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Journalism of Courage
South Africa’s Retief Goosen held his nerve to clinch the U.S. Open for a second time, edging out Phil Mickelson by two shots with a closing one-over-par 71 on Sunday. The laidback Goosen, winner in 2001 at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma, finished at four-under 276 on a day when the average final-round score was 78.7 in brutal conditions at Shinnecock Hills.
U.S. Masters champion Mickelson, urged on by raucous New York galleries on a windswept and sunny afternoon, completed a matching 71 for his third runner-up spot in the last six U.S. Opens.
American Jeff Maggert finished third at one-over 281 after carding a 72, while 2003 U.S. Masters champion Mike Weir (74) of Canada and Japan’s Shigeki Maruyama (76) were a further three shots back in a tie for fourth.
However world No 2 Ernie Els, joint second overnight with Mickelson, produced four double-bogeys on his way to an 80, his worst score in a U.S. Open, and a tie for ninth at seven over.
World No.1 Tiger Woods, who began nine shots off the lead, battled to a six-over 76 and a share of 17th. (Reuters)
