Tommy Fleetwood finished with a flourish to join the history boys on a record-breaking week, Wyndham Clark made his Major Championship breakthrough, while Rory McIlroy came up agonizingly short at the 123rd U.S. Open. Here is everything you need to know from Los Angeles Country Club.
Fleetwood finishes with 63 for U.S. Open history
Five years after carding a final-round 63 in the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, Tommy Fleetwood was at it again on Sunday. Two eagles helped the Englishman become the first player in U.S. Open history to post multiple 63s and just the fourth player to post the score on multiple occasions in Majors. It might seem hard to imagine that you could be disappointed with a 63 but that was the initial emotion for Fleetwood. The Englishman missed a five-footer for birdie at the 18th on Sunday for what would have seen him match the lowest round in Major history. His performance vaulted him 33 places up the leaderboard into a share of fifth. But his reaction quickly turned to one of pride. Well done, Tommy!
Clark pays tribute to late mother after maiden Major win
Just a month after winning his first PGA TOUR title, Clark continued his remarkable rise to prominence with a determined performance to win his national championship. When he birdied the par-five 14th to hold a three-shot lead over Rory McIlroy on Sunday, it seemed it would be a formality for the 29-year-old to go on and seal victory – even if the three closing holes are the longest in U.S. Open history. But after back-to-back bogeys at the 15th and 16th, the pressure cranked up and he was made to hold his nerve as he parred the final two holes to seal a memorable victory. Clark lost his mum to breast cancer in 2013 and his immediate thoughts were towards her as he came to terms with the enormity of claiming his first Major Championship title. “I just feel like my mom was watching over me today,” he said at the presentation ceremony.
McIlroy getting closer to fifth Major
It was a case of fine margins for McIlroy as the World Number One came up one shot short of Clark in his bid to get his hands on another Major Championship. The U.S. Open was the scene of his first Major in 2011 and was firmly in the mix throughout the week at the 123rd staging as he signed for a level-par 70 to finish the championship at ten under. The result at The Los Angeles Country Club is his third second-placed Major finish since his 2014 US PGA Championship win and 19th top ten in 33 appearances, including six of his last seven. With The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool – scene of his Claret Jug win nine years ago – the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex leader won’t have long to wait for his next chance to win his fifth Major. "When I do finally win this next Major, it's going to be really, really sweet," he said. "I would go through 100 Sundays like this to get my hands on another Major Championship.”
California kids make U.S. Open history
In the first U.S. Open to be held in Los Angeles in 75 years, it was a pair of California boys who initially lit up the 123rd playing of the Major with a pair of historic 62s to set the early pace. Just 20 minutes or so after Rickie Fowler made ten birdies and two bogeys in the first round, countryman Xander Schauffele matched the feat with a flawless eight-birdie bogey-free effort to share the first-round lead. The scores were the lowest rounds ever registered at a U.S. Open and matched the lowest round at a men’s Major – posted by Branden Grace at The Open Championship in 2017. It proved to be the first act of a record-breaking week in Beverly Hills.
Fitzpatrick among hat-trick of aces
After Matthieu Pavon and Sam Burns both made holes-in-one at the par-three 15th in the first round, it was the turn of Matt Fitzpatrick to make it a crowd of three on day two. By doing so, on the same hole, the Englishman became the first defending champion to record an ace in the 128-year history of the tournament. For both Fitzpatrick and fellow DP World Tour member Pavon it was their first career hole-in-one, with both reveling in the moment as their brilliance was met by roars from the fans in the grandstand behind the tee. "My hand was a bit sore afterward, I'll be honest, after all the high fiving,” said the eight-time DP World Tour member who finished the defence of his first Major title in a tie for 17th.
Lee proves once again to be a man for the big stage
Already a Rolex Series winner, Min Woo Lee underlined his growing pedigree as someone who relishes the challenge of the biggest events on the worldwide stage once again. The Australian, who also has a top ten at The PLAYERS Championship to his name from earlier this year, put himself into contention heading into the weekend with a second round 65 – the lowest round of the day. Undeterred by a 74 on Moving Day, the two-time DP World Tour winner finished the week with a bogey-free 67 to register his third top-20 finish at one of golf’s prestige events. The 24-year-old will now look to take the confidence he has built into a busy summer on European soil, which will see he play four events in a row starting at the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo and culminating at The Open.
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