A Weekend Of Gains

Jordan Spieth held off Dustin Johnson at the end to win the U.S. Open on Sunday on the much-criticized Chambers Bay course in University Place, Washington.

Spieth, 21, is the youngest U.S. Open winner since Bobby Jones in 1923 and now has collected half of the Grand Slam titles this season, having also won the Masters. Next stop: St. Andrew’s and the British Open in July.

“Can’t win ’em all unless you win the first two,” Spieth said.

Johnson could have won the tournament with a putt for eagle from 12 feet on the 18th hole, but he missed. And then he missed the subsequent 3-footer for par that would have forced a playoff on Monday.

The links-style course, built on an old gravel pit, turned the players off with its uneven greens and left fans at an extreme distance from the players.

“I think a lot of players, and I’m one of them, have lost some respect for the USGA and this championship this year for the greens,” golfer Billy Horschel said. “And not only the greens. One of the biggest issues I have is for the fans. Here we are in the Pacific Northwest, where we haven’t been since the late ’90s for the PGA Championship, and the viewing is awful.”

BASEBALL: The Washington Nationals’ Max Scherzer came within one strike of a perfect game on Saturday night and then hit the 27TH batter with a pitch. He got the final out and recorded a no-hitter. … The New York Yankees’ Alex Rodgriguez became the 29th player in major league history to get 3,000 hits when he hit a home run Friday night against the Detroit Tigers. … The College World Series begins on Monday night with a rematch of last year’s competitors. Defending champion Vanderbilt takes on Virginia in Omaha, Nebraska.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman.