Dustin Johnson is no longer “Mr. Almost”. A potential controversy on the fifth hole about his ball moving was talked about to him by USGA officials on the 12th hole. If they deemed the ball did move because of Johnson, he would have been assessed a one-stroke penalty. Every player was alerted about it, but no matter.
Johnson gladly accepted the one-stroke penalty and put it on his scorecard and sealed his first major championship a year after his three-putt on the 18th of Chambers Bay gave Jordan Spieth the title. Johnson finishes at -4 at Oakmont Country Club, nine strokes better than the last winner at Oakmont, Angel Cabrera at +5.
Lowry Folds While DJ Steps Up
Shane Lowry opened up the day in the final pairing along with qualifier Andrew Landry. Lowry was 4 strokes clear of Johnson and Landry who were both sitting at -3. The round quickly swung in Johnson’s favor after the American birdied the second while the Irishman bogeyed, putting Johnson just two back. At the time, Johnson parred the fifth (was later given the one-stroke penalty for a bogey), but with the final pairing through nine, was in the lead by one.
The lead became two after Lowry bogeyed the 10th. The 12th hole saw Lowry get one back to move within one and became co-leader after Johnson bogeyed the 14th while the Irishman parred 13. It all looked to be going wayward for Johnson after the officials told him on 12 about the potential violation. Drives and shots he was hitting well all week went wayward and that continued on 14 which led to his bogey.
The Johnson Situation Puts Everyone In a Loop
Everyone was fully aware of Johnson’s situation but after Lowry’s birdie on the 12th, it all became wayward for everyone. Lowry went on a run of three straight bogeys from 14-16 to all but put him out of contention.
Sergio Garcia was just a couple back, and then he went three straight bogeys on the same holes that Lowry did. Scott Piercy was -3 and then bogeyed two of the final three holes to fall out of contention as well.
Johnson, despite all the scar tissue from blown leads to grounded clubs in the bunkers to three-putts, handled it the best. He played freely thinking he did not believe he was the cause of the ball to move and with everyone bogeying, he entered the last holes with a bit more freedom. The American was clutch, parring 15-17, especially the 17th after driving it into the bunker and then getting up and down.
After a monster drive on 18, he hit probably the shot of his life and the tournament. He stuck his second shot just five feet from the pin. Lee Westwood, his playing partner, was a class act throughout, telling Johnson to keep his head up after the talk with the officials and let him finish out his round first. He did, with a birdie, to finish -5 and to all but seal his US Open title as he walked to his family to celebrate. Westwood was -2 to start but shot 10-over in a rough day for the Englishman.
The final pairing walked up 18 with both having rough days. Lowry was +6 on the day and finished that in a tie for second at -1. Andrew Landry finished +8 for the day and finished +5 for the day, but nothing to take away from the young man who qualified for the tournament and was in a final pairing in his first major ever.
Jim Furyk, whose rough third round saw him finish 4-over for the day and 3-over after three rounds, rebounded superbly with a 4-under 66 to get him in a tie for second. Defending champ Jordan Spieth finished +9, and world number one Jason Day finished +2.