Rory McIlroy torched the U.S. Open field with a final score 268, a record by four strokes and ended with a eight stroke victory over Jason Day. The winner had four rounds in the 60s.
FOLLOW: U.S. Open leaderboard.
7:30: Cue the music. Turn out the lights, the party's over, they say that all good things must end. The scoreboard at the finish: McIlory (-16); Day (-8); Kevin Chappell, Robert Garrigus, Lee Westwood and Y.E. Yang (-6).
7:27: McIlroy taps in and the U.S. Open is his!
7:25: McIlroy putts from off the green and lags to two feet. An incredible putt. And why not?
7:24: Defending champ Graeme McDowell is making his way to the 18th green to congratulate the winner making it back-to-back victories for Northern Ireland.
7:20: McIlroy's approach to 18 is 201 yards away and is just a few yards shy of the green. He is now accepting the ovation due to a man who performed to the exceptional level he played at. That includes a huge smile for his father who walked up 18.
7:17: Jason Day finishes the U.S. Open with 45 bogey free holes and a second place finish (pending Yang's finish).
7:13: McIlroy's tee shot on No. 18 (523 yards, par 4) is long but into the second cut. Victory is secured but he'd love not to bogey the final hole. That is the only thing in doubt as he'll pound the 272 total that is the U.S. Open record score.
7:05: With his first three-putt of the tournament, McIlroy bogeys No. 17 and is back to -16 and an eight shot lead.
7:04: The par putt is past the hole and he's got 4 feet for bogey.
7:03: McIlroy's long putt is woefully short. He's got a tough one for par sitting on top of a ridge.
7:00: McIlroy now on the green with a long, long birdie putt not that it matters much. To misquote Robert Redford, another Natural: "And then when I walked down the street people would've looked and they would've said there goes Roy McIlroy, the best there ever was in this game."
6:54: The march to history continues for McIlroy with his iron shot off the tee that lands solidly into the fairway on No. 17.
6:51: Yang misses his birdie putt that would have got him to -8. McIlroy gets his to get back to -17 and a nine shot lead with two holes to play. It appears he will indeed win the U.S. Open unless he becomes Roy McAvoy in the next 15 minutes.
6:48: McIlroy's wedge rolls back to five feet of the pin. He's hit 15 of 16 greens in regulations and is tearing up the record book. Robert Garrigus is now at -6, the best score for a U.S. player along with Kevin Chappell.
6:46: McIlroy from out of the bunker lays up into the middle of the fairway of the par 5. Yang now has about four feet for birdie after a great shot into the green.
6:45: Jason Day now in second place with birdie on 16 to go to -8.
6:39: McIlroy drives into the bunker on No. 16, a par 5. At least we know he's not a robot. Garcia, on No. 17, misses his birdie putt in an effort to go to -7.
6:31: The birdie putt by McIlroy is wide right and he'll tap in for another par. Which is all he needs to win this. The rest is just for history. Yang picks up another bogey and McIlroy is back to a nine-stroke lead in front of Yang and Day.
6:27: From 168 yards out, McIlroy's approach lands about 15 foot from the pin. The victory tour continues.
6:24: On No. 15, McIlroy sends a dart down the left side of the fairway.
6:18: McIlroy's long birdie putt rims the cup and he should tap in for another par. Which he does. He's -16, with an eight-stroke lead with four holes to play. He finishes on holes of par 4-5--4-4. In the first three rounds he played those holes with seven pars, a double-bogey (No. 18) and four birdies.
6:13: McIlroy's approach on No. 14 lands on the green but 22-25 feet from birdie. Patrick Cantley finishes even par to be low amateur.
6:10: On No. 14, Yang yanks his tee shot deep into the rough. McIlroy, using 3-wood, grips it and rips it. Perfectly, down the middle.
6:06: Yang's 50-foot birdie putt is two-feet long on No. 13. McIlroy up next for birdie try. He flies past about four feet. Got a toughie coming back. But of course he makes it.
6:04: McIlroy fires his tee shot into the green on the par 3, 13th and now has 10 feet for birdie. However, he has three pars on the hole so far.
