Amateur eclipses Nicklaus record
PEBBLE BEACH — Oklahoma State’s Viktor Hovland set a 72-hole scoring record for an amateur in the U.S. Open, shooting a four-under-par 67 on Sunday capped with a birdie on the 18th hole. Hovland finished the tournament with a four-under 280, breaking the mark of 282 set by the legendary Jack Nicklaus in the 1960 Open.
“It’s obviously cool to perform such a thing,” said Hovland, who is the reigning Norwegian national amateur champion. “And I hope that this will feed or I can feed off of this going into my professional career and do more things like this and be in contention of winning tournaments.”
Hovland has played in five pro tournaments this year, including the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, where he missed the cut with scores of 73-72. He made the cut in the Masters and was the low amateur there, tying for 32nd.
Mickelson’s woes
On his 49th birthday, Phil Mickelson, the five-time major winner, shot one-over 72 to finish the Open at four over. In winning the AT&T Pebble Beach National ProAm in February for the fifth time, Mickelson shot 19 under in two rounds at Pebble Beach and one each at Spyglass Hill and Monterey Peninsula Country Club.
Mickelson opened the week with a one-over 72, battled back with a 69 on Friday, but struggled to a 75 in the third round.
He is now winless in 28 U.S. Opens played and hasn’t seriously contended since leading the 2013 tournament heading into the final round at Merion.
“It’s not like I’m going to stop trying,” he said. “I enjoy the challenge . ... I didn’t putt my best, I didn’t chip my best. I actually played OK from tee to green.”
Memories of 2000
Tiger Woods found himself reminiscing about his U.S. Open win at Pebble Beach, a historic victory by a record 15 strokes that his dying father, Earl, was too sick to attend.
“There’s not a day that I don’t think about my dad,” Woods said. “On a day like today, when I won this championship, my dad wasn’t able to travel. His cancer was spreading, and he wasn’t able to make it up here. Even though I had a big lead playing Sunday, he couldn’t fly. Going home that night was awfully special to share with him.”