Justin Rose wins U.S. Open

Justin Rose clinched his maiden major title to become the first Englishman for 43 years to win the US Open.

The 32-year-old won by two shots from now six-time runner-up Phil Mickelson and Jason Day on a gripping final day.

Rose, also the first Englishman to win a major since Nick Faldo in 1996, fired a level-par 70 to end one over as overnight leader Mickelson carded 74.

As usual I stayed up and watched the drama un-fold, and what a great feeling it was to finally see an Englishman hold his nerve down the stretch and win a major, rather than doing the usual of being there or thereabouts and then collapsing and finishing well out of it.

The two shots Rose hit into the 18^th were Hogan-esque, thought it was fitting that he hit his iron shot standing over the Hogan plaque, his game has slowly been building to this over the last four or five years winning Jack and Tiger’s tournaments, then the play-off event, then a WGC, and now a major.

Must say I felt for Mickelson that’s now six-times a bridesmaid, and that could be his last realistic chance to win it.

Hopefully seeing Rose win will give Donald, Poulter, Westwood etc. that extra bit of belief that they too can do it.

Thought the course was great and held the players to the usual U.S. Open score of around par, although I think the thick rough that sat an inch from the fairway was a little unfair, but it proved that a course doesn’t need to be 7,500+ yards to be challenging, just look at the world’s top three: Woods, McIlroy and Scott who finished a combined 42 over for the week.