Gripping Finale to 2012 US Open as Webb Simpson Takes First Nicklaus Trophy

When the fourth round of the 112^th US Open started today everyone thought that the winner would come from one of Jim Furyk, Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood, with some other big names ready to make a charge. 14-time major champion Tiger Woods was six over after his first six holes to immediately drop out of the running while McDowell, Westwood and Furyk all started steadily.

Despite being six shots back after five holes played, last year’s PGA Tour money list runner-up Webb Simpson hit three consecutive birdies to move firmly into contention. Other contenders started to slip away from the lead including English world number three Westwood who lost a ball in a tree after an errant tee shot. Other players came into it, but dropped out of it. Young American Michael Thompson posted an excellent 67 to hold the clubhouse lead at two over par and missed a good chance at 17 to get to plus one.

42-year-old South African Ernie Els moved to +1 thanks to an eagle at seven before slipping back to plus two one hole later. Jim Furyk got himself out of trouble at the 12^th hole with a monster 30ft par putt while McDowell drained a similar length putt for birdie to move just one shot off the lead. Els dropped out of the running with bogeys at 16 and 18 to finish on +4 when he could have gone so much lower.

The pendulum swung towards Simpson when Furyk hit an ugly quick hook into the trees off the 16^th tee. Simpson then proceeded to finish with a brilliant up and down from the thick rough to the right of the 18^th green to finish with a two under par 68 and +1 overall. 42-year-old Furyk could not reach the green in regulation at the 70^th hole and had to settle for a bogey, leaving him needing at least one birdie from the last two holes while McDowell needed either two birdies or an eagle at 17.

Sitting in the clubhouse the leader was clearly pleased just to have finished: “I’ve probably prayed more in those last few holes than I have ever done in my life but I’m pleased to get in with a 68.”

Furyk’s second shot at the 17^th, also a par five, came up well short in a bunker as he decided to take a four iron when a metal club may have been the better option. All this time Webb Simpson had to sit in the clubhouse with his family and wait to see if his effort was going to be enough. Furyk’s birdie putt came up short but McDowell drained his attempt. This meant that the Portrush man and the unconventional American both walked down the last in need of a birdie in order to force a play-off. Both players found the first cut of rough as Simpson was left to chew on his nails for a little longer.

McDowell hit an excellent second shot into the 72^nd hole to leave himself around 15ft downhill to take part in a play-off. However Furyk’s ball buried into a green-side bunker to end his title hopes. McDowell missed his putt narrowly below the hole to give 26-year-old American Webb Simpson his first major title.

When asked if he was nervous waiting for McDowell and Furyk to finish Simpson replied: “It was nerve-racking. Graeme and Jim have both won majors before and when Graeme had that 25 footer at the last I expected it to hit the hole or at least go very close.”

An excellent win for Simpson caps un unbelievable rise from 200 in the world rankings at the end of the 2010 season which has included two other PGA Tour wins. Another rousing golf tournament has ended with a ninth consecutive new major winner and the third American victor in a row. Now all the players will go away and begin their preparations for the 141^st British Open that takes place in less than a month’s time. 

Tiger On The Prowl As 112th US Open Moves Into Full Swing

Tiger Woods is finally starting to look like the player he was when he was winning all those majors a few years ago. Since being beaten to the 2009 USPGA Championship by YE Yang he is yet to look that threatening in a major again. Three tied for fourth finishes since then have shown that he can still shoot low rounds in majors, but he has yet to string four good rounds together. This season he has picked up his first two PGA Tour victories since 2009 and seems to be in good shape and full of confidence. 

His pitch on the 16th green at Memorial two weeks ago was nothing short of sensational. If he under-hit it he could have not made the green, if he over-hit it he would have gone at least 10ft past and maybe in the water. However, he caught it to absolute perfection and the ball dropped delightfully into the cup to bring back memories of that famous chip at Augusta's 16th in 2005. Jack Nicklaus said that Tiger's latest magic moment was the 'best shot he had ever seen' and Tiger seemed pretty pleased with it as well saying that it was 'not bad'. "It was one of the hardest shots I've pulled off. If I leave it short, it rolls left, if I hit it long it's in the water. The lie wasn't that great. It came out just perfect."

For the first time in a long time Woods seemed to have his old self-confidence back after his Memorial win: "Boy, I hit it good," he said. "I never really missed a shot, I had the pace of the greens really nice and made a few putts."

Now he is following on from that win with a very accomplished performance so far at the difficult Olympic Club. Rounds of 69 and 70 have given him a share of the halfway lead and his overall play is looking back to its best. A grinding style is required to do well round this course and Tiger said he's "just playing for a lot of pars. This is not a tournament where we have to make a bunch of birdies." Unlike what many people may think, this is the type of course that suits Woods down to the ground. On such difficult courses only the very best can shoot a round near par and Woods is definitely one of the best and his statistics showed that yesterday with 11/14 fairways hit and 14/18 greens in regulation. History proves that Tiger thrives on harder courses with his three previous US Open wins coming on very tough courses. In 2008 his winning score was just -1, in 2002 it was -3 and although he shot -12 in 2000, his closest competitors were 15 strokes back at +3.

However the style of game most suited to this golf course is the grinding style effectively used by old-timers Jim Furyk and David Toms. With one major win a-piece these two players will fancy their chances of taking a second on Sunday. Aged 42 and 45 respectively their experience has helped them so far this week. Solid play and good scrambling and putting have been rewarded this week and Toms, Furyk and 2010 US Open winner Graeme McDowell have all shown these qualities. As a result all are in with a shout of stopping a Woods procession. 

As the tournament heads into the weekend it appears that the world's best will have to continue to scrap hard against the course in one of golf's most difficult tests. Tiger now looks as dangerous as ever and he will be expected to take his major tally to 15 as he endeavours to reel in Nicklaus's magic number of 18. Despite this there will be plenty of other players still hoping to have a decisive say over the weekend in what could become one of the game's most famous tournaments.