Farmingdale, New York - American Lucas Glover held his nerve
to win his first Major on Monday with victory in the US Open at
Bethpage, New York.
The 29-year-old struggled to a 3-over-par 73 in his final round,
but it was still enough to give him victory by two strokes from Phil
Mickelson, David Duval and joint overnight leader Ricky Barnes, who
faded with a 78.
With three holes to go, Glover, Mickelson and Duval were all tied
for the lead on 3-under-par, but Mickelson and Duval both bogeyed the
17th hole to drop back, while Glover birdied the 16th hole to move
ahead.
And the South Carolina native, who had never made the cut at the
US Open before, parred the remaining two holes to finish on
4-under-par, two better than a rejuvenated Duval and Mickelson, who
has now finished runner-up at the US Open on five occasions.
Tiger Woods, who began Monday on level par through seven holes -
after rains forced the tournament into a fifth day - could not better
that score and finished four shots off the pace.
Glover and Barnes had begun the final round five shots clear of
the field but the pressure told immediately as Barnes dropped four
more shots on the front nine and Glover three.
Behind them, Mickelson birdied the ninth and 12th holes before
eagling the 13th to move to 4-under.
A bogey at 15 dropped him back to 3-under and three successive
birdies for David Duval from the 14th took him alongside Mickelson on
3-under.
But both men came undone at the 17th hole with bogeys and neither
man could find the birdie they needed at the last.
Barnes also missed his birdie chance at the last, leaving Glover
three putts from victory and he needed only two as he parred the last
to seal the victory of his life.
USA
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