The 2012 US Open was Jim Furyk’s and Graeme McDowell’s to give away on Sunday and with two-layers of crystallized fog during Sunday play that is exactly what they did, handing the win to Webb Simpson.
Simpson was four strokes off the lead heading into Sunday play before hitting for four straight birdies starting on No. 6 and ending on No. 9. Simpson then parred out for his second straight two-under-par 68.
Webb Simpson finished his 72-hole play with a one-over 281 and then was forced to wait as the last three twosomes finished their final round of play. To his celebration Jim Furyk hit bogey’s on holes 16 and 18 and McDowell needed to hit a 24-foot birdie on 18 to force an 18-hole playoff on Monday.
After winning his first major title match Simpson wrote:
“I did not want to play again tomorrow for a lot of reasons. I was just as nervous watching the telecast as I was playing.”
The win is Simpson’s third tour victory.
Simpson said of his thoughts on winning a major title:
“I never really wrapped my mind around winning. This place is so demanding, and so all I was really concerned about was keeping the ball in front of me and making pars.”
Webb then added:
“One of my thoughts on the back nine was I don’t know how Tiger has won 14 of these things because the pressure, I couldn’t feel my legs most of the back nine.”
Simpson says he always thought he had it in him to win a major title but “maybe not so soon.”
