Classic Final Day at the US Open
It has been a while since we have seen a Sunday in the US Open with so many great players in contention. The big brutes DeChambeau and Koepka were there trading blows on the golf course with drivers and putters in hand. Rory was right there playing some fine golf and sinking some putts. Oosthuizen was once again knocking on the door with his gap-toothed smile and sweetly struck golf shots. The journeymen Henley and Hughes were hanging in there and living the dream. Jon Rahm was aggressively going about his business at Torrey Pines and trying to win his first major. Collin Morikawa was giving it his best shot too. The USGA would have been very happy with how things played out in their major championship in 2021.
The 121St Edition of the US Open
The 121st US Open was a beauty, the only thing it was missing was an Aussie or two in contention. The Australian contingent was not able to shine in these challenging circumstances it seemed. The cream of the golfing crop were duelling by the sea, as the crowds enjoyed some fine golf. Paul Casey was thereabouts for much of the final round. Players had to make birdies on the front nine because the back nine was very tough to score on. This long and brutal course was, also, challenging to putt on. The US Open is a gruelling test of championship golf and few come out of it unscathed. Just ask Richard Bland, the 48 YO English journeyman who had the 36 hole lead.
A Bunch of Contenders Duelling at Torrey Pines on Sunday
McKenzie Hughes the great Canadian hope at this US Open had his golf ball bounce into a bushy tree and lodge there on the limbs above. The ultimate unlucky break in a major tournament on the final day. DeChambeau faltered on holes 11 and 12 to make bogies after 30 holes without one. Rahm the Basque bruiser played some great golf but did not quite have the putting down on Sunday. There was so much going on in this US Open the broadcaster had to go split screen to show all the chances. A member of the public decided to join the tournament late and play a few shots coming down the 13th fairway. The police chased him and secured their quarry. Americans are special people, even at golf championships.
Paragliders floated above the cliffs of Torrey Pines unlike the contenders in this major golf tournament. Nobody could break free of the chasing pack for long. Players were slipping on the 13th tee, typically an unlucky number. Bryson slipped to compound his back-to-back bogies in this final round. Rory McIlroy began to falter on his back nine, dropping several shots. Harris English posted a 3 under score in the clubhouse. Brookes Koepka followed in at 2 under. Holding on to your score and hoping to birdie 18 was the order of the day for the contending golfers playing the final few holes. DeChambeau double bogied the 13th to put paid to his chances to go back-to-back. Matthew Wolfe made another good showing at a US Open and was near the lead for much of the tournament.
Who would handle the pressure? Louis Oosthuizen had a second-place grand slam in majors and was contending at the pointy end once again at 5 under par. Who could keep their head and whose technique would hold up under this kind of pressure? Xander Schauffele the local boy was thereabouts on this Sunday but finished at even par. Jon Rahm was making his presence felt over the final few holes. Rhambo birdied the 17th to grab a share of the lead at 5 under. Things were hotting up at Torrey Pines in the US Open. Morikawa posted a 2 under score. Rory was three back at this stage with four holes still to play. Louis or John who would it be? Bryson had made a solid defence of his title before fading away with so many of his talented peers. DJ was never in it but only a couple over par overall. Strangely, the 18th hole was the easiest finishing hole in US Open history on this otherwise very tough test of golf. In the end, golf comes down to making putts and who would make the clutch putts when it really mattered?
Jon Rahm made the birdie putt on 18 to take the lead in the US Open at 6 under par. Thoughts of Covid would have been the last thing on his mind in this moment. No Spaniard had ever won the US Open previously. The Memorial Tournament had been snatched from him with a 6 shot 54-hole lead due to a positive Covid test for the vaccinated Rahm. Were the golfing gods playing with us once again, perhaps, redressing things big time? Rory could not make the putts when it mattered over those final few holes. Louis was rolling them in. Then, on the 17th hole Oosthuizen made a major mistake driving his golf ball into the penalty area. The US Open eats up hope like a starving savage beast with big jaws. Louis took relief from the hazard with a penalty and hit a great wedge into the green to give him a chance to make par. He must make the putt and birdie 18 to tie Rahm. The pressure upon your fine motor skills is enormous in these situations. He missed the par putt. The greens dry out at Torrey Pines late in the day and get crusty quick. Dealing with deflation at this extreme level is all part of the US Open emotional rollercoaster. A classic final day at the US Open dealt some heart-breaking cards to a lot of players. Jon Rahm won his first major championship and was a thoroughly deserving winner on the biggest stage in world golf. Louis Oosthuizen secured second place for the sixth time in a major. Louis’ eagle came a day early on Saturday.
