U.S. Open Day Four Wrap-Up

Well, I don't think the new Pinehurst really worked all that well.  In the first place, this turned out to be a really boring tournament -- one of the least dramatic National Opens ever played.  In the second place, once they cranked up the difficulty of the course in an effort to bring Martin Kaymer back to the pack, the course took on a sort of dull sameness -- it came across as a bunch of really long holes where the ball was always rolling all over the place.  Over the last two days, the course just pounded most of the field, mainly because it was virtually impossible to shoot at the flag.  Kaymer was the only guy in the field who could read the greens, and so he ran off and left the field.

I am not looking forward to watching the women play their National Open at this same course next week.

None of this, of course, should take away from Kaymer's achievement, which was enormous.  He adds the 2014 U.S. Open title to his 2010 PGA title, meaning that he and Rory McIlroy are the only two golfers under 30 (Kaymer will turn 30 on December 28 of this year) that have two major titles.  Bubba Watson has two majors, but he is 35.  (In fact, Webb Simpson and Keegan Bradley are the only two American golfers under to 30 to have won any major tournaments.)

Getting two majors before 30 is a big deal, and winning by a huge margin is a big deal.  It will be interesting to see what Kaymer does next:

1.  M. Kaymer (GER):  -9 (65+65+72+69=271)

T2.  E. Compton:  -1 (72+68+67+72=279)
T2.  R. Fowler:  -1 (70+70+67+72=279)

T4.  K. Bradley:  +1 (69+69+76+67=281)
T4.  J. Day (AUS):  +1 (73+68+72+68=281)
T4.  B. Koepka:  +1 (70+68+72+71=281)
T4.  D. Johnson: + 1 (69+69+70+73=281)
T4.  H. Stenson (SWE):  +1 (69+69+70+73=281)

T9.  A. Scott (AUS):  +2 (73+67+73+69=282)
T9.  J. Walker:  +2 (70+72+71+69=282)
T9.  B. Snedeker:  +2 (69+68+72+73=282)