Spieth supreme in US Open thriller

Tacoma United States Jordan Spieths breakout season caught fire Sunday as he followed up his Masters victory by emerging from a crowded leaderboard to claim his first US Open titleJordan Spieth PicAFPSpieth is fast becoming the posterboy for American golf over the fading Tiger Woods as he became the first player to capture the Masters and US Open in the same year since Woods did it in 2002 The 21yearold Texans stunning onestroke victory over fellow American Dustin Johnson and South African Louis Oosthuizen at Chambers Bay golf course gets Spieth halfway home to an unprecedented calendaryear Grand SlamSpieth fired a closing oneunder 69 for a fiveunder 275 total denying a first time major championship for Johnson who suffered a heartbreaking defeat after he threeputted on 18 including a putt to win the tournament Johnson shot a 70 for a fourunder 276 total to finish in a tie for second with Oosthuizen who had a sizzling 67 Johnson missed his eagle putt for the win and then had a fourfoot putt at the last to force a 18hole playoff on Monday but he missed itSpieth is the youngest champion of the US Open since the legendary Bobby Jones in 1923 and the youngest player to win two career majors since Gene Sarazen in 1922 For the first time since 1973 four players headed into the final round with a share of the lead comprising Spieth Jason Day Johnson and Branden Grace Spieth was the first to blink falling back with a bogey at the firstHe edged his way back into a share of the lead with Grace going down the back nine and a snaking 27foot birdie putt at the 16th put him three clear with two to play as the South African hit out of bounds for a double bogey He took a double bogey of his own at the 17th but birdied the last to take the lead Playing in the final pairing Johnson reached the parfive green in two and had a 12foot eagle putt to win his first major titleThat effort slipped agonisingly four feet past and he missed the one back to force the playoff Three players were tied for fourth Australians Adam Scott 64 and Cameron Smith 68 and South African Branden Grace 71 Spieth used all the tricks he had in his bag but the biggest ace up his sleeve Sunday was his caddie Michael Greller who started his career at Chambers BayThe long hitting Johnson was trying to conquer the Chambers Bay course and claim a first major championship many believe he is long overdue having come close in all four Grand Slam tournaments in the past Spieth who won his first major at Augusta in April was the biggest name among the coleading quartet who had all won at some stage this yearThat includes Day who courageously battled vertigo through the final three rounds to shoot a closing 74 and finish at evenpar 280 five strokes back of Spieth Much criticised over the week by many players for its fiery fairways and bumpy greens the linkstype Chambers Bay course was again set to be a monster challenge at 7384 yardsConditions though were perfect as they had been throughout the week The biggest mover of the day Sunday was world number one Rory McIlroy who shot a fourunder 66 McIlroy who has won two of the last three majors started the day eight shots off the pace and at one point on the back nine got to within two of the leader I played a great front nine McIlroy saidInstead of making two birdies on way in I made two bogeys which was disappointing Day instantly became the crowd favourite after a frightening vertigo attack near the end of his second round that caused him to collapse in front of the ninth hole grandstand He was still suffering in the final round but soldiered on to finish with three birdies five bogeys and a double bogeyJohnson is the biggest hitter on the PGA Tour and this year just when it appeared he was adding some a finesse around the greens to his game his putter let him down at the final hole The 27yearold Grace battled Spieth down the stretch but the South African slumped badly on the 16th hole finishing with a double bogey to Spieths birdie for a threeshot swing