The South African entered round four at Heritage La Réserve Golf Club with a one-shot lead but soon saw that disappear as playing partner Jacques P de Villiers, England’s Laurie Canter and the charging Sebastian Söderberg all staked a claim.

.@Louis57TM wins back-to-back events for the first time in his career ?#AfrAsiaBankMauritiusOpen pic.twitter.com/IdswcFcXUq

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) December 17, 2023

It was nip and tuck over a dramatic back nine in the Indian Ocean but in the end Oosthuizen’s 69 was enough to hand him a two-shot victory over Canter at 17 under.

South African de Villiers, Swede Söderberg – who carded the lowest round of the day with a 63 – and England’s Daniel Brown finished at 14 under, one clear of South Africa’s Jayden Schaper.

Oosthuizen’s victory also saw Min Woo Lee crowned the winner of the Opening Swing, handing the Australian US$200,000 and a place in the second part of the DP World Tour season – the Back 9.

The triumph at the weather-delayed Alfred Dunhill Championship last time out was Oosthuizen’s first for five years but he now has two in six days, with this week’s coming over a course he co-designed with Peter Matkovich.

“Golf is the strangest thing,” he said. “The last five weeks I’ve not done a lot with golf, I’ve played a few rounds and when I got to Leopard Creek I was working on a small little thing. I started hitting it really good and I know I’m putting well and then I just carried on with that momentum.

“I started off very poorly and that errant second shot on 16 made it interesting but I hit a few good shots coming in… I’m glad I held onto it.

“I’m glad I could pull this off this week, it’s sort of a dream come true being able to play a tournament on a golf course you helped design and end up winning it.

“This is the first event my daughters have been to where I won, this is very special.”

Both Oosthuizen and De Villiers dropped shots after missing the green at the fourth and there was a two-shot swing on the par-five next as Oosthuizen needed a drop off the tee and De Villiers got up and down for birdie.

Canter had made a two-putt birdie on the par five and he followed it with another gain from eight feet on the driveable sixth but De Villiers made an excellent up-and-down after finding a tricky spot off the tee on the same hole to lead alone.

Oosthuizen also took advantage of the short par four despite finding sand off the tee, with an excellent pitch at the par-five eighth helping him move back into a share of top spot.

The 41-year-old then holed a very long putt at the tenth to lead alone and both he and De Villiers made two-putt birdies on the par-five 12th before the latter got back into a share following a brilliant second after missing the green at the driveable par-four 13th.

Canter had done well to save par after missing the green at the ninth and tenth and he kept himself right in the mix, making two putts from the fringe on the 12th and driving the 13th to be just one shot back.

De Villiers joined him at 15 under after a three-putt on the 15th and Oosthuizen was two ahead when a beautiful pitch on the same hole spun back to tap-in range.

The lead was cut to one after a ragged Oosthuizen tee-shot and second at the 16th and De Villiers’ chance was gone after missing the green at the par-three 17th.

Canter could not take advantage of the par-five 18th as he signed for a bogey-free 68 to hand Oosthuizen a one-shot lead coming down the last and a two-putt birdie extended the winning margin, with De Villiers making par for a 71.

Söderberg twice held the lead and set the clubhouse target earlier in the day before the later groups edged clear, recovering from an opening bogey with ten birdies as he came home in 29.

Brown was bogey-free in his 65, making birdies on the fifth, seventh, 12th, 13th, 15th, 17th and last.

Schaper sandwiched five birdies with bogeys on the fourth and 17th in his 69 to finish a shot ahead of countrymen Thomas Aiken, Lyle Rowe and Darren Fichardt and two clear of American John Catlin.

Image: DP World Tour X / Twitter

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“This is one of the tournaments that I’ve always wanted to win,” said Oosthuizen, who completed 11 holes of his final round on Monday.

“It took me a while. It’s always a great place coming back to. I wouldn’t say 18 was kind to me this time, but I managed it a little bit, maybe not on the last hole there but I got it through.

“I feel very calm now. Rupes put a text this morning that said whoever plays 18 thinking the best is going to win. I just got on that tee shot and wanted to hit a seven wood but with all the rain it felt like it was so wet while we were standing I thought I’m just going to hit my driver down the left and obviously made a bad swing.

“The golf course was unbelievable. I can’t believe we got a fourth round in with everything we got. It’s such a great place to come to, and this is a tournament that I really really wanted.

“I had a good run there through 13 to 15 and I’m glad to see Charl with all the things he was going through with his shoulder with injuries that he’s playing well and I just got lucky on this one.”

After threat of lightning and heavy rain meant the final group could complete just seven holes on day four, the final group returned to the eighth fairway on Monday morning just after at 9am local time to resume their final rounds.

Tied at the top with Schwartzel on 16 under par, Oosthuizen almost immediately gained an advantage due to an expert up and down as the four-time champion hit a wayward approach into the trees and had to scramble for an opening bogey to drop one behind.

After trading pars at the ninth and three-putts for bogey at ten, both men responded with a birdie at the 11th: After Oosthuizen spun his wedge shot back beautifully past the pin to set up his birdie, Schwartzel sunk his own gain with a putt from off the green.

