U.S. Open: Ranking the 25 Most Dominant Performances in History
By Bill Felber
5. Martin Kaymer, 2014, Pinehurst, -3.03
The 2014 U.S. Open was set up to pit the PGA Tour’s best against the legendary Pinehurst No. 2 layout, perhaps Donald Ross’s signature creation with its heavily sloped greens and sandy underpinnings.
From the outset, Kaymer, a former PGA Champion, staked his claim to the turf. He delivered a five-under opening 65 to lead four players by three shots, and backed it up on Friday with another 65 to build a six-stroke advantage over Brendan Todd.
That six-stroke advantage tied a U.S. Open record for 36-hole margin set by Tiger Woods in 2000 and equaled by Rory McIlroy in 2011.
A more demanding Saturday setup slowed Kaymer, who shot 72. But the field also suffered, enabling him to retain a five shot edge over Rickie Fowler and Erik Compton entering Sunday’s final round. In that final round, Kaymer benefited from Fowler’s double bogey at the fourth to build his advantage to eight strokes, and never again trailed by less than six.
He became the fourth U.S. Open winner from Europe in five seasons – following Graeme McDowell in 2010, Rory McIlroy in 2011 and Justin Rose in 2013.
But perhaps the true winner was Pinehurst. Aside from Kaymer (-9), Fowler and Compton (both -1), nobody managed to shoot par.