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PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – In front of Gary Woodland, a scintillating 263-yard green shot from any match of the normal at Pebble Beach, especially with a US opening on the line. Brooks Koepka, the most dangerous figure in the big golf championships these days, was behind him.
The sure blow was to go to bed on the 14th and try his luck with a corner
"The idea was to play for the win," Woodland said.
With an extra boost for his younger brother's confidence – Brennan Little, who was in the bag for Mike Weir in his Masters win – Woodland hit the shot with a 3-wood barely clearing a bunker, He settled on the edge of the green and put up a birdie that gave him the cushion he needed.
The rest was pure theater – a distance of 90 feet above the 17th green he had almost pierced, a bading 30-foot birdie in the last hole for a 69-yard double and a three-shot win that denied Koepka's bold attempt to compete with a record-breaking century with a third consecutive US Open.
Woodland's position through the 17th green on a butte that was checking and spinning at hand took it well, thus taking its place with other great moments of the 17th green of the US Open. such as Jack Nicklaus and his iron. The smart bird of Tom Watson. He even caught Nicklaus' attention.
"It took a lot of courage," Nicklaus said on Twitter.
Woodland had this abundance, as well as a message from an inspiring friend.
"You have that."
Until Sunday, when he won the silver trophy at Pebble Beach, Woodland drew more attention from a hole than a pro – am to Phoenix Open. He was kind and encouraging to Amy Bockerstette, a 20-year-old girl with Down syndrome who was optimistic. Woodland invited her to hit a shot on the 16th normal-3 (in a bunker). He wanted to get it out of the sand, but she said, "I understood." She hit at 8 feet and made the putt. The video produced by the PGA Tour has been viewed more than 20 million times.
"I told myself a million times today," Woodland said. "I have that."
Koepka did not make it easy, keeping the pressure on Woodland until the end.
Both represent the modern athlete in golf. Both are unstoppable.
Needing three putts to win, Woodland finished with style. He raised his arms in the air to greet the crowd, turned to the Pacific and punched his fist.
"I never let myself be taken in advance," Woodland said. "Once everything came in, everything came out of me, it's special to finish it here at Pebble Beach."
Koepka had to settle for a footnote in the story. He finished with a 68, making him the first player of the four rounds in the 60's at an American Open without winning.
"It was great to be so close to three times in a row, it's amazing," Koepka said. "I did not really think about it until I was 18 years old and understood how close I was to not having a story, but to link it, I guess." It could be said that it was not supposed to be this week. "
The distance was not a problem for Woodland at the 14th hole. This was the potential result.
"The left is not good, the right is forbidden, long time is not ideal and the bunker speaks for itself," Woodland said. "So run that shot under pressure, in the situation, that shot gave me confidence.I felt better after hitting that shot on the golf course today than I did." had been doing for a very long time. "
He thinks that it allowed him to hit one as well on the 17th.
Woodland dropped the iron 5 from his hands as he walked well to the right of the green with the pin 90 feet above a butte.
In front of the 18th of normal 5, Koepka pierced an iron 3 just behind the putting green, leaving him a 50-foot chip tied, with a bird likely to do the deal, considering that that Woodland faced on the 17th. Koepka scored 10 feet and narrowly missed the birdie putt.
Woodland, unable to hit the putter and get close to the hole, chose to throw it with a 64 degree bevel. It perfectly cut it just above the mound, and it checked about 12 feet from the hole and spun by the pin to secure the par and effectively open in the United States.
"I was just trying to overcome that bump," Woodland said. "I thought there was a chance to enter, but it's not the one I want."
Woodland played cautiously in 18th place and achieved one last important bird only in the record book. He knew that Tiger Woods had recorded a double under 272 during his historic defeat at Pebble Beach in 2000, and he overtook it.
This little bird earned him $ 2.25 million, the highest gain in golf.
Woods won 15 shots and was the only player under equality. With a marine layer blocking the sun and no significant wind at Pebble Beach all week, 31 players finished under par.
Koepka started with four late shots in his attempt to join Willie Anderson as the only player to face in the toughest tests of golf. He quickly caught up with four birdies on five holes.
"I felt like," We have a ball game now, "said Koepka.
He failed to get in and out of a bunker for a birdie in the sixth inning, but he missed a six-foot shot on a seventh of the normal. He was still within arm's reach, as he wished, knowing that nothing could happen in the back of the American nine.
Something wonderful happened in Woodland.
"Gary played a trick of hell today," Koepka said. "Accessories that keep it going, going out in style like this is cool."
Of the four other players who had a shot at three consecutive openings in the US, no one was closer than Koepka. He now has a PGA Championship win and a second place finish at the Masters and US Open.
Justin Rose is the only one to have caught Woodland all day, with a birdie on the first hole. Rose bugged the bunker on No. 2 while Woodland had managed ornithology, and he never caught up with it. Rose fell out of the race with three bogeys in a four-hole back course. He shot 74 and shared third with Xander Schauffele (67), Jon Rahm (68) and Chez Reavie (71).
Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, BC, had 72 shots on the last lap to finish 2 at the end.
Woods has birdied six of his last 12 holes and has never been a factor. He tied for the 21st, 11 shots late.
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