Making history and missing the cuts and the putts
While Gary Woodland was enjoying a glorious week at Pebble Beach, a young player from Norway was also having a great tournament. Twenty-one year old Viktor Hovland, the 2018 US Amateur Champion, recorded the lowest round ever by an amateur in the US Open, a 4-under par closing 67, which included an impressive front nine in just 31 strokes to take the ‘Low Amateur’ prize at the 119th US Open Championship (13-16 June).
More ‘Nice to Know’ stuff from Pebble Beach
Birthday Boy: ‘Phil the Thrill’ Mickelson celebrated his 49th birthday on Father’s Day (16 June) during the final round of the 2019 US Open. The left-handed super star had hoped to add a sixth Major title to his handsome collection. Instead, the Pebble Beach Golf Links got the better of him and he went home with a cheque for 27,181 dollars after rounds of 72, 69 75 and 72 for a share of 52nd place with Spain’s Sergio Garcia, among others. By the way, Mickelson’s last Major victory was the Open Championship of 2013.
Kuchar getting closer: American Matt Kuchar was in contention for much of Sunday but had to settle for a share of 16th place after closing with a round of 73 for a total of 281 (3-under par). With 55 starts in Major tournaments, the 41-year old’s hunt for an elusive first Major goes on … but there is hope for Kuchar yet. Sergio Garcia from Spain had played in 74 Majors before he won one. He tops the list of ‘Most Starts Before Winning a Major’. Patience pays dividends. In 2017, Garcia became the proud owner of a much-desired US Masters Green Jacket.
The cut: 79 players made the cut which came at 144 (2-over par).
Just missing the cut by one: England’s Lee Slattery topped the list of ‘just out’ in this year’s US Open. The amiable golfer from Southport shot rounds of 73 and 72 to finish on 3-over par, one-shot adrift.
Slattery’s tale of woe: With two holes to go, the Englishman was looking on course to make the weekend cut. He was one over for the championship when he hit a superb tee-shot at the 210-yard, par three 17th to within 4-5 feet of the hole giving himself a good chance of making birdie and so draw level par. It wasn’t to be. A hidden borrow saw his putt narrowly miss on the left. Slattery’s hopes of repeating Thursday’s birdie down the last were then dashed. Far worse, he endured a double-bogey 7 at 18 which cost him the cut by one stroke.
Top-three Europeans: Spain’s Jon Rahm (69, 70, 70, 68) and Justin Rose from England (65, 70, 68, 74) shared third spot on 7-under par along with Americans Xander Schauffele and Chez Reavie.
Dream week for English trio: Matt Fitzpatrick, Matt Wallace and Danny Willett all finished on 4-under par (280) to share 12th place with the leading amateur Viktor Hovland. The young Norwegian’s amateur status was good news for the Brits as it upped their prizemoney to 226,609 dollars.
Back on form before the big 4-0!: The US Open Champion from Pebble Beach in 2010, Graeme McDowell from Northern Ireland showed glimpses of his former glory after carding rounds of 69, 70, 70 and 72 (3-under). He finished in a share of 16th place along with the likes of Matt Kuchar (USA) and Francesco Molinari (Italy). Roll-on The 148th Open Championship which takes place at his home club, Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland between 18-21 July 2019 just a few days before G-Mac’s 40th birthday.
See you at the Open Championship!
Wendy Hoad
READ MORE about the 119th US Open and Gary Woodland’s victory
CHECK OUT all the scores of your favourite players on the US Open’s Official Site HERE.
MAIN PHOTOGRAPH: Gary Woodland and caddie just moments before his first Major victory. MINIS (l-r): Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy, Louis Oosthuizen and Matt Kuchar.