Webb Simpson won his first major.
In the first 35 minutes, it was over for Tiger Woods Sunday. He needed to post a number in the final round of the 112th U.S. Open to apply pressure on leaders Greame McDowell and Jim Furyk. Instead, what he posted was borderline embarrassing: he went bogey, bogey and double bogey on the first three holes at the treacherous Olympic Club.
And just like that, Woods was nine-over-par for the tournament and done. He shot a 3-over 73 and finished 21st. Meanwhile, Webb Simpson, overlooked for so much of the week, emerged on a fog-filled Sunday with an impressive 2-under 68, 281 for the week, to win his first major championship.
Simpson made four birdies on the back nine to post a number that proved safe when neither Furyk nor McDowell made birdie on the 18th hole. In fact, Furyk bogeyed two of his last three holes. McDowell had a 25-foot birdie on the 18th to force a playoff, but it never had a chance.
”Oh, wow,” Simpson said, watching from the locker room.
Olympic is known as the ”graveyard of champions” because proven major winners who were poised to win the U.S. Open have always lost to the underdog. One of those was Arnold Palmer in 1966, when he lost a seven-shot lead on the back nine.
Perhaps it was only fitting that the 25-year-old Simpson went to Wake Forest on an Arnold Palmer scholarship.
”Arnold has been so good to me,” Simpson said. ”Just the other day, I read that story and thought about it. He’s meant so much to me and Wake Forest. Hopefully, I can get a little back for him and make him smile.”
Woods, before leaving, claimed he gleaned positives out of his performance, which was strong the first two rounds when he led the tournament but meek the final two days. He
”Oh, wow,” Simpson said, watching from the locker room.
Olympic is known as the ”graveyard of champions” because proven major winners who were poised to win the U.S. Open have always lost to the underdog. One of those was Arnold Palmer in 1966, when he lost a seven-shot lead on the back nine.
Perhaps it was only fitting that the 25-year-old Simpson went to Wake Forest on an Arnold Palmer scholarship.
”Arnold has been so good to me,” Simpson said. ”Just the other day, I read that story and thought about it. He’s meant so much to me and Wake Forest. Hopefully, I can get a little back for him and make him smile.”
Woods had little to smile about, although he claimed to have gleaned positives out of his performance. He led after two rounds and was still in it until going plus-six on the first six holes Sunday.
