Winners’ Circle

US Open champion Gary Woodland held off challenges from Brooks Koepka and Justin Rose to win his first Major at Pebble Beach

What does it mean to have your name on the trophy alongside so many greats?

I’ve worked hard my whole life. I’ve been surrounded by amazing people and I always just wanted to be successful. I didn’t know what it was, what I was going to do. I fell in love with golf, and it’s transcended to this. And it all came out of me. I never let myself get ahead, just told myself it’s never over, and when the last putt went in, it all came out. I’m glad it’s over with.

When Brooks Koepka won the USPGA at Bellerive and outlasted Tiger, he later said he enjoyed stopping history. What was it like when you stopped his history?

Obviously Brooks got off to a great start. And you knew he was going to come out. The conditions, the wind was down a little bit early in the round. You could play more aggressively. The first couple of holes he could attack, and he did that. It was nice for me to make that birdie on 2 to give myself confidence to slow down everything. And obviously executing the birdie on 3, as well. But Brooks, he’s unbelievable. He lives for this moment. And obviously what he’s done the last couple of years is phenomenal.

What are you most proud of when you look back on the week?

I think from a mental standpoint I was as good as I’ve ever been. I never got ahead of myself. I never thought about what would happen if I won, what comes with it. I wanted to execute every shot. I wanted to stay in the moment. I wanted to stay within myself. I knew I was playing well going in, but I’ve been playing well going into a lot of tournaments before and haven’t had the results I’d like.

Tell us about your journey to get to this point?

I’ve just always believed in myself. No matter what I’ve done, from when I was a young kid, I always believed I would be successful. I believed I would play professional sports. I always believed I would be in this moment. And the question about if I ever dreamed of making the putt on the last hole of a US Open when I was a kid, no, I didn’t, but I hit a lot of game-winning shots on the basketball court when I was a kid. And that’s what I did. I’ve always believed in myself. And it’s nice that when you do that, and you surround yourself with great people, good things happen.

How much pressure did you feel?

Winning score: -13 New world ranking: 12 Prize money: $2,250,000 PGA Tour victories: 4

I think the big deal is to enjoy the pressure. Obviously it’s an uncomfortable situation leading in a Major after 36 holes, after 54 holes. But I kept telling myself to enjoy this moment. Enjoy the pressure. Enjoy the stress. Enjoy being uncomfortable. And don’t shy away from it, embrace it.