LOS ANGELES — Scottie Scheffler was within the good place to chase and win the U.S. Open in Sunday’s last spherical.
However the No. 1 ranked participant on the planet didn’t overtake the winner, Wyndham Clark, who received at 10-under par whereas Scheffler completed three photographs again at 7-under par, in third place.
“I simply felt like I wasn’t sharp sufficient as we speak to maneuver up the board,’’ he mentioned. “I did a very good job of conserving myself in it however I simply wasn’t sharp sufficient. I used to be making an attempt to hit some good photographs and get some seems to be and I felt like on the entrance 9 I didn’t give myself sufficient alternatives for birdies.
“I fought arduous as we speak, and I’m clearly slightly pissed off to come back up quick, however I put up a very good combat, and Wyndham performed some unbelievable golf this week and so he’s a well-deserving champion.’’
Defending champion Matthew Fitzpatrick by no means contended in his title protection and known as his week “a grind.’’
“I simply didn’t drive the ball very nicely in any respect,’’ he mentioned. “That’s what let me down. I used to be simply wanting ahead to the week. It was the primary time clearly experiencing that. Hopefully, I’ll have it just a few extra instances in my profession, nevertheless it’s all a studying expertise actually. I felt like I didn’t really feel overwhelmed with it.’’
Tommy Fleetwood flirted with U.S. Open historical past but once more on Sunday.
Fleetwood had a 5-foot birdie putt on his last gap at Los Angeles Nation Membership that, if made, might have given him a final-round 62, however his putt by no means touched the opening and the Englishman needed to accept a 7-under 63.
That left him at 5-under for the week, although he lamented what might have been.
“I missed a 6-footer on the primary [hole], missed a 5-footer on the final, after which every little thing in between was actually, actually good,’’ Fleetwood mentioned.
It was paying homage to Fleetwood’s 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock, the place he shot a final-round 63, although he fell in need of winner Brooks Koepka that day.
“I simply have to be greater up the leaderboard coming into Sunday after which have one other day like as we speak,’’ Fleetwood mentioned. “It’s a pleasant little piece of historical past.’’
Fleetwood is the primary participant in U.S. Open historical past to publish two 63s.
“Days like as we speak you may put within the reminiscence financial institution,’’ he mentioned.
Gordon Sargent, who shot a final-round 1-under-par 69 to complete at 4-over, was the low beginner for the match.
“It’s sort of what your aim as an beginner is, simply to be the low-am,’’ Sargent, a sophomore at Vanderbilt and the 2022 NCAA champion, mentioned. “Enjoying in my second main, I wasn’t as nervous as the primary one [the Masters]. It simply offers you confidence and in addition sort of reveals what you’ll want to work on. I do know that my good golf, I can compete with one of the best and simply must restrict the errors slightly bit.’’