Gary Woodland Wins the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach

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Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, CA — June 16, 2019

Gary Woodland started the final day of the U.S. Open at 11 under par, with a one-stroke lead on Justin Rose. After Rose birdied the 1st hole they were tied. Would Woodland fold under the pressure or rise to the challenge? it was his tournament to win or lose.

Gary Woodland tees off on the 9th hole. / Lasco Press Photo

Woodland birdied the next two holes to stretch his lead as Rose bogeyed the 2nd. A birdie on the 6th gave Rose hope, a bogey on 8th took it away. Rose carded 3 bogeys on the back nine to eliminate himself from contention. But Woodland still had to look over his shoulder.

Justin Rose walks through the practice area. / Lasco Press Photo

Sunday Charge

Brooks Koepka has won the last two U.S. Opens in a row. He started the final round at 7 under par, 4 strokes behind Woodland. Koepka birdied four of the first five holes to charge into contention. A bogey on the 8th left him at 10 under par after nine.

Brooks Koepka / Lasco Press Photo

Koepka birdied 11 and it looked like he was ready for another run. But, a bogey on 12 dropped back to 10 under.

Woodland also bogeyed the 12 and the lead was a single stroke. A birdie on 14 by Woodland and the margin was back to two-strokes with 4 holes to play.

The Finish

The stroke difference between the top two remained the same when Koepka walked onto the 18th tee. The 539-yard par 5 is reachable in 2 shots. An eagle would tie for the lead, a birdie would ratchet up the pressure on Woodland who was teeing off on 17. The 220-yard par 3, 17th hole is no gimmie par.

Koepka went for the 18th green in 2, his 3 iron hitting the putting surface and rolling just off the back. Woodland landed on the 17th green but with no putt possible he would have to chip over a grassy spot that lay between his ball and the hole.

Koepka could not negotiate an up and down and finished with a par to remain at 10 under. Woodland hit the shot of his life, bringing the ball to rest for a tap-in to par the 17th. Playing the final hole in a conservative fashion, Woodland was on the green in 3 and sunk a 30 footer for a birdie and an impressive three-stroke victory for his first major championship.

Tiger’s Woes

Tiger Woods was the man who won the U.S. Open in 2000 on the Pebble Beach course by 15 strokes. This week he could fare no better than even par for 4 rounds. Tiger finished in a tie for 21st.

Tiger ponders his shot on the 14th hole. / Lasco Press Photo

Viktor Hovland shot a final round of 67 to finish as the low amateur at 4 under par. Brandon Wu, the Sanford University Senior who missed his graduation ceremony to play today, carded his 1st round over par. A 74 that cost him the honor.

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The Leaderboard

Where did your favorite player finish? Check it out.

