ALL the ingredients of an American fairytale were in place when Steve Jones became a highly improbable winner of the 96th US Open in a gripping climax at Oakland Hills yesterday. First to congratulate him on Father's Day was his three year old daughter Stacey Jane, as he completed a final round of 69 for a two under par aggregate of 278 and a one stroke margin over Tom Lehman and Davis Love.
The destination of the title eventually came down to the last hole where Jones and Lehman were level at two under par on the tee. First to hit, Lehman thrashed a long drive into a bunker on the left, whereas Jones found the fairway. From there, the prospective champion slightly thinned a seven iron of 170 yards, but it finished 12 feet above the hole for where he had two putts for the title.
"I couldn't have hit that first putt any softer," said Jones, referring to the fact that it slipped about 12 inches past the hole. "This is the thrill of a lifetime.
think every young boy growing up has dreamed of making a putt on the last hole to win. Fortunately mine was only about a foot long."
It was an amazing triumph for a player who was forced out of the game for almost three seasons because of serious injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. At one stage, he feared he might never play again. Now he has not only reached the pinnacle of golfing achievement in his native land, but done so as a sectional qualifier - the first to do so since Jerry Pate in 1976.
He was a worthy winner, confounding those who had predicted a scrambling finale of missed opportunities. There were certainly squandered chances, particularly by Lehman and
Davis Love. But after surviving a bogey at the treacherous, short 17th, Jones went on to par the most difficult hole on a notoriously difficult course.
For Lehman, the exercise had similarities with his failure in the US Masters two years ago when, challenging for the title eventually won by Jose Maria Olazabal, he drove into a bunker at the 18th, as he did yesterday. A self styled plodder, he had hoped to triumph for the journeymen of the game: instead, he had to settle for being gracious in defeat.
"To win the US Open after what what Steve has been through, is an absolutely remarkable story. I am very happy for him and his family."
Particularly interesting is the compromise Jones had to make in his golf grip, because of an injury to the ring finger of his left hand. He wrapped his left index finger over his right little finger in a version of a grip made famous by Ireland's Harry Bradshaw. "Its gets more of my right hand into
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