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A steady hand gave Justin Rose the shiny U.S. Open Trophy and booked his ticket to Bermuda for the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, while a wild ride gave Phil Mickelson yet another silver medal.
Rose captured his first major championship with remarkable calmness and three pure shots on the punishing closing holes at Merion. A par on the 18th hole gave him an even-par 70, and that was good enough to become the first Englishman in 43 years to win America's National Championship.
Rose hit 5-iron to the first cut of rough, pin-high on the 17th for an easy par. He smashed the most important tee shot of his career down the middle on the final hole, about 10 yards short of the famous Ben Hogan plaque. And his approach rolled near the pin and settled against the collar of the green.
"When I came over the hill and saw my ball laying in the fairway, I thought, `This is my moment.' It was me hitting from the middle of the fairway," Rose said.
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