A second long putt in as many holes saw Schwartzel briefly climb back alongside the leader, but from there it was Oosthuizen who pulled ahead. With long putts of his own for back-to-back birdies at 13 and 14, he then hit another excellent wedge shot at the 15th to help seal a three-shot advantage with three to play.

While it initially seemed a comfortable advantage, there was still drama to be had. A mistake at the par four 17th saw the leader’s par save slide by the hole to reduce his lead to two, and his tee shot at the 18th hit a tree and found its way into the stream that separates the 18th and ninth holes at Leopard Creek Golf Club.

It opened the door for Schwartzel to attempt to force a playoff, but his second shot to the par five only narrowly missed the water at the side of the green, and his wedge shot wasn’t much closer than Oosthuizen’s fourth. There was still a chance for him, but Oosthuizen closed that door with his winning putt, and Schwartzel missed his birdie chance to finish the hole on the same score they started, securing his fifth runner-up finish in this tournament.

Fellow playing partner Bezuidenhout had originally started the final round five strokes back but birdied three of his first five to enter Monday’s completion just three behind, but played the remaining holes in one under to finish in solo third on 14 under par.

Four shots behind him were Challenge Tour Road to Mallorca Rankings winner Marco Penge, German Matt Schmid and Frenchman Darius Van Driel on ten under, with a group of four further players rounding out the top ten on nine under – which included Jayden Schaper, whose tie for seventh is a third consecutive top ten in the Opening Swing.

Main Image: Luke Walker Getty Images

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Louis, who won the 2010 Open at St Andrews designed what is the Indian Ocean’s first and only contemporary links course alongside acclaimed course architect, Peter Matkovich. Using the natural landscape and dramatic elevations to define each hole, he said: “My love of links, the purest form of golf, will be experienced on every hole at La Réserve Golf Links. 

“I have a genuine passion for links golf and the way in which you have to strategically work your way around a golf course using a multitude of different shots. Links golf challenges your mind, and your game and that is why La Réserve Golf Links is such a wonderful project to be at the heart of.”

La Réserve Golf Links at Heritage Golf Club, Mauritius

Inspired by the wild open spaces of the great seaside links, La Réserve Golf Links, a GEO-Certified development, plays hand-in-hand with nature, nestling alongside a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve.

This will be Oosthuizen’s second appearance in the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open following his seventh-place finish in 2017.

Image Credit: La Réserve Golf Links

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Morgan is tied with Fireballs captain Sergio Garcia, Stinger captain Louis Oosthuizen, Crushers’ Anirban Lahiri and Torque’s Sebastián Muñoz on a packed leaderboard in which 19 other players are within two shots of the lead. Among those pursuers are team captains Brooks Koepka (Smash), Dustin Johnson (4 Aces) and Bryson DeChambeau (Crushers), who each shot 68, and Joaquin Niemann (Torque), who shot 67.

While the four other co-leaders are assured of returning in 2024, the 23-year-old Morgan is one of four players currently in the Drop Zone who face relegation at the end of the season. He ranks 46th with just three points but a big result this week at Rich Harvest Farms could move him above the Drop Zone.

Non-captains ranked 45th or worse will be relegated but have a chance to play their way back in later this year at the promotion tournament.

“I know where I am and everyone keeps reminding me where I am, so it’s pretty hard to get away from it,” said Morgan, who posted the low round in the field on Sunday at the previous LIV Golf event in Bedminster last month. “So, there’s no point in me trying to act like it’s not there in my head. It’s obviously there.

“But I know if I play well enough, put myself in the position I think to make putts for birdie, then that’s really all you can do.”

The South African Stinger team, who have finished third in each of the last three tournaments, top the team leaderboard at 13-under, with Charl Schwartzel and Dean Burmester contributing 67s to support Oosthuizen’s score. A strong finish this week could wrap up one of the top four seeds that will receive a bye at the Team Championship in Miami.

“We’re playing well,” Oosthuizen said. “We help each other out to try and get into form, and especially now with Miami around the corner, we really want to give a good push to the end.”

The Crushers and Fireballs are one stroke back at 12-under, with the Rippers at 11-under. The top two teams in the season-long standings, No. 1 4 Aces and No. 2 Torque, share fifth place at 10-under.

The five-way individual tie is among the most after any LIV Golf first round. Soft conditions provided opportunities for low scores, a big difference from last year’s firm test won by Ripper GC Captain Cameron Smith, who shot 69 on Friday.

“With the conditions, the course is quite gettable,” Garcia said. “I’m actually surprised there wasn’t a couple lower scores today. I could have shot one of those, obviously.

“It still is the kind of course that you still have to hit the ball well to score. It’s a good mix, but if you strike the ball nicely, it feels like you can make a lot of birdies.”

Morgan made seven birdies on Friday, tied for the most in the field. Similar success this weekend could lead to a significant moment in his young career.

“Playing good is motivating me more than getting out of that position,” Morgan said. “Winning the tournament is more motivating than getting out of the bottom four. That’s what I want to do.”

Said his captain Smith: “I’m very proud of him; he’s a great player. This is what he should be doing every day.”

