American Jim Furyk won his first major title in record-equalling fashion in Chicago on Sunday night.
Furyk, who has previously had 12 top-10 finishes in majors without ever being higher than fourth, won the United States Open at Olympia Fields by three strokes from Australian Stephen Leaney, his eight-under-par total of 272 matching the mark set by Jack Nicklaus in 1980 and equalled since then by Lee Janzen and Tiger Woods.
Possessor of one of the most unorthodox swings in golf - likened by television commentator and former European tour star David Feherty to an octopus trying to escape from a telephone booth - Furyk also set 36-hole and 54-hole records en route to his triumph.
Not even the intervention of a blonde streaker on the 14th hole could stop him. Having just seen a five-stroke lead with seven to play become three with five it was not a done deal.
But just before the streaker came offering roses - he declined and she was escorted away - he had hit a superb approach to two feet and when he holed the putt he had only to play sensibly and win.
His only mistakes were to bogey the short 17th and then three-putt the last, but he could easily afford those with Leaney having also dropped a shot at the 17th. They both scored 72.
Afterwards, the delighted winner said: "I have never come down the 18th with a big lead. It's nice to know you can make a double bogey and once I had hit my second shot I knew I had done it. That he three-putted for bogey mattered only for the record books - he would have held the mark on his own rather than share it with Jack Nicklaus, Lee Janzen and Tiger Woods."
Kenny Perry & Masters Champion, Mike Weir tied for third place. A final round of 68 for Padraig Harrington lifted him into a share of 10th place at one over Darren Clarke slumped to a final round 75, joint 42nd. Tiger Woods finished on three over.
Filed by James McMahon