5:59: McIlroy's 8-footer for par misses and he gets his first bogey. He's now at -16 and lead is back to eight strokes over playing partner Y.E. Yang.
5:57: McIlroy runs his third shot to eight feet. Got a tricky putt for par. Yang hangs his birdie putt by only an inch. Has to settle for par.
5:54: Out of the fairway bunker, 151 yards away, McIlroy takes 8-iron and comes up short. How did this man ever get his tour card? He's looking at first bogey of the week. Defending champion Graeme McDowell finishes at -2.
5:47: On the par 4, 471-yard No. 12, McIlroy drives into the bunker. Henrik Stenson is now playing with a bandage after cutting his hand following breaking his club in anger. When we said somebody had to draw blood we didn't mean this.
5:45: Just a reminder to all those who are going to run out and buy the white golf pants that McIlroy is wearing. They are only fashionable until labor day. Also, the leader ends round with holes of par 4-3-4-4-5-4-4.
5:40: Yang hits a great fourth shot after going into the water but he'll drop at least one shot (not expected to be more). Peter Hanson now at -7 along with Sergio. McIlroy's 45 foot birdie just misses and he taps in for par. He now has a nine-shot lead.
5:35: Disaster! Yang's approach on the long No. 11 goes into the water on the side of the green. McIlroy, who didn't need the breathing room, lands on the green and has a long putt for par.
5:29: No. 11 is a 515 yards and a par 4. Yang goes left but gets a good bounce and is in very short rough. McIlroy is perfect on the right side. This is a green that has been hit less than 40% in regulation so there is that for both golfers.
5:21: McIlroy taps in and is now -17. Yang about to putt on No. 10. He also gets birdie to go to -9 and remain eight strokes back. Both guys are -3 after 10 holes. Yang has to believe his rolling a rock up a huge hill and making no progress.
5:18: Yang goes with 3-hybrid and is three feet from another birdie. He's doing his part. McIlroy, with a six-iron matches and exceeds Yang by coming up a foot from the hole. Can we all go home now? We repeat: Bobby Jones said of Nicklaus and Nicklaus said of Woods and we'll say of McIlroy, he is playing a game we are not familiar with.
5:12: Yang and McIlroy are waiting for the 10th green to clear so they can hit on the par 3. You have to wonder what is going through the 22-year-old mind of the leader. He is facing the tougher 9 but with an eight-stroke lead I think he could be excused for thinking of what he'll say in about two hours.
5:07: McIlroy's birdie putt is not firm enough. He settles for par and his lead is cut to 8 strokes as they make the turn. Jason Day now at -7 and nine strokes back.
5:06: Jacobson's birdie putt to go to -8 blows by the hole on No. 10. Yang's birdie putt from 15-feet is dead center. He's at -8. McIlroy's turn.
5:03: McIlroy and Yang safely on the green in three. Birdie putts coming up for both of them.
4:59: Yang lays up on the par 5, No. 9. McIlroy, with 303 to the hole, also lays up .
4:55: Another tee shot, another bomb down the fairway for McIlroy. This time on the par 5, No. 9.
4:52: McIlroy settles for another par and creeps ever closer to greatness. There have been no false steps through 8 holes.
4:51: Yang out of the sand on this third shot on No. 8 stops about five feet from the hole. McIlroy putting for birdie.
4:44: Great chance for birdie on No.8, a 346-yard par 4. However, Yang yanks into the rough. McIlroy takes iron and blows it down the fairway. We mentioned no reverse gear for Rory but he definitely has a cruise-control on this ship.
4:41: Yang's birdie slides by on No. 7. McIlroy comes up less than an inch from another birdie. He taps in for par. Will that come back to haunt him? Just kidding.
4:38: On the par 3, No. 7, Yang on safely and McIlroy is also. Both have about 9-12 feet for a birdie. Folks are going to have to catch the leader cuz he doesn't seem to have a reverse gear. Jacobson is now at -7 and now nine shots back.
