Notes: Jordan Spieth bounces back with a final-round 69.
He shoots a 69 in windy final round
TOWN OF ERIN - Jordan Spieth, the fifthranked player in the world, finished well off the lead Sunday at the U.S. Open, but he might take some positives moving forward after having an up-and-down weekend.
He dropped a 4-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th for a 69 and concluded his four days at Erin Hills with a 1-over 289 (7371-76-69).
"I think I hit 17 greens (Sunday), which is just awesome in these conditions," Spieth said. "And then my expectations were lowered on the greens given the conditions. I think that was the difference.
"I was able to get to a few under by just accepting the fact that the putt might miss instead of having to have it be perfect."
Before Sunday's final round, Spieth had some fun with his sister Ellie.
He asked her on Saturday night how she wanted him to finish Sunday. She paused and replied, “16 birdies."
Spieth opened with a birdie on No. 1 and said to his caddie, “15 more.” And then he made birdie on the next hole. Two down, 14 to go.
But after three consecutive pars on Nos. 3, 4, and 5, the goal of getting 16 birdies ended. Since Spieth finished early Sunday, he was asked how he was going to spend the rest of his day:
"I'll have a beer and come back and watch the closing."
The Big Easy: Weekend rain softened the greens at Erin Hills. When the wind picked up Sunday, Ernie Els thought of another major championship.
“Today is more like a British Open but they were soft conditions,” Els said. He shot a 74 to finish at 7 over at Erin Hills, well off the lead.
“So you had to play different shots and the wind is really blustery out there.”
The 47-year-old South African has played in just about every imaginable condition over a 23-year PGA Tour career.
It has been 20 years since Els won the U.S. Open at Congressional, when he held off Colin Montgomerie by a stroke. He also won the Open in 1994, as well as the British Open in 2002 and 2012.
That victory five years ago at Royal Latham was his last tour win. His fiveyear exemption in the majors is running out this year.
But Els seems at peace with where he is at in his career.
“I’ve played 25 of them, and if I play another great. If not, it’s fine. It’s been a good ride,” the popular Els said while signing autographs for fans.
“Maybe something happens in the next couple of months, win something to get into it for next year,” Els added. “So if that doesn’t happen, it’s been good. It’s been really good.”
They're in: Top-10 finishes at Erin Hills will allow Xander Schauffele and Trey Mullinax to return to the U.S. Open next year.
No need to go through qualifying for Shinnecock Hills, after having to travel that route to arrive at Erin Hills.
Mullinax shot 68 on Sunday to tie for ninth at 8 under, eight shots behind winner Brooks Koepka. Mullinax qualified out of the Memphis, Tenn., sectional.
Schauffele shot 69 to tie for fifth at 10 under in his first U.S. Open. He also qualified out of Memphis, surviving a fiveman playoff for one of the final two spots.
Asked about avoiding sectional qualifying next year, Schauffele said, “That’s another thing I didn’t know. Thank you.”
Low amateur honor: Scottie Scheffler earned the low-amateur honor for this year’s U.S. Open.
The 20-year-old Scheffler, who plays for the University of Texas, finished at 1-under 287. He also played in the U.S. Open last year at Oakmont and missed the cut.
Scheffler birdied No. 18 for a 1-over 73 in the final round.
Cameron Champ was the lowest amateur heading into the final round, but he finished with a 4over 76 to drop back to even par (288) for the tournament.
Two rounds to forget: Haotong Li, who was the first golfer from China to make a cut in a major championship, had two U.S. Open rounds he'd like to erase.
After a successful first two rounds (74-70), Li struggled with an 82 on Saturday and 84 on Sunday to finish last among those who made the cut by seven strokes.
He earned one of 15 spots through qualifying in England. Li, 21, was ranked 128 in the Official World Golf Ranking entering the tournament.
It's been how long? Sunday marked the 17th anniversary of Tiger Woods’ dominating victory in the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Woods won by 15 strokes, a mark that still stands as a record for any major golf championship.
That victory was the first of four consecutive major wins (called the "Tiger Slam") for Woods. His victory at the British Open later that year would make him the youngest player to achieve a career Grand Slam.
Woods had an openinground 65 and then carded a 69 and 71. He finished with a 67 in the final round, and his 12-underpar total crushed the previous record of 8 under, set by Ben Hogan in 1948. No other player finished better than 3 over.
Kite recalls windy conditions: Tom Kite knows tough conditions for the final round of the U.S. Open.
Kite shot even-par 72 in gusty winds in 1992 at Pebble Beach, winning by two strokes over Jeff Sluman. The final-round average was 77.2, and 20 players shot in the 80s.
Kite said the conditions at Erin Hills “are going to be a lot more challenging,” but he doesn’t think it will look like what happened 25 years ago.
"I don’t anticipate this being a bloodletting," Kite said.
Palmer's historic win honored: On Sunday for the final round of the U.S. Open, the 18th hole at Erin Hills had a special flag commemorating the late Arnold Palmer’s win at the 1960 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills in Colorado.
It featured a silhouette of Palmer in mid-stride, tossing his visor in the air. Palmer shot a 65 after going into the final round trailing by seven shots.