U.S. Open : Lee Westwood Rues Missed Play-off

A beautiful morning for golf yesterday, cool breeze, some sunshine, good crowd. Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate took full advantage. Lee Westwood, unfortunately, could not.

"I'm struggling to even think who is in the play-off," Westwood had said about the extra day's play required for the 108th US Open. It was Tiger and Rocco. It could have been Lee as well.

Missed chance: Lee Westwood rues a play-off spot after a solid four rounds at Torrey Pines

Westwood played brilliantly at times and at others less so during Sunday's scheduled final round at Torrey Pines, holding the lead at two-under par going into the back nine, a shot ahead of Woods, his partner in the final pairing, two ahead of Mediate.

But Lee bogeyed the 10th, 12th and then, hitting a wild shot into ice plant hanging above a coastal canyon - a shot Woods was to duplicate - also bogeyed the 13th to climb to one over. A birdie on the 14th brought him back to even but it one stroke too much.

At 18, Westwood's 15-foot birdie putt came up inches short. Moments later, Woods knocked in his miracle 12-footer, embellished by the usual gyrations and shouts, for a birdie to tie Mediate at one-under.

Westwood's finish was the best by an Englishman in the US Open since Nick Faldo lost a play-off to Curtis Strange in 1988. The last Englishman to win - the last European - was Tony Jacklin at Hazeltine in 1970.

"It's sickening not to be in the play-off," Westwood said. "But all in all, I played pretty good all week, and if somebody said you're going to have a chance from 20 feet for a play-off on Monday, then I probably would have taken that at the start of the week.

"So while I'm disappointed, I'm pleased with myself, and I think that I've proved to myself and a few others that I think there is a major championship in me."

While Woods, naturally, was the crowd favourite, playing alongside him Westwood received tremendous support. American galleries are not so much interested in nationalities - in the top 10 were Westwood, Robert Karlsson of Sweden, Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain, Carl Pettersson of Sweden and Geoff Ogivly of Australia - as in quality golf.

"The crowds were great," said Westwood. "You got a few people shouting odd comments, but that was the absolute minority. I got cheered all day. I was quite surprised really. There were a lot of 'Come on, Lee.' So no complaints.

Original Source : http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/06/16/sgmair416.xml