Olympia Fields, Illinois, June 16: Jim Furyk survived dropped shots at the last two holes to clinch his first major title at the US Open, his closing two-over-par 72 giving him a three-shot victory.
The 33-year-old American, who had forged three strokes ahead of the field with a 67 in the third round, held off a brave challenge from playing partner Stephen Leaney of Australia, finishing tied with the tournament record on eight-under 272.
The mark was first set by Jack Nicklaus at Baltusrol in 1980, and later matched by Lee Janzen at the same venue in 1993 and Tiger Woods at Pebble Beach in 2000.
Furyk struck a superb approach to within three feet of the flag at the par-four 14th to set up a four-shot cushion, and could afford to bogey the treacherous two finishing holes at Olympia Fields Country Club to secure his major breakthrough yesterday.

He had wobbled briefly with his first dropped shots of the day on 10 and 12, and Leaney then closed the gap to three with a 40-foot birdie putt on 13.



But Furyk hit back immediately with his birdie on 14, and the end result, thereafter, was never in any doubt in bright afternoon sunshine.



The 34-year-old Leaney had provided a brave challenge, but experienced a roller-coaster round.



He started the day three strokes behind, but bogeys on one, three, seven, eight, 11 and 17 more than offset his birdies at the second, fourth, sixth and 13th.



Furyk, who possesses one of the most unorthodox swings in the game, had been playing nerveless golf and had to sink two putts from 15 feet to salvage par in the first five holes.



Mike Weir, the US Masters champion, had got to three under but dropped shots at the last two holes for a one-over-par 71, finishing in a tie for third with Kenny Perry at one-under 279.



Perry, winner of back-to-back titles on this year's PGA Tour, had earlier carded an impressive three-under-par 67 to hold the clubhouse lead.



''I played great today,'' the 42-year-old American said. ''I hit a lot of fairways, a lot of greens and I could have actually shot four- or five-under.''



Defending champion Tiger Woods, whose title hopes all but disappeared with his third-round 75, was another to struggle after a promising two-birdie start.



His bid to vault up the last-day leaderboard was derailed by a four-putt double-bogey at the ninth, and he dropped two more shots on the back nine to finish with a two-over-par 72 at three-over 283.


Bureau Report