4:34: McIlroy's long birdie putt on No. 6 is two feet off and he'll get a par. But he avoided disaster with his approach that almost drew water. Yang gets his birdie to go -7 and cut the lead to single digits. Alert the media!
4:30: Westwood on No. 7 (par 3) hits a beauty to about 9 feet. He need it because a bogey on No. 6 dropped him to -5. Yang's approach on No. 6 gives him an 8-footer for birdied. McIlroy flirts with the water but what could have been a horrible shot hops onto the green. He'll probably settle for par.
4:28: Both Yang and McIlroy lay up on the par 5 and each have good approaches now on the par 5.
4:27: Day, Yang, Jacobson and Westwood are tied for second at -6. Thought we mention them now because they may not get a lot of love as we continue.
4:22: McIlroy hits into the rough on his tee shot at the par 5, No. 6. This time there is no white showing on the ball. He birdied the hole on Thursday and Friday and parred it yesterday.
4:20: Westwood goes into the water on No. 6 so that begins to eliminate another guy trying for a miracle. Plenty of holes left but the margin is so big that we are reaching Rubicon proportions.
4:16: Of course, McIlroy makes the tough par putt. The sound you hear is the door closing early on the rest of the field.
4:14: A loooong putt for McIlroy on No. 5 comes up 12 feet short and he's in danger of three-putting his first hole in the tournament. Cut him, does he not bleed? Yang does not get his birdie either.
4:09: Yang's approach on No. 5 gets him safely on the green. McIlroy on the lip of the bunker is 114 yards out. He backed off the shot twice before catching the green with a pop fly but is at least 35 feet from the pin.
4:07: McIlroy drives his tee shot on No. 5 into the fairway bunker. Kuchar gets another birdie to climb to -4. That includes an early double-bogey.
4:01: Yang settle for par and stays at -6. McIlroy's birdie putt is -- what else -- dead center and he's at -16 with a 10-shot lead.
3:58: Yang safely on 4th green. McIlroy from 122 yards is spectacular as it rolls back to about 5 feet. This is just a butt-kicking.
3:52: The leader puts his drive on No. 4 up the fairway as Yang does the same.
3:51: Kuchar returns from double-bogey with a par and then birdie to get to -3 after five holes.
3:50: A par 4 on No. 3 for McIlroy has the machine rolls on.
3:46: The approach by McIlroy from 138 yards hits the center of the green. He has a long birdie putt but with a nine-shot lead he doesn't need Charles Lindbergh heroics. He just has to land this baby on the 18th green in a couple of hours.
3:40: McIlroy goes into right rough on No.3 tee shot. You can see some white on the ball so he should be able to get club underneath. He has three pars previously on this par 4 hole. Westwood had a chance to go to -7 but his birdie putt was just short.
3:39: McIlroy hits his par putt. Bobby Jones said it about Nicklaus, Nicklaus said it about Woods and we'll say it about McIlroy. He's playing a game we are not familiar with.
3:36: McIlroy shows some human touch. His birdie putt on No. 2 is very short leaving him a tough par putt. Stricker now -5 after 10 and -5 for the tournament. Just thought you would like to know that someone is burning up the course beside the leader. Yang's birdie putt lips out and he settles for par.
3:35: Count Mickelson among the McIlroy fans. "You can tell that Rory has had this type of talent in him for some time now, and to see him putting it together is pretty neat to see."
3:32: McIlroy on the par 3, No. 2 takes 6-iron and will be another area code from the pin. But he's on the green. The leader has not three-putted all tournament. Yang has about 10 feet for a birdie.
3:30: Yang's birdie putt is wide left. McIlroy sees the line and his birdie is dead solid perfect. He is now -15 and has a nine stroke lead.
3:27: Yang's approach on No. 1 leaves him about 18 feet for birdie. McIlroy gets inside of Yang and has about 10 feet for birdie. About 66 more of these shots and you can crown him U.S. Open king. He's showing zero nerves. Kuchar just double-bogeyed No. 3.
3:23: Westwood now at -6 and Jacobson at -5 after birdies on No. 1 (Westwood) and No. 2.
