Webb Simpson wins US Open by one shot

AMERICAN Webb Simpson has won the 112th US Open golf championship, firing a final-round 68 for a one-stroke victory.

AMERICAN Webb Simpson has won the 112th US Open golf championship, firing a final-round 68 for a one-stroke victory.

Simpson, playing in just his second US Open, emerged from four punishing days on The Olympic Club's Lake Course with a one-over par total of 281.

That gave him a one-shot victory over Michael Thompson and 2010 champion Graeme McDowell.

Furyk led for much of the day but his bid for a second US Open crown nine years after his first was undone by bogeys at the 13th and 16th and 18th in a 74.

That left him tied for fourth with Ireland's Padraig Harrington (68), David Toms (68), John Peterson (70) and Jason Dufner (70).

John Senden was the leading Australian, tied 10th on 285 after a 72, with Adam Scott (70) one shot back.

Simpson, a rising 26-year-old star from North Carolina who won two tournaments on the PGA Tour last year, became the ninth straight first-time winner of a major title.

Tiger Woods, seeking a 15th major and his first since his 2008 US Open triumph at Torrey Pines, was never a factor. He started the day five shots off the lead and dropped six strokes in the first six holes.

England's world No.3 Lee Westwood saw his hopes of a first major dashed when he lost his ball up a tree on the fifth hole.

Final Scores:

281: Webb Simpson (USA) 72 73 68 68
282: Michael Thompson (USA) 66 75 74 67, Graeme McDowell (NIR) 69 72 68 73
283: David Toms (USA) 69 70 76 68, Padraig Harrington (IRL) 74 70 71 68, John Peterson (USA) 71 70 72 70, Jason Dufner (USA) 72 71 70 70, Jim Furyk (USA) 70 69 70 74
284: Ernie Els (RSA) 75 69 68 72
285: Casey Wittenberg (USA) 71 77 67 70, Retief Goosen (RSA) 75 70 69 71, Kevin Chappell (USA) 74 71 68 72, John Senden (AUS) 72 73 68 72, Lee Westwood (ENG) 73 72 67 73
286: K.J. Choi (KOR) 73 70 74 69, Steve Stricker (USA) 76 68 73 69, Adam Scott (AUS) 76 70 70 70, Aaron Watkins (USA) 72 71 72 71, Martin Kaymer (GER) 74 71 69 72, Fredrik Jacobson (SWE) 72 71 68 75
287: Nick Watney (USA) 69 75 73 70, Jordan Spieth (USA) 74 74 69 70, Raphael Jacquelin (FRA) 72 71 73 71, Justin Rose (ENG) 69 75 71 72, Tiger Woods (USA) 69 70 75 73, Blake Adams (USA) 72 70 70 75
288: Matt Kuchar (USA) 70 73 71 74, Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) 72 69 71 76
289: Davis Love III (USA) 73 74 73 69, Alistair Presnell (AUS) 70 74 75 70, Morgan Hoffmann (USA) 72 74 73 70, Francesco Molinari (ITA) 71 76 72 70, Robert Karlsson (SWE) 70 75 72 72, Kevin Na (USA) 74 71 71 73, Scott Langley (USA) 76 70 70 73, Charlie Wi (KOR) 74 70 71 74, Beau Hossler (USA) 70 73 70 76
290: Charl Schwartzel (RSA) 73 70 74 73, Hunter Mahan (USA) 72 71 73 74, Sergio Garcia (ESP) 73 71 71 75
291: Zach Johnson (USA) 77 70 73 71, Patrick Cantlay (USA) 76 72 71 72, Rickie Fowler (USA) 72 76 71 72, Ian Poulter (ENG) 70 75 73 73, Alex Cejka (GER) 78 69 70 74
292: Matteo Manassero (ITA) 76 69 73 74, Bob Estes (USA) 74 73 71 74, Angel Cabrera (ARG) 72 76 69 75, Steve LeBrun (USA) 73 75 69 75, Hunter Hamrick (USA) 77 67 71 77
293: Simon Dyson (ENG) 74 74 74 71, Jesse Mueller (USA) 75 73 74 71, Nicholas Thompson (USA) 74 74 72 73, Hiroyuki Fujita (JPN) 75 71 73 74, Branden Grace (RSA) 71 74 73 75
294: Park Jae-Bum (KOR) 70 74 77 73, Michael Allen (USA) 71 73 77 73, Jeff Curl (USA) 73 75 71 75, Jonathan Byrd (USA) 71 75 71 77
295: Bo Van Pelt (USA) 78 70 76 71, Jason Day (AUS) 75 71 76 73, Matthew Baldwin (ENG) 74 74 73 74, Kevin Streelman (USA) 76 72 72 75, Darron Stiles (USA) 75 71 73 76
296: Marc Warren (SCO) 73 72 74 77, Phil Mickelson (USA) 76 71 71 78
297: Kim Kyung-Tae (KOR) 74 72 74 77
298: Stephen Ames (CAN) 74 73 79 72, Keegan Bradley (USA) 73 73 75 77
299: Rod Pampling (AUS) 74 73 74 78
301: Jason Bohn (USA) 70 75 78 78
303: Joe Ogilvie (USA) 73 75 76 79