Reporting from Oakmont, Pa. — Jason Day, the world’s top-ranked player, shot a 76 in the first round of the U.S. Open, and three grueling days later, he still believed he had a chance to win with two holes left to play Sunday.
It said a lot about his self-belief and his skill.
After a 66 in the third round at Oakmont Country Club, Day made a late charge with an eagle at 12 and a birdie at 13 to get to one under par. At the time, eventual champion Dustin Johnson was four under and facing a one-stroke penalty.
So Day tried to drive the green at the par-four 17th, came up just a few yards short and ended up in the bunker named “Big Mouth.” From there he made a double bogey, and then bogeyed the last to shoot 71 to tie for eighth at two over.
Day, the reigning PGA champion, has yet to win a U.S. Open, but he has five top-10 finishes in six starts.
“Trying to fight my way back in and giving myself an opportunity at winning, especially on a U.S. Open course, it takes a lot of grit and oomph to get there,” Day said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t quite make it.”
Bubba committed to Rio
Bubba Watson remains eager to represent the United States in the Olympics in Brazil.
“For me, if I get in, it’s a no-brainer,” he told Tribune Media after completing his final round — a 75 that put him tied for 51st at 12 over.
It does not matter to Watson that a scheduling crunch will prompt him to play the PGA Championship in New Jersey, defend his title at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut and then travel to Rio de Janeiro in three successive weeks.
He also is unmoved by the threat of the Zika virus, which has been linked to birth defects.
“You have to remember, situations are different,” Watson said. “Both of my kids are adopted; we can’t have kids. Obviously, you don’t want to get a virus, but in that way we’re not worried at all. I’ve taken shots, done all I need to do to prepare.”
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Dustin Johnson, right, gets a congratulatory hug from his caddie and younger brother Austin after making a birdie on the 18th hole Sunday at the U.S. Open.
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Dustin Johnson celebrates with partner Paulina Gretzky and son Tatum after winning the U.S. Open on Sunday at Oakmont Country Club.
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Dustin Johnson hoists the U.S. Open winner’s trophy alongside Jack Nicklaus on Sunday evening at Oakmont Country Club. (Ross Kinnaird / Getty Images)
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Dustin Johnson reacts after saving par at No. 16 on Sunday during the final round of the U.S.Open. (Andrew Redington / Getty Images)
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Shane Lowry reacts after missing a putt on the seventh hole during the final round of the U.S. Open on Sunday.
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Sergio Garcia hits out of the bunker for a birdie on the eighth hole during the final round of the U.S. Open on Sunday.
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Jim Furyk reacts after making a birdie putt on the 17th hole Sunday during the final round of the U.S. Open. Furyk finished with a 66.
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Dustin Johnson plays an approach shot on the third hole Sunday during the final round of the U.S. Open.
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Scott Piercy lines up his putt at No. 17 on Sunday during the final round of the U.S. Open.
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Lee Westwood plays his approach shot on the first hole during the final round of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club on Sunday.
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Dustin Johnson prepares to putt on the fourth green during the final round of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club on Sunday. (Ross Kinnaird / Getty Images)
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Branden Grace of South Africa preapres to drive at the first hole during the final round of the U.S. Open on Sunday.
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Lee Westwood walks down the 15th fairway during third round of the U.S. Open on Saturday at Oakmont Country Club.
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Andrew Landry listens to caddie Kevin Ensor as he checks the yardage from a row of bunkers on the third hole Saturday during the third round of the U.S. Open.
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Lee Westwood plays a shot from a bunker at the 11th hole Saturday during the third round of the U.S. Open.
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Shane Lowry reacts after making a birdie at No 7 during the third round of the U.S. Open.
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Dustin Johnson hits his drive at No. 4 during the third round of the U.S. Open on Saturday. (Christian Petersen / Getty Images)
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Louis Oosthuizen, right, is congratulated by Lee Westwood after making a birdie putt at No. 10 during the third round of the U.S. Open.
