Improbably, Spieth halfway to Slam

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Improbably, Spieth halfway to Slam

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A wild finish at the U.S. Open left Jordan Spieth with the hardware on Sunday at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington. [AP/NEWSIS]

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Washington - Jordan Spieth is halfway to the Grand Slam, an achievement only three of the biggest names in modern golf have attained.

And he still can’t believe how he got there.

Spieth won the U.S. Open in a heart-stopper Sunday with a turn of events even wilder than the terrain at Chambers Bay. He thought he had it won with a 25-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole. He threw away a three-shot lead one hole later. He made birdie on the final hole. And then he thought it was over as Dustin Johnson settled in over a 12-foot eagle putt for the victory.

Three putts later, Spieth was the U.S. Open champion.

“I’m still in shock,’’ he said with the gleaming U.S. Open trophy at his side. “I’ve never experienced a feeling like this. It was a very intense back nine.’’

Spieth became only the sixth player to win the Masters and U.S. Open in the same year, joining Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods in getting the first two legs of the modern slam that Palmer created on his way to St. Andrews in 1960.

That’s the next stop for the 21-year-old Texan, whose two major championships could not be any more different. A wire-to-wire runaway at Augusta National. A nail-biter on the edge of Puget Sound.

And another heartache for Johnson. “I had all the chances in the world,’’ said Johnson, who missed six putts inside 10 feet on the back nine and finished one shot behind.

Spieth, the youngest U.S. Open champion since Bobby Jones in 1923, did his part. Even after letting Johnson and fast-closing Louis Oosthuizen back into the game with his double bogey on 17, Spieth responded with a 3-wood that caught the backboard on the 18th hole and settled below the hole for an eagle putt. He missed it left, made birdie and walked off the green feeling more regret than excitement over his 1-under 69 for a one-shot lead with the big-hitting Johnson behind him.

Johnson reached the par-5 18th with a 5-iron on the 601-yard hole.

Make the putt and he wins the U.S. Open. Two putts would force an 18-hole playoff Monday on a course that favors power.

“I’m still amazed that I won, let alone that we weren’t playing tomorrow,’’ Spieth said. “So for that turnaround right there, to watch that happen, I feel for Dustin, but I haven’t been able to put anything in perspective yet.’’

Spieth now prepares for St. Andrews.

Woods in 2002 was the last player to get the first two legs of the slam.

The others to win the Masters and U.S. Open in the same year were Craig Wood in 1941 and Ben Hogan in 1951 and 1953. Hogan won the British Open in 1953, though he never played the PGA Championship because it was about the held roughly the same time as the British.

Spieth finished at 5-under 275 in winning for the third time this year. He is still No. 2 and closing fast on Rory McIlroy, who has top 10s in both majors this year without being a serious contender.

Spieth becomes the first player since Jones to make birdie on the 72nd hole to win the U.S. Open by one shot - all because of Johnson’s three-putt. He also became the youngest player with two majors since Gene Sarazen in 1922.

AP
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