Retief Goosen Takes the U.S. Open

Without a late charge from Tiger Woods and without Phil Mickelson, David Duval, or Sergio Garcia making serious final-round challenges for the title, the U.S. Open closed regulation play on Sunday with one of its wildest finishes ever. With one hole left to play on Sunday, Retief Goosen and Stewart Cink were tied at 5 under par, while Mark Brooks was in the clubhouse at 4 under after 3-putting the 18th green. It appeared that the championship was going to belong to Stewart Cink or Retief Goosen.

Cink's second shot on the long 18th hole was over the green and in the deep U.S. Open rough, leaving a very difficult chip shot that he left about 12 feet short of the hole. Goosen hit his second shot to within 10 feet of the hole and appeared to have locked up the victory, having only to 2-putt from that distance to win the championship. After Cink missed his par putt, he hastily pushed his 18-inch bogey putt past that hole and left with a double bogey, dropping him to third place at 3 under par. Goosen missed his birdie putt, which left him with a 2-foot putt for the U.S. Open championship.

To his horror, and to the amazement of everyone watching, his putt slid past the right edge of the cup and left him with another putt of the same distance, just to force the playoff with Mark Brooks. Goosen made the putt and went on to defeat Brooks rather easily in an 18-hole playoff on Monday. The recovery saved Goosen's name from eternal association with one of the greatest collapses in golf history.