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| Rose Holds Off Mickelson in U.S. Open | Rose Holds Off Mickelson in U.S. Open |
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| The best golfers in the world came to Merion Golf Club for the 113th United States Open, and an amusement park ride was awaiting them. For Sunday’s final round, Merion’s East Course was set up to resemble a 6,853-yard cobra loop, with more ups and downs and twists and turns than the Storm Runner at Hersheypark. | The best golfers in the world came to Merion Golf Club for the 113th United States Open, and an amusement park ride was awaiting them. For Sunday’s final round, Merion’s East Course was set up to resemble a 6,853-yard cobra loop, with more ups and downs and twists and turns than the Storm Runner at Hersheypark. |
| Two by two, the golfers took off at No. 1 on a stomach-churning whirl, climbing up the leader board only to drop without warning in the time it took the wind to shift or their focus to drift. Like most adrenaline-filled endeavors, it seemed like great fun only after it was blessedly over. | Two by two, the golfers took off at No. 1 on a stomach-churning whirl, climbing up the leader board only to drop without warning in the time it took the wind to shift or their focus to drift. Like most adrenaline-filled endeavors, it seemed like great fun only after it was blessedly over. |
| For Phil Mickelson, known as Phil the Thrill for his derring-do, it looked as if he was on the ride of his life, one he had been queuing up for more than 20 years to take, when he holed a wedge shot from the fairway for an eagle on the par-4 10th to regain the lead he had lost with two double bogeys in the first five holes. | For Phil Mickelson, known as Phil the Thrill for his derring-do, it looked as if he was on the ride of his life, one he had been queuing up for more than 20 years to take, when he holed a wedge shot from the fairway for an eagle on the par-4 10th to regain the lead he had lost with two double bogeys in the first five holes. |
| But Mickelson, a four-time major champion, could not ride the momentum of his highlight-reel 2 to victory. There will be no plaque placed at the spot on the 10th fairway, some 70 yards from the green, to commemorate the perfect shot he struck with his 64-degree wedge. | But Mickelson, a four-time major champion, could not ride the momentum of his highlight-reel 2 to victory. There will be no plaque placed at the spot on the 10th fairway, some 70 yards from the green, to commemorate the perfect shot he struck with his 64-degree wedge. |
| Mickelson made bogeys at Nos. 13 and 15 and was overtaken down the stretch by Justin Rose, who played the final seven holes at even par for a final-round, even-par 70 and a 72-hole total of one-over 281. It was another unwanted tie on Father’s Day for Mickelson, whose 74 dropped him to three-over 283, the same score posted by the Australian Jason Day (71), one of five players to hold at least a share of the Sunday lead. | |
| “For me, it’s very heartbreaking,” said Mickelson, a six-time runner-up in this championship. | “For me, it’s very heartbreaking,” said Mickelson, a six-time runner-up in this championship. |
| Of all his near misses, Mickelson said, this possibly was the toughest to swallow. He turned 43 on Sunday, so he knows his opportunities are dwindling. | Of all his near misses, Mickelson said, this possibly was the toughest to swallow. He turned 43 on Sunday, so he knows his opportunities are dwindling. |
| “I think this was my best chance,” he said. | “I think this was my best chance,” he said. |
| Rose, 32, became the first Englishman since Tony Jacklin in 1970 to win the United States Open. And in securing his first major championship, Rose completed a loop on his roller-coaster career, one that saw him turn professional at 17 after finishing fourth in the 1998 British Open and miss the cut in his first 21 events before gradually developing into the star everyone expected him to be. | Rose, 32, became the first Englishman since Tony Jacklin in 1970 to win the United States Open. And in securing his first major championship, Rose completed a loop on his roller-coaster career, one that saw him turn professional at 17 after finishing fourth in the 1998 British Open and miss the cut in his first 21 events before gradually developing into the star everyone expected him to be. |
| “It feels absolutely amazing,” Rose said. “Going forward, it gives me a lot of confidence.” | “It feels absolutely amazing,” Rose said. “Going forward, it gives me a lot of confidence.” |
| Rose weathered five bogeys Sunday, following the philosophy of Olin Dutra, the winner here of the 1934 United States Open who said: “Nobody ever changed history. Just hit the next one better.” | Rose weathered five bogeys Sunday, following the philosophy of Olin Dutra, the winner here of the 1934 United States Open who said: “Nobody ever changed history. Just hit the next one better.” |
| Hitting the next one better proved a tall task for the other players who began the day with the trophy in their sights. | Hitting the next one better proved a tall task for the other players who began the day with the trophy in their sights. |