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There were tears shed at Tuesday’s Champions Dinner — and not just from Scottie Scheffler’s spicy tortilla soup. Augusta native Larry Mize was so choked up about playing in his final Masters that he could barely get through his speech. Sandy Lyle, who is also having a swansong at the event this week, did better getting the words out, but understandably, it’s an emotional time for an athlete when they realise it’s time to hang it up.

But as former Masters champs, at least Lyle and Mize were able to make that decision themselves. For most golfers, that’s not the case. And if you haven’t won a green jacket and want to keep coming back to Augusta National, you have to keep qualifying. And qualifying. And qualifying. Maybe you go into a slump. Maybe you get an injury. Maybe you miss one Masters. Maybe you miss another. And next thing you know, you’re having to order that “Taste of the Masters” to your home like a regular patron, if you’re craving a Georgia peach ice cream sandwich. Life comes at you quick. (See Fowler, Rickie.)

With that said, we can say with certainty that Larry Mize and Sandy Lyle won’t be the only golfers teeing it up this week who will look back one day and realise the 2023 Masters was their final one. We just can’t say for sure who those other golfers are. But with LIV Golf tournaments still not being awarded Official World Golf Ranking points — and the Masters only making a couple small tweaks to its qualifications for 2024 — it’s very possible that there are more such cases this year unless guys perform really well at majors or pull a Patrick Reed and start loading up on Asian Tour events.

Take Thomas Pieters, one of LIV’s latest free-agent signings. The 31-year-old Belgian should have a couple decades left of playing in major championships, but with this OWGR situation, he realszes this (gulp) could be it. Despite the fact that he’s less than half of Mize’s age!

“I took my parents here because it could be my last one,” Pieters told reporters on Tuesday. “That’s just being realistic. I don’t know. Time will tell. We’ll see.”

Yes, we will. It got us thinking about LIV guys like Pieters and a couple notable PGA Tour players who aren’t guaranteed invites after this year. Obviously LIV green jacket members like Patrick Reed will always have a place at Augusta National, and recent major champs like Cameron Smith and Bryson DeChambeau are safe for another couple years. But here are some others whose Masters future is a bit more murky.

Louis Oosthuizen: The man with the runner-up career Grand Slam has fallen to 120th in the Official World Golf Ranking after ending 2022 in the top 50 to earn his invite this year. He also turned 40 and shot 76 on Thursday with this pad on his elbow:

Louis Oosthuizen. Patrick Smith

In other words, he’s not getting any younger.

Kevin Na. Andrew Redington

Kevin Na: At least Louis made it through his first round, though. Na walked off after only nine holes due to an illness. And he’s another guy who won’t sniff the top 50 in the OWGR again unless LIV gets World Ranking points real soon.

Jason Kokrak: Like Na, another 30-something who is not a top-50 something anymore. You get the point.

Talor Gooch: Ditto.

Abraham Ancer: Now he’s a 30-something who is still ranked 31st. But without any OWGR points, it’s very doubtful he’ll remain in the top 50 by the end of 2023. Again, you get the point.

Francesco Molinari. Andrew Redington

Francesco Molinari: See? We told you this list wouldn’t be all LIV guys. Molinari is in the final year of a five-year Masters exemption for winning the 2018 Open Championship. Despite winning at Bay Hill the following year and nearly winning a green jacket in 2019, he’s now in a four-year winless drought and down to 130th in the world. And if he had just held onto that two-shot lead on the back nine four years ago, he’d be coming back here for the rest of his life. What a cruel sport.

Harold Varner III: OK, back to the LIV guys. After finally qualifying for his first Masters in 2022, this could be it. However, and we probably should have mentioned this earlier, any of these guys can earn a trip back next year by finishing in the top 12 this week. And after an opening 72, hey, you never know.

Cameron Champ. Ben Jared

Cameron Champ: And one final PGA Tour guy! You’re probably saying: “What’s this young stud doing on this list?!” And maybe we’re crazy. BUT, despite the fact that Champ is only 27, and has three PGA Tour wins, and hits absolute lasers, he’s only here this year because of that top-12 rule. Champ is currently the lowest-ranked golfer on this list at No. 201, and he’s had back problems, and, well, again, you just never know.

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The 40-year-old South African is among several players who joined LIV Golf this summer and have subsequently slid down the OWGR since LIV events don’t offer ranking points. Oosthuizen was 21st at the start of June but has fallen to 50th this week.

Desperate to secure his top 50 status on the final OWGR list of 2022, a milestone that Augusta National traditionally has used to invite players to compete in the Masters, Oosthuizen signed up to play in the Dunhill, co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and Sunshine Tour and offering OWGR points. And he was having a great final round on Sunday at Leopard Creek Country Club, shooting five-under through the first 17 holes to move into fourth place after starting the day in a tie for 10th. But on the par-5 18th at Leopard Creek Country Club, a hole with an island green, Oosthuizen hit his approach into the water. After missing a 15-footer for par, the bogey 6 (his third on the hole for the week) slid him from a T-4 position to T-7.

That was an incredible battle, not sure they were really aware of it. So…@kevinna915 seems to be guaranteed a top 50 finish at the end of the year@Louis57TM will