Everything was working against Justin Rose yesterday in the final round of the 113th U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club, which despite what the critics called an outdated course and said would be overrun by the players, showed itself to be the epic course and ultimate test of a professional golfer’s ability that it’s always been.
These elements were working against Justin:

First, Phil Mickelson was in the lead. He has had a reputation as a tremendous closer when he has the 54-hole lead in tournaments. He was three of four in majors.Second, it was Phil’s birthday, his 43rd. Third, it was Father’s Day, and Phil is the ultimate father having flown home on Tuesday to see his eighth grade daughter graduate from middle school. Phil flew back to Merion on Thursday, and on four hours sleep, shot a 67. It just seemed like fate was going to be on Phil’s side this time. Fourth and pretty crucial was the fact that probably 98 percent of the crowd of 25,000 yesterday wanted Phil to win and they showed it. And fifth and  finally, when Justin reached 14 for the treacherous stretch of five holes, Johnny Miller pointed out that Rose had played those five holes (14-18) six over for previous three rounds, while Mickelson had played them at one under.

But Rose responded to the immense pressure of this moment. He talked to Steve Sands of NBC/Golf Channel before he teed off and had a sense of calmness and serenity about him that made you think this 32-year old South African born Englishman, had a shot this day. And he went out and proved himself on the ultimate stage in golf. Rose shot 70 while Phil shot 74. What to me will now be three historic shots were Rose’s drive on the 256 par-3 17th, in which he put his ultra-pressure packed shot 15 feet to the right of the pin and just barely missed sinking his chip shot. And with a one shot lead heading into 18 and facing the most important drive of his life on quite possibly the hardest 18th hole in U.S. Open history, Rose stroked it right down the middle of the 521 yard par four. But his work was far from over. His second shot on the 18th hole,  which had yielded no birdies all day and tons of bogeys, was as tough as you’ll find on any golf course in the world. On the most important approach shot of his life, Rose hit a beauty from about 210 yards that bounced 25 feet in front of the pin and rolled past the hole about 18 feet leaving Rose with a three wood bump shot, which he executed to inches from the cup for a kick in par. It was beautiful play.

Phil had 36 putts yesterday and two double bogeys. When he sank his 100 yard wedge shot on number 10 for eagle, it looked like it was going to happen for Phil this time at the Open; he was going to get his coveted major that had eluded him so many times. But some costly mistakes down the stretch, a birdie putt that just barely missed on 16, and a bad break on the par-3 17th when his tee shot missed within a foot of being perfect and rolling up three feet from the pin, but instead rolled back to the front of the green forcing him to hit a lob wedge on the green over some rough and try to get it close which didn’t happen, prevented Phil from getting one of the final missing pieces to his illustrious career. It was tough, very tough for Phil to take this. He said this was the biggest heartbreak of his six, second places at the Open.

But, despite Phil’s heartbreak, it was epic theater at the 113th Open. Justin Rose proved he was up to the monumental task of   winning  the toughest test in golf. Incredible event, terrific champion. Justin won this American classic with his second shot 10 yards from the Hogan plaque, where the great Ben Hogan won the Open in 195o with a one iron. What a classic. What a classy champion. The United States Open never disappoints. It always produces a historic tournament with a heroic champion. This year was no exception.