will look back on," Mickelson said after going over the 13th green and being short and left at 15. "Those two wedge shots were the two costly shots.
"I had good opportunities all the way through and let it slide little bit. But all day it seemed as though, until that hole out on 10, it seemed like I would hit putt after putt that wouldn't go in."
Mickelson's day began with a long birdie putt lip-out on the first hole and a short one at the second. He followed with double bogeys at the third and fifth around a birdie at the fourth.
"I should have made bogeys on those holes and I let them become doubles," he said. "And those were costly doubles."
Road to Success for Rose Was a Hard One
ARDMORE, June 17, 2013 (AFP) - Justin Rose completed the long and, at times, painful journey from boy wonder to failed pro and then on to major winner at the US Open on Sunday.
The 32-year-old Englishman held his nerve down Merion Golf Club's testing home stretch to win his first major title by two strokes from Phil Mickelson and Jason Day on a day of high drama.
He then spoke of the doubts and heartaches he had endured to get to this stage of his life when it all came together in spectacular fashion.
Rose first entered the spotlight when he finished in a tie for fourth as an amateur teen at the 1998 British Open at Royal Birkdale.
He turned professional immediately afterwards, but he endured what he called "a traumatic start" to his career, missing the cut in the first 21 tournaments he took part in.
His father and coach, Ken Rose, then died when Rose was just 21 and he was left alone to try and claw his way back up the ladder.
Slowly but surely, he succeeded, winning the 2007 European Order of Merit title and notching up regular wins on the US PGA Tour.
But it was a win in one of the four majors that was the priority for him and after a few near misses, notably at last year's PGA Championship when he tied for third, he finally came good at Merion.
"When I was missing 21 cuts in a row, I was just trying to not fade away, really," he said.
"I just didn't want to be known as a one hit wonder -- flash in the pan.
"I believed in myself inherently. Deep down I always knew that I had a talent to play the game.
"At times it feels 25 years since Birkdale and other times it feels like it was just yesterday. There's a lot of water under the bridge.
"My learning curve has been steep from that point. Sort of announced myself on the golfing scene probably before I was ready to handle it. And golf can be a cruel game.
"Definitely I have had the ups and down, but I think that ultimately it has made me stronger and able to handle the situations like today."
Influences there have been for Rose over the years, starting with his father, who Rose spoke emotionally about on what was Father's Day, and Sean Foley, the coach he currently shares with Tiger Woods.
And he also had words of praise for Adam Scott, the Australian and close friend who won his first major title, also at the age of 32, at the Masters in April, nine months after blowing a winning position at the British Open.
"I consider him a contemporary of mine and a great friend of mine. He sent me a text message after I congratulated him. He said to me, 'This is your time, this is our time, to win these tournaments.'
"At 32 we have been around quite a while. We paid our dues in some senses.
"The other thing that I really learned from Adam was that I wasn't scared of the heartache of losing one.
"The way he handled himself at Lytham (in the British Open), I think, is something that he needs as much praise on as winning the Masters."
Rose was also proud of becoming the first Englishman since Tony Jacklin 43 years ago to win the US Open and the first since Nick Faldo at the Masters 17 years ago to win a major.
He now hopes his win will open the door for the likes of close friends and compatriots Luke Donald, Ian Poulter, Paul Casey and Lee Westwood -- none of whom have to date won a major.
"I really hope it does inspire them. And I think it was always going to be a matter of time before one of us broke through," he said.
"It was just going to be who. And I always hoped it was going to be me to be the first, obviously.
"But I really hoped that it sort of has broken the spell and guys can continue to sort of match up some for themselves."
Aussie Confident His Day Will Come at a Major
ARDMORE, June 17, 2013 (AFP) - Jason Day finished second at the US Open for the second time in three years on Sunday, producing his fourth major top-three effort in three years with form he hopes will soon bring a major breakthrough.
The 25-year-old Queenslander missed a short par putt on the 72nd hole at Merion to finish a final-round one-over 71 that left him sharing second with American Phil Mickelson, both two strokes behind England's Justin Rose.
While disappointed at the defeat in his 11th major start, the Aussie was confident his day will come as it did for Rose in his 37th major appearance.
"I've just got to keep putting myself in position to win," Day said. "My game is in a really good spot right now. I'm doing the right things. I'm doing the little things that count.
"I've been close so many times now in majors, especially at a young age, which is nice. I'm still 25. I've got plenty of majors to play in and hopefully I can keep doing the same as I'm doing and hopefully win one soon."
Day shared second at the 2011 Masters and US Open and settled for third at Augusta National two months ago behind countryman Adam Scott, who became the first Aussie to win the Masters, a dream that Day had shared.