Position Player To Par Round Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Total
1 Gary Woodland -13 -2 68 65 69 69 271
2 Brooks Koepka -10 -3 69 69 68 68 274
T3 Xander Schauffele -7 -4 66 73 71 67 277
T3 Jon Rahm -7 -3 69 70 70 68 277
T3 Chez Reavie -7 E 68 70 68 71 277
T3 Justin Rose -7 3 65 70 68 74 277
T7 Adam Scott -6 -3 70 69 71 68 278
T7 Louis Oosthuizen -6 1 66 70 70 72 278
T9 Henrik Stenson -5 -1 68 71 70 70 279
T9 Chesson Hadley -5 E 68 70 70 71 279
T9 Rory McIlroy -5 1 68 69 70 72 279
T12 Viktor Hovland (a) -4 -4 69 73 71 67 280
T12 Matt Fitzpatrick -4 -3 69 71 72 68 280
T12 Matt Wallace -4 E 70 68 71 71 280
T12 Danny Willett -4 E 71 71 67 71 280
T16 Webb Simpson -3 -5 74 68 73 66 281
T16 Francesco Molinari -3 -1 68 72 71 70 281
T16 Byeong Hun An -3 E 70 72 68 71 281
T16 Graeme McDowell -3 1 69 70 70 72 281
T16 Matt Kuchar -3 2 69 69 70 73 281
T21 Paul Casey -2 -4 70 72 73 67 282
T21 Alex Prugh -2 -3 75 69 70 68 282
T21 Tiger Woods -2 -2 70 72 71 69 282
T21 Jason Day -2 -2 70 73 70 69 282
T21 Tyrrell Hatton -2 -2 70 74 69 69 282
T21 Hideki Matsuyama -2 -1 69 73 70 70 282
T21 Patrick Cantlay -2 -1 73 71 68 70 282
T28 Sepp Straka -1 -4 68 72 76 67 283
T28 Shane Lowry -1 -2 75 69 70 69 283
T28 Jim Furyk -1 E 73 67 72 71 283
T28 Nate Lashley -1 1 67 74 70 72 283
T32 Marcus Kinhult E -5 74 70 74 66 284
T32 Patrick Reed E -3 71 73 72 68 284
T32 Billy Horschel E -1 73 70 71 70 284
T35 Aaron Wise 1 -2 66 71 79 69 285
T35 Bryson DeChambeau 1 -2 69 74 73 69 285
T35 Collin Morikawa 1 -2 71 73 72 69 285
T35 Martin Kaymer 1 -1 69 75 71 70 285
T35 Jason Dufner 1 E 70 71 73 71 285
T35 Marc Leishman 1 1 69 74 70 72 285
T35 Dustin Johnson 1 3 71 69 71 74 285
T35 Brandon Wu (a) 1 3 71 69 71 74 285
T43 Andrew Putnam 2 -2 73 71 73 69 286
T43 Rory Sabbatini 2 -1 72 71 73 70 286
T43 Erik Van Rooyen 2 -1 71 73 72 70 286
T43 Tom Hoge 2 E 71 73 71 71 286
T43 Rickie Fowler 2 1 66 77 71 72 286
T43 Nick Taylor 2 1 74 70 70 72 286
T49 Kevin Kisner 3 -2 73 70 75 69 287
T49 Daniel Berger 3 -1 73 70 74 70 287
T49 Abraham Ancer 3 5 74 68 69 76 287
T52 Phil Mickelson 4 1 72 69 75 72 288
T52 Charles Howell III 4 1 72 70 74 72 288
T52 Carlos Ortiz 4 2 70 70 75 73 288
T52 Sergio Garcia 4 3 69 70 75 74 288
T52 Haotong Li 4 4 71 70 72 75 288
T52 Scott Piercy 4 6 67 72 72 77 288
T58 Charlie Danielson 5 -1 72 70 77 70 289
T58 Zach Johnson 5 E 70 69 79 71 289
T58 Andy Pope 5 E 72 71 75 71 289
T58 Adri Arnaus 5 1 69 75 73 72 289
T58 Harris English 5 2 71 69 76 73 289
T58 Emiliano Grillo 5 2 68 74 74 73 289
T58 Chandler Eaton (a) 5 3 72 70 73 74 289
T65 Justin Walters 6 -2 72 72 77 69 290
T65 Kyle Stanley 6 E 71 73 75 71 290
T65 Brian Stuard 6 1 71 73 74 72 290
T65 Rafa Cabrera Bello 6 1 70 74 74 72 290
T65 Tommy Fleetwood 6 2 71 73 73 73 290
T65 Jordan Spieth 6 5 72 69 73 76 290
71 Rhys Enoch 7 5 78 66 71 76 291
T72 Cameron Smith 8 1 71 72 77 72 292
T72 Luke Donald 8 2 72 70 77 73 292
T72 Clement Sordet 8 3 76 68 74 74 292
T72 Billy Hurley III 8 5 73 70 73 76 292
76 Bernd Wiesberger 10 1 71 73 78 72 294
77 Brandt Snedeker 11 6 75 69 74 77 295
78 Chip McDaniel 13 6 71 73 76 77 297
79 Michael Thorbjornsen (a) 20 5 71 73 84 76 304