| Steve Stricker, who started the day one stroke out of the lead, had been sniffing Merion’s small greens like a bloodhound all week. In the first three rounds, he hit 78 percent. On the second hole, he shanked his approach after hitting his drive out of bounds on his way to a triple-bogey 8. Stricker, 46, never recovered, recording a 76 to finish tied with Luke Donald at six over. | Steve Stricker, who started the day one stroke out of the lead, had been sniffing Merion’s small greens like a bloodhound all week. In the first three rounds, he hit 78 percent. On the second hole, he shanked his approach after hitting his drive out of bounds on his way to a triple-bogey 8. Stricker, 46, never recovered, recording a 76 to finish tied with Luke Donald at six over. |
| Donald began the fourth round two strokes back. On the third hole, a par 3, he knocked down a volunteer with his tee shot and was so shaken by her pain he compounded his agony by making a bogey on the hole and then going bogey, bogey, double bogey. | |
| Jason Dufner, who started in the 25th group out of 37, made the charge that the day’s early finishers predicted was there for the really intrepid. Eight-over at the round’s start, Dufner reeled off five birdies, with no bogeys, in the first 14 holes. He was at three over when he arrived at 15 and six over when he left after hitting his drive out of bounds to set up his triple bogey. | Jason Dufner, who started in the 25th group out of 37, made the charge that the day’s early finishers predicted was there for the really intrepid. Eight-over at the round’s start, Dufner reeled off five birdies, with no bogeys, in the first 14 holes. He was at three over when he arrived at 15 and six over when he left after hitting his drive out of bounds to set up his triple bogey. |
| Dufner rebounded with a birdie on No. 16 and posted a 67, one of six sub-70 scores, for a 72-hole total of five over, to finish tied for fourth with Ernie Els (69), Billy Horschel (74) and Hunter Mahan (75). | Dufner rebounded with a birdie on No. 16 and posted a 67, one of six sub-70 scores, for a 72-hole total of five over, to finish tied for fourth with Ernie Els (69), Billy Horschel (74) and Hunter Mahan (75). |
| The course, with its shaggy rough and turtle shell greens, was not everybody’s idea of a thrill ride. Martin Laird, a Scot who carded a 68, one of the lower rounds of the day, to finish at plus-11, said: “I enjoy it now that it’s over and I have shot two-under but to be honest I do not like the setup. I think that they try to push the envelope a little too far in the first few rounds.” | The course, with its shaggy rough and turtle shell greens, was not everybody’s idea of a thrill ride. Martin Laird, a Scot who carded a 68, one of the lower rounds of the day, to finish at plus-11, said: “I enjoy it now that it’s over and I have shot two-under but to be honest I do not like the setup. I think that they try to push the envelope a little too far in the first few rounds.” |
| Noting that the United States Open was held here for the first time in 32 years, Rory McIlroy, the world No. 2, said: “Yeah, I mean, some guys want to keep that 30-year gap going. I’m not too sure just because it’s beaten up on us so much. But I think it would be great to have it back here.” | Noting that the United States Open was held here for the first time in 32 years, Rory McIlroy, the world No. 2, said: “Yeah, I mean, some guys want to keep that 30-year gap going. I’m not too sure just because it’s beaten up on us so much. But I think it would be great to have it back here.” |
| McIlroy, who won the United States Open at Congressional Country Club two years ago with a score of 16 under, closed with a 76 to finish at 14 over. Never mind the ghosts of Bobby Jones and Ben Hogan that reside in Merion’s attic archive room, McIlroy will be haunted by his scores of “other” on Sunday: a double bogey 6 at five and a quadruple bogey 8 at 11. | McIlroy, who won the United States Open at Congressional Country Club two years ago with a score of 16 under, closed with a 76 to finish at 14 over. Never mind the ghosts of Bobby Jones and Ben Hogan that reside in Merion’s attic archive room, McIlroy will be haunted by his scores of “other” on Sunday: a double bogey 6 at five and a quadruple bogey 8 at 11. |
| In the scramble to make pars, it was easy for players to forget that they were sullying the hallowed ground where Jones completed his grand slam in 1930 and Hogan completed his comeback from a career-threatening car accident in 1950. | In the scramble to make pars, it was easy for players to forget that they were sullying the hallowed ground where Jones completed his grand slam in 1930 and Hogan completed his comeback from a career-threatening car accident in 1950. |
| “When you’re out there, you’re just trying to think about playing and thinking about trying not to make bogeys,” McIlroy said. | “When you’re out there, you’re just trying to think about playing and thinking about trying not to make bogeys,” McIlroy said. |
| Finishing one stroke ahead of McIlroy, at 13 over, was the world No. 1, Tiger Woods, a three-time champion who closed with a 74. It was his second-highest total in relation to par in a United States Open, and his worst since turning pro in 1996. | Finishing one stroke ahead of McIlroy, at 13 over, was the world No. 1, Tiger Woods, a three-time champion who closed with a 74. It was his second-highest total in relation to par in a United States Open, and his worst since turning pro in 1996. |
| “I did a lot of things right,” he said. “Unfortunately I did a few things wrong, as well.” | “I did a lot of things right,” he said. “Unfortunately I did a few things wrong, as well.” |