Shaking off the disappointment and finding the positives this week will be part of Day's preparations for next month's British Open and majors beyond.
"I have to stay positive within myself but I've got to look at it both ways and say, 'What did I do great this week and what do I need to improve?'" Day said.
"We'll sit down after the week with my coach and my agent, my wife and my little boy, and we'll have a look at the week and see if we can get better from there. That's the only way we can move on and get better."
Day refuses to have a sense of inevitability about winning a major title because of his near-misses, with six-time US Open runner-up Mickelson's never having won a US Open despite four other major crowns a perfect cautionary tale.
"It totally depends on the play, totally depends on me," Day said.
"If I want it enough and I'm willing to do the hard work and practice and keep myself dedicated, I think it will happen. If I slack off and don't do the work then it won't happen. And that's just plain and simple.
"Every goal that I try and accomplish, it's all the process. Process, goals, turn into the big goals that you accomplish. Everyone knows that. I've just got to keep working hard on doing the little things right."
For Woods, The Long Wait Continues
ARDMORE, June 17, 2013 (AFP) - For Tiger Woods, the long wait for a 15th major title success goes on.
The 37-year-old American completed what was for him an abject weekend at the US Open on Sunday with a round of 74 that left him in a tie for 32nd position.
His 13-over par total of 293 was his worst 72-hole US Open score relative to par as a professional and left many scratching their heads over what is going wrong with him at the majors.
"I did a lot of things right. Unfortunately I did a few things wrong, as well," was his assessment of his play.
"I struggled with the speed (of the greens) all week. These greens are grainy. It's one of the older bent grasses, creeping bent.
"So it's a little bit grainy. I struggled with the speed, especially right around the hole. Putts were breaking a lot more. I gave it a little more break and then it would hang. That's kind of the way it was this week."
Putting, however, has not been a problem for Woods all year as he racked up four tournament wins en route to reclaiming the world number one spot.
It was the best form that Woods had shown going into the US Open in years and he was in the marquee group to start with at Merion Golf Club in the company of good friend Rory McIlroy and Masters Champion Adam Scott.
But instead of inspiring each other, Woods and McIlroy, the two top-ranking players in the world, seemed to drag each other down with the Ulsterman finishing one stroke further back after a 76.
It all seems a long way since Woods won his 14th major title at the age of 32 by defeating Rocco Mediate in a playoff at the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines, California.
At that time, his chase of the all-time majors win-record of 18 held by Jack Nicklaus looked destined to be triumphant.
But five years later, during which time he endured several injuries, swing changes and a broken marriage, his quest looks more and more problematic.
Woods said that he would take a closer look at what had gone wrong this week and try to move on.
"There's always a lesson to be learned in every tournament whether you win or lose," he said.
"I'll look back at the things I did right and the things I did wrong."
Mext up for Woods will be his preparations for the British Open, to be held at Muirfield in the east of Scotland in late July.
His last appearance there in 2002 resulted in the worst score of his professional career when he shot a third round, 10-over 81, playing into the teeth of a storm that had swept in from the North Sea just as he was beginning his round.
Having won the Masters and the US Open that year, that round wrecked his hopes of pulling off golf's fabled Grand Slam.
Out of contention, he came back the following day to shoot a 65 which will give him confidence for his return there next month.
McIlroy Takes It Out on Club at US Open
ARDMORE, June 17, 2013 (AFP) - Patience has been the order of the day for Rory McIlroy this year as tries to get used to his new Nike clubs, but patience ran out for him at the US Open on Sunday.
Already out of contention after a 75 in Saturday's third round, the 24-year-old Ulsterman, usually the coolest of customers on the golf course, briefly lost it on the 11th hole at Merion Golf Club after hitting a bad shot.
He stabbed the offending iron into the ground and bent it out of shape before bending it again over his leg.
It was not helpful to his round, as that meant he had one less club in the bag at his disposal, and presumably not helpful to the image of Nike clubs.
Asked what had gone on to ire him so much, McIlroy said: "Yeah, I mean I just hit a bad tee shot into the creek there, and then -- what you don't want to do as a golfer is follow one mistake with another, and that's what I did.
"And obviously I got a bit frustrated there. It's a hole that you want to try to take advantage of.
"It's a hole that you want to at least give yourself a birdie chance. And you walk off with a quad (8) and it's not very good."
The eight saw McIroy come in with a six over 76 and a 14 over total of 294, tying him for 41st in a tournament he won by eight strokes just two years ago for his first major title.
McIlroy's struggles with his new equipment, having made the switch from his old manufacturers at the start of the year, are well documented.
