The 119th US Open wasn’t as dramatic as the past, but it had all the crazy happenings throughout the week. In the end, the story was a feel good story about American Gary Woodland winning his first major title in his country’s national championship. He faced a ton of players coming at him, but in the end he was steady and confident. He shot a final round 69 to win by 3, and will forever be able to call himself a major champion. Out of all the clutch shots he made on Sunday, this one was probably the most pure birdie of his life.
WHATAMOMENT#USOpen pic.twitter.com/4iHZjIbtuF
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 17, 2019
Every US Open has a moment that everyone will always remember. Gary Woodland did it on the iconic par 5 14th hole. Up one shot on Brooks Koepka, coming off watching his playing partner, Justin Rose, bogey back to back holes to go three down. Woodland hit his drive down the middle, and I immediately thought he would take it easy, play it safe and lay up on his second shot. Get a par at the worst. Don’t allow the robot Koepka sniff the lead late on a Sunday.
Nope.
Gary Woodland pulled his 3 wood facing all sorts of unnecessary danger. If he hits it short, then he’s in a deep bunker with very little green to work with. There’s also the chance his shot would bury itself in the long grass that surround all the bunkers. If he goes long he has to chip out of thick rough and try and control it all the way down a big sloping hill breaking towards the ocean.
Woodland swung and hit one of the best 3 woods he will probably ever hit in his life. He hit a gem from 263 yards, uphill, in the cold air chasing his first major title after coming up short so many times in the past. I mean, these are shots you can’t practice. The pressure, the nerves, the doubts. It’s all going through your head. And he nailed it. Had a chance at eagle, but made birdie and mission accomplished for the 14th.
Check out the shot tracer on his shot. At first it looked like it was hooking left, but somehow corrected and came back towards the target.
Gary isn't scared. #USOpen #LexusGolf pic.twitter.com/ZI7BSWPwqt
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 17, 2019After you pull off something like that, I don’t know how you can doubt yourself from then on. Each shot down the stretch I was nervous FOR him. I was out playing over the weekend with my friend and I had a one shot lead with nothing on the line and my heart was pounding! It’s difficult to not think about choking.
Oh wait, that wasn’t it for clutch shots from Gary Woodland? He did this on 17 to save par, not knowing that he has a two shot lead going to the 18th tee because of a missed birdie putt by Brooks Koepka on the 18th green.
When he needed it most.@GaryWoodland wows with the wedge.He'll take a 2-shot lead to 18. pic.twitter.com/H522Q3AUFx
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 17, 2019Speaking of Brooks Koepka...he started out on FIRE! He birdied the first 4 of 5 holes of the day, but after that he showed he is actually human. Struggling to make putts down the stretch when he needed to. I actually thought many, many times Brooks was going to pull it out and make it back to back to back US Open champion. In the end, he missed a birdie putt to put any pressure on Gary Woodland.
SO CLOSE!Brooks Koepka JUST misses the birdie on 18. He finishes with a 68 and is 2 shots back at 10-under for the championship. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/iEGwWnXftd
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 17, 2019As much as I may not be a fan of Brooks Koepka, I have to accept that he is insanely talented.
Justin Rose had a chance to capture his second US Open title, but all week struggled with his irons and had high pressure on him. How bad was he with his irons this week? He was in a greenside bunker 17 times for the tournament. Good enough to lead any player that made the cut.
Most analysts were stunned Rose was anywhere near the lead after three rounds. His putting was good enough to save him, but at some point his luck would run out. Sunday was that day. Grinding all day to make par takes a lot out of you, and eventually you are going to get beaten by the golf course. Don’t hang your head Justin Rose, you will win another major in your career if not two or three.
Tiger Woods ho hummed his way along Pebble Beach in the final round. And only Tiger Woods could ho hum and finish with his best round of the week, posting a 2-under 69. I’m pretty encouraged by a couple things. First, he made the cut. That shows his game is in order enough to not embarrass himself, and at least make competitive shots all the way to the end. The second and maybe more impressive, Tiger was able to shoot his best round of the week on a day the golf course is supposed to be its most difficult.
It's how you finish.A wave of appreciation from @TigerWoods. pic.twitter.com/foppR9UZJ4
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 16, 2019To the broadcast portion of my US Open recap.
Fox must love US Opens on the west coast. Prime time with no other sports on. The late starts is kind of weird, but at least it gives me something to do all day.
I think year by year, Fox is getting better with their golf coverage. I really enjoy Paul Azinger as the color guy. He’s the best analyst Fox has had yet. They started with Greg Norman and it just didn’t work.
Azinger doesn’t try to be too much, or use cliches and catch phrases. He says what’s on his mind and teaches you about what’s happening on the course. Azinger is also pretty fair to the players and gives the audience want they want to hear when someone hits a bad shot. He gives appropriate praise, and appropriate criticism.
I like Curtis Strange as the on course reporter. He is a back to back US Open winner and can paint a pretty good picture.
Then from there it goes down hill. I don’t know why Fox has Joe Buck do everything. I would like for my golf coverage not be the guy that reminds me of the World Series and the Super Bowl.
The other on course analysts give me nothing. Harsh words from a guy writing this on his couch, but put some effort in finding talented people. Even if they are up and comers and not big names. Better announcing leads to a better viewing experience.
Last thing...
Shout out to Viktor Hovland. He is PGA Tour ready. In fact, he will become pro for next week at the Traveller’s. It’s also pretty to cool to unseat a legend.
Viktor Hovland just posted 280 at Pebble Beach.That's the lowest 72-hole score by an amateur in U.S. Open history.@JackNicklaus previously held the record at 282 in 1960.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/ytfVZuT5Li
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 16, 2019
