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Top Five Final Rounds in Majors, excluding Tiger Woods in 2019 at Augusta

By Richie Randolph

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 14: Tiger Woods (L) of the United States celebrates on the 18th green after winning the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 14, 2019 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 14: Tiger Woods (L) of the United States celebrates on the 18th green after winning the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 14, 2019 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) /
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OAKMONT, PA – JUNE 19: Dustin Johnson of the United States speaks at a press conference after winning the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club on June 19, 2016 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
OAKMONT, PA – JUNE 19: Dustin Johnson of the United States speaks at a press conference after winning the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club on June 19, 2016 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) /

#4: 2015 U.S. Open

The U.S. Open is usually defined by long rough, slick greens and high scores. The USGA went away from this in 2015, when they brought the national championship to Chambers Bay in Washington for the 1st time. The course proved unpopular with players, punctuated by a hot mic catching Jordan Spieth complaining about the 18th and Billy Horschel freaking out about the spotty greens. Luckily for golf fans, the final round provided incredible drama despite the unusual setting.

Four players – Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Jason Day and Branden Grace – began the day with the lead at 4-under. A group of chasers, highlighted by Louis Oosthuizen, were three shots back at 1-under. Day jumped out to an early lead but was struggling with bouts of Vertigo; Fox, which had just won the rights to broadcast USGA events, made the bizarre decision to follow the Aussie with a close-up camera, seemingly in hopes that he would fall. This choice was fairly immoral but only added to the intrigue, especially as Day had a chance to win his first major.

Day eventually faltered on the back nine, leading to a back and forth finale between Spieth, Grace, DJ and the aforementioned Oosthuizen. King Louis birdied six of his final seven holes to take the clubhouse lead at 4-under, while Spieth moved to 6-under after making a bomb on the 16th. Grace, paired with the Masters Champion, hit his drive onto the train tracks on the same hole. A double bogey sank his chances and he eventually finished at 3-under.

The 21-year old Texan followed his birdie with a brutal three putt double bogey on 17, opening the door for Johnson, who birdied the penultimate hole in the final group. The U.S. Open hang in the balance on the final hole, with both players tied at 4-under. Spieth found the par-5 18th in two shots and made birdie to take the lead, putting the pressure on Johnson. The big-hitting American watched from the fairway and responded with an absolute strike to twelve feet, setting up an eagle putt to win.

DJ ran his eagle past the hole but had a short putt to tie Spieth, and a Monday playoff seemed imminent. Unbelievably, he missed, a three putt giving Spieth the 2nd leg of the grand slam and extending Johnson’s majorless streak.

This final round had it all – a player fighting illness, multiple contenders, and an untimely missed putt from one of the game’s biggest players. This U.S. Open victory elevated Spieth to new heights and made him the new face of American golf in 2015.

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