Jordan Spieth has revealed his fluctuating emotions during the thrilling finish which saw him secure the US Open title and a second major in succession.
Spieth began the final round at Chambers Bay in a four-way tie for the lead with Dustin Johnson, Branden Grace and Jason Day, but three-putted the opening hole before recovering with birdies at the eighth and 12th.
Johnson held a two-shot lead following birdies on the fourth and eighth before dropping three shots in four holes from the 10th, leaving Spieth tied for the lead with playing partner Grace.
That all changed dramatically on the 16th, where Grace drove out of bounds to card a double bogey and Spieth holed from 25 feet for birdie and briefly a three-shot lead, only to double bogey the 17th after compounding a wild tee shot by three putting from 40 feet.
Former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen had set the clubhouse target on four under after a remarkable six birdies in the last seven holes for a record-equalling back nine of 29, before Johnson then made birdie on the 17th to tie the lead.
After two brilliant shots onto the 18th green Spieth two-putted for birdie to finish five under and Johnson initially responded superbly with an even better approach to 12 feet, but saw his eagle attempt drift four feet past and then missed the return to force a play-off.
" I thought that I had won it on 16," Spieth said. "I didn't think I had lost it after 17, but I thought I needed to play 18 well just to play tomorrow (a Monday play-off).
"On 17 I had a good number, it was a perfect six iron, just poor execution. That's as far off line as I've hit a six iron in a long time. That was a really bad shot. In mid-air I was like, 'That might go out of bounds'.
" And then after DJ hit his second shot into 18, I thought, 'Shoot, I may have lost this tournament'.
"I didn't enjoy not being able to control it. I was in the scorer's tent and watched DJ's second shot and he hits it right up onto the shelf. I'm thinking maybe I'll catch a break and it will be below the ridge and he's got a two-putt and we can go to tomorrow. And instead he just hit two phenomenal golf shots. It was tough watching him.
"I was probably more nervous then than I was on the course at any point. He hit the putt and with about three feet to go I knew it was going to slide by. I just figured that it would slide a foot or two by like Jason's, but it just kept moving.
"I don't really know what to say on the second one. It looked like he hit a decent putt. He very well could have hit a good putt and it could have bounced or it just took a break that it didn't going by. I very much feel for him. He's a great champion.
"He's certainly proven that he closes tournaments out. This was just an odd deal, very odd. I very much feel for Dustin. He deserves to be holding the trophy just as much as I do this week."
Source: PA
