Never in doubt
Posted Jun 20, 2011 07:47:50 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
BETHESDA, Md. – On another brilliant day of golf, Rory McIlroy ran away with the U.S. Open title, winning by eight shots and breaking the tournament scoring record by a whopping four strokes.
McIlroy shot 2-under 69 on Sunday to close the four days at Congressional at 16-under 268, shattering a U.S. Open scoring record held by four players, including Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
Jason Day finished at 8 under, good for second place in his second straight major.
Two months ago, McIlroy blew a four-shot lead on the last day at the Masters. But there was never any sign of a crack in this one.
The 22-year-old from Northern Ireland started the day with an eight-shot lead and it never got lower.
He became the third player in U.S. Open history to break 70 in all four rounds and McIlroy has now stepped into stardom thanks to the performance.
He shattered the tournament’s scoring record by four strokes in winning his first major.
Here’s the highlights of his record-setting day from www.Sportsnet.ca
The win makes him the youngest U.S. Open winner since 21-year-old Bobby Jones won in 1923.
It was also the second straight year a golfer from Northern Ireland has won the event after Graeme McDowell beat the field in 2010.
Among the records that he set with his performance were the 72-hole, 54-hole and 36-hole scoring records as well as the record for the most under par at any point of the tournament at 17-under. He also was the quickest to reach double digits under par at just 26 holes when he got to 10 under on Friday (Round 2).
Suffice to say that many in the golf world are beginning to utter the words “Tiger who?”