He is winless this year and got into trouble when he walked off in a sulk after playing poorly in the second round of the US PGA Honda Classic at the start of March.
McIlroy insists that there is no major problem with the new clubs and that he is not that far away from feeling 100 percent confident with them, but looking back he does admit he would have done things a little differently.
"The thing about new equipment, you can stand on the range all you want and hit balls, but you really need to test it on the course. And that's something I didn't do at the start of the year," he said.
"I only played twice by the end of February, I think. So I sort of needed to play a little bit more.
"If I was to do it all over again, I would have done things slightly differently.
"But you learn from that and it's hopefully something I'll never have to do in my career again."
Next up for McIlroy will be next month's Irish Open as he prepares for the British Open at Muirfield in eastern Scotland.
"I sound like a broken record, but I don't feel like my game is that far away," McIlroy said. "That's what I've been taking out of this week. It's a matter of trying to let it all click into place."
Brutal Merion Dooms US Open Hopefuls
ARDMORE, June 17, 2013 (AFP) - Bogeys on the last two holes Sunday doomed Hunter Mahan's US Open title dream, but for some the brutal truth came much sooner as Merion refused to allow the champion a level-par finish.
England's Justin Rose managed an even-par 70 final round to win his first major title on one-over par 281 for 72 holes, but a course many feared would be weakened by rain instead swatted aside contenders time and time again.
American Mahan, playing in the last pair, settled for a share of fourth on 285, his best major finish, but he was in the title hunt for much of the back nine after starting with only one bogey and 13 pars in his first 14 holes.
A double bogey at the 15th after finding a bunker and his stumbles at the close were enough to thwart his bid, but he gave credit to the formidable test provided at the 6,996-yard layout whose mix of long and short holes was stern.
"It was hard," Mahan said. "It was a difficult test. The pins were brutal. They're sitting on three to four degree slopes. So it was tough. I tried hard all day and had some opportunities, but just didn't make a few putts.
"Man, it was brutal out there. It was tough finishing. But swung it pretty well, kept my composure. I played hard until the end and I can't be too disappointed with the results or too down on it. That's missing the whole point."
For England's Luke Donald, the downfall came on the third hole when his tee shot struck one of the workers who was walking the course with another group.
"I hit driver on the third hole and pulled it left and didn't realize there was anyone over there," Donald said. "I hit her in the elbow. And she was in some pain and felt a little bit faint. I felt a little bit faint, too, watching it. You never like that to happen and it was a very tough break for her."
After the mishap, Donald took a bogey at the third to start a run of three bogeys in a row, then a double bogey at six and, after a birdie at seven, made two more bogeys to end any chance at victory after starting the day two adrift.
But he refused to blame hitting the worker for his collapse.
"I felt pretty bad at the time. But it was business as usual in the fourth," he said. "Obviously I played that stretch pretty poorly but I don't really use that as an excuse."
For Steve Stricker, who at 46 could have become the oldest US Open champion and second-oldest winner in major golf history, disaster came early when he began one off the lead and ended with a 76 that left him sharing eighth on 286.
He hit out of bounds off the second tee and shanked another shot on the way to a triple-bogey eight and managed only one birdie all day.
"I had a good week but still it's disapppointing," Stricker said. "Not what I was looking for. Nature of the game I guess. It puts you in your place rather quickly at times."
And Jason Dufner charged into a share of fourth with a 67, causing a stir by starting the back nine with three birdies in four holes only to take a triple bogey 7 at 15.
Were that a par instead, he would have been one shot behind Rose, but it only takes one bad hole for Merion to strike.
"The majority of the time you were playing defense, to be honest with you, depending on the hole location and where you were, which is tough for us because we're used to having 15 feet and going for it," Dufner said.
Stefani bags weird ace at US Open
ARDMORE, June 16, 2013 (AFP) - Shawn Stefani aced the 17th hole in the final round of the US Open on Sunday -- the first time that has happened in five tournament visits to Merion Golf Club.
The American was way down the field after an 85 yesterday and went out among the early starters.
He missed the green badly with his tee shot at the tough 213-yard par three but watched on transfixed as the ball bounced sideways and made a beeline for the hole.
That helped Stefani come in with a 69 and pocket some more prize money.
It was the 43rd hole-in-one in US Open history, the first coming in 1907 and follows John Peterson's ace at the 13th at San Francisco's Olympic Club last year.
It was just the second hole-in-one that Stefani has bagged, the first coming when he was 13 years old on his hometown course at Baytown, Texas.
"I didn't know what to do but jump up and down for joy," he said of his ace.