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Jason Dufner hits a shot from the church pew bunkers on the third hole at Oakmont Country Club during the third round of the U.S. Open.
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Andrew Landry plays a shot on the first hole during the third round of the U.S. Open on Saturday.
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Lee Westwood of England celebrates his eagle on the fifth hole during the third round of the U.S. Open on Saturday.
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Sergio Garcia hits his tee shot at No. 8 during the second round of the U.S. Open on Friday at Oakmont Country Club.
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Fans leave the prepare to leave grandstand seating at Oakmont Country Club after play Friday.
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Justin Thomas hits his approach shot at No. 15 on Friday during the second round of the U.S. Open.
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Dustin Johnson hits an approach shot at the third hole during the second round of the U.S. Open on Friday.
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Dustin Johnson watches his tee shot on the fourth hole during the rain-delayed second round of the U.S. Open on Friday. (Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)
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Fans cheer after Jason Day hits his tee shot at No. 18 on Friday during the continuation of the first round of the U.S. Open.
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Jason Day hits his approach shot at No. 14 during the continuation of the first round of the U.S. Open on Friday at Oakmont Country Club.
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Fans cross the third fairway during a rain delay on Thursday at the U.S. Open. Play was suspended at Oakmont Country Club with only nine golfers completing the first round.
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Fans wait inside during a rain delay Thursday at Oakmont Country Club on the first day of the U.S. Open.
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Andrew Landry follows through on his tee shot at the seventh hole during the first round of the U.S. Open on Thursday.
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Jordan Spieth (white cap) and caddie Michael Greller (standing) prepare to leave the course during a delay at Oakmont Country Club on Thursday.
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Andrew Landry watches his tee shot at the fourth hole during the first round of the U.S. Open on Thursday at Oakmont, Pa. (Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)
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Zach Johnson plays a shot from the Church Pews bunker on the third hole during the first round of the U.S. Open on Thursday.
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Bubba Watson watches his approach shot at No. 9 during the first round of the U.S. Open on Thursday. (David Cannon / Getty Images)
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Amatuer Scottie Schefflertalks with his caddie and sister Callie Scheffler on Thursday during the first round of the U.S. Open.
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Bryson DeChambeau hits out of a bunker on the third hole during the first round of the U.S. Open on Thursday.
(Charlie Riedel / Associated Press) Miller watch
There was another Johnny Miller watch when Brooks Koepka got to five under through 11 holes Sunday. He needed to play two under the rest of the way to match Miller, who shot a tournament and course-record 63 in the final round of the 1973 U.S. Open.
After bogeys at one and three, Koepka made six birdies and an eagle over the next eight holes.
Tweeted Danish pro Thomas Bjorn: “62 and we don’t have to listen to Johnny Miller anymore.”
But after missing the next two birdie putts by inches, Koepka suffered four straight bogeys and finished with a 68.
Well aware of the record, Koepka said, “I was hoping for something even lower. I was hoping for 60, 61. I thought that was pretty obtainable.”
Koepka finished tied for 13th at four over.
Bad week for Spieth
Jordan Spieth never gave himself a chance to defend his U.S. Open title, and he shot his worst score of the week in closing with a 75. He finished at nine over.
Spieth lamented playing the “easy” holes on the course poorly. He was a combined five over on two of the shortest holes — two and 14.
“That’s what’s tough to swallow leaving this week, is you do all this work on this course, and it was the easy little iron-wedge holes that tore me apart. But I think that’s just kind of bag timing on them.”
Spieth didn’t give himself a chance because he hit only 50% of the fairways, leading to only 56% of the greens hit.
Notable
Lee Westwood, who started the fourth round tied for fourth at two under and was paired with Johnson, shot 80. The Englishman made six bogeys and a double bogey over his first eight holes.
Jon Rahm, the No. 1-ranked amateur in the world, was the tournament’s low amateur by shooting 7 over. Rahm, from Arizona State, was even par in the final round.
tod.leonard@sduniontribune.com