3:22: Yang starts off the final pairing with a drive up the right side but on the fairway. McIlroy follows by hitting three-wood long but in a divot hole. The game is afoot. But it probably won't take Sherlock Holmes to figure out this finish.
3:12: Westwood (-5) bombs his tee shot on No. 1. Playing partner Jason Day (-5) throws his also long but ends in right-hand bunker. Westwood shot 65 on Saturday so he's playing hot. His opening round 75 sunk him in his pursuit of the title though.
3:10: Garrigus' longish birdie putt on No. 1 slides by as he remains -5. The question for the leaders is whether you take great chances to pull out a miracle or play to finish in the top 5 which comes with its own rewards. (Update: Garrigus missed short putt for bogey and now at -4).
3:03: Garcia and Kuchar both par No. 1. That won't feed the bulldog or put a scare into McIlroy as needed. Tough position for every player out there who need to be better than spectacular. Kyung-tae Kim now -4 after a birdie on No. 2. Stricker now also -4, after going four-under in the first eight holes.
2:58: McIlroy has finished on the practice tee and watching him stride toward the clubhouse and then the first tee reminds me of the post parade before the Kentucky Derby. You can feel something historical about to happen.
2:50: Bubba Watson just came in at +9 for the tournament. Not a great day for the lefthanders as he and Mickelson were +16. It also was not a great tournament for Bubbas with Bubba Dickinson missing the cut.
2:44: NBC just ran a feature with golfers comparing McIlroy to Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus. The pain on the 22-year-olds face when told of the comparison looked like a guy who is 14 majors shy of the first and 18 majors shy of the second. Said Johnny Miller: "You eat an elephant, one bite at a time." McIlroy has learned from the Miami Heat that you don't count the titles before they hand you the first trophy. In the hell has frozen over instance that McIlroy doesn't win it will be fascinating to see if he faces the same derision that LeBron did after Game 6.
2:41: Low round of the day thus far belongs to Korea's Sangmoon Bae who shot a four-under 67. He finished the tournament at +4 after rounds of 75, 71, 75, 67.
2:38: Steve Stricker and British Open winner Louis Oosthuizen have snuck into the top 10 going -2 for the day and for the tournament.
2:25: Another Rory fun fact from the USGA: Aged 22 years and 46 days becomes the youngest European Tour Major Champion since The European Tour was formed. He beat the previous record of Seve Ballesteros, who was 22 years and 103 days at the 1979 Open Championship.
2:24: Phil Mickelson's U.S. Open ends with a double-bogey as he finishes with an even par 71 and +7 for the tournament. With Mickelson's track record in the British Open, his next real chance to win his fifth major will come Aug. 8 in Atlanta at the PGA Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club. The British Open, starting July 14th, will be at Royal St. George this year.
2:20: Here is a reset on the leaderboard as we get close to the top players getting on the course. McIlroy (-14); Yang (-6); Robert Garrigus, Lee Westwood and Jason Day are -5 and Sergio Garcia, Matt Kuchar and Fredrik Jacobson are at -4.
2:13: Gregory Havret, second in last year's U.S. Open, is -4 after 10.
2:03: You always love these kind of USGA notes: Rory McIlroy's eight-stroke lead trails only Tiger Woods, who led by 10 strokes in 2000 at Pebble Beach, for largest 54-hole lead in U.S. Open history. That is some tall cotton to be standing in.
1:50: Graeme McDowell, the defending champion, parred first hole which of course leaves him 13 strokes back. The only Johnny Miller we've seen early on is in the NBC booth. Although Retief Goosen is -3 after the first nine. Which means he'd have to go -5 on the back to equal Miller's 63.
1:47: McIlory, on an interview with NBC, said he'll "approach today like I did yesterday" and believes if he can just stay within himself that "he'll be hard to beat." Can't argue with that logic.
See photos of: Phil Mickelson, U.S. Open, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Matt Kuchar, Y.E. Yang
Source: http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/UsatodaycomSports-TopStories/~3/eF-ZspNjtxA/1
David Stern Cliff Lee Shaun Rogers Michael Vick Terrell Owens
No comments:
Post a Comment