"I was actually trying to hit the left side of the green and cut it. And then I kind of pulled it. I pulled it about five yards.
"And the wind was kind of down off the left and it really didn't help at all. It didn't move it to the right.
"And honestly I think I've seen a bunch of balls this week kind of not kick to the right and I was really surprised to see the ball kick to the right.
"And then once it did kick, it kept rolling and I was like, well this could be good. And the fans stood up and then it kept getting closer and closer and then when it went in, I was just super excited because it's the first hole in one I've ever had in a tournament."
Collated final round scores on Sunday at the 113th US Open golf championship at 6,996-yard, par-70 Merion Golf Club:-
281 - Justin Rose (ENG) 71-69-71-70
283 - Jason Day (AUS) 70-74-68-71, Phil Mickelson (USA) 67-72-70-74
285 - Jason Dufner (USA) 74-71-73-67, Ernie Els (RSA) 71-72-73-69, Billy Horschel (USA) 72-67-72-74, Hunter Mahan (USA) 72-69-69-75
286 - Luke Donald (ENG) 68-72-71-75, Steve Stricker (USA) 71-69-70-76
287 - Hideki Maysuyama (JPN) 71-75-74-67, Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) 69-72-74-72, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (ESP) 71-72-72-72, Rickie Fowler (USA) 70-76-67-74
288 - Charl Schwartzel (RSA) 70-71-69-78
289 - Lee Westwood (ENG) 70-77-69-73, John Senden (AUS) 70-71-74-74
290 - John Huh (USA) 71-73-75-71, Brandt Snedeker (USA) 74-74-70-72, David Lingmerth (SWE 74-71-71-74, Michael Kim (USA) 73-70-71-76
291 - Martin Laird (SCO) 74-73-76-68, David Hearn (CAN) 78-69-73-71, Padraig Harrington (IRL) 73-71-75-72, Mathew Goggin (AUS) 68-74-76-73, Bo Van Pelt (USA) 73-71-72-75, Ian Poulter (ENG) 71-71-73-76, Henrik Stenson (SWE) 74-68-73-76
292 - Mike Weir (CAN) 72-76-75-69, John Parry (ENG) 76-71-72-73, Matt Kuchar (USA) 74-73-72-73, Morten Orum Madsen (DEN) 74-74-70-74
293 - Kevin Chappell (USA) 72-76-74-71, Geoff Ogilvy (AUS) 74-70-77-72, Webb Simpson (USA) 71-75-75-72, K.J. Choi (KOR) 70-76-75-72, Tiger Woods (USA), Jamie Donaldson (WAL) 73-73-73-74, Edward Loar (USA) 73-71-73-76 Bubba Watson (USA) 73-70-76-74, Paul Lawrie (SCO) 76-71-69-77
294 - Carl Pettersson (SWE) 72-75-74-73, Scott Langley (USA) 75-70-75-74, Rory McIlroy (NIR) 73-70-75-76, Jerry Kelly (USA) 70-73-75-76
295 - Steven Alker (NZL) 73-75-75-72, Russell Knox (SCO) 69-75-77-74, Sergio Garcia (ESP) 73-73-75-74, Kim Bi-O (KOR) 72-75-73-75, Adam Scott (AUS) 72-75-73-75, Pan Cheng-Tsung (TPE) 72-72-75-76, Charley Hoffman (USA) 71-73-72-79, Paul Casey (ENG) 73-72-71-79
296 - Scott Stallings (USA) 71-76-76-73, Matt Bettencourt (USA) 72-71-76-77
297 - Dustin Johnson (USA) 71-77-75-74
298 - Nicholas Thompson (USA) 72-76-74-76, Josh Teater (USA) 74-74-74-76 George Coetzee (RSA), George Coetzee (RSA) 71-73-77-77
299 - Shawn Stefani (USA) 72-73-85-69, Martin Kaymer (GER) 76-72-77-74, Marcel Siem (GER) 73-71-77-78
300 - Kevin Phelan (IRL) 71-77-78-74, Matt Weibring (USA) 75-73-76-76
301 - Michael Weaver (USA) 74-74-78-75
302 - Peter Hedblom (SWE) 70-78-79-75, David Howell (ENG) 77-71-77-77
303 - Kevin Sutherland (USA) 73-74-84-72, John Peterson (USA) 73-75-78-77, Jim Herman (USA) 76-72-76-79, Alistair Presnall (AUS) 73-75-76-79
305 - Robert Karlsson (SWE) 74-72-86-73
306 - Simon Khan (ENG) 74-74-82-76
308 - Kyle Stanley (USA) 71-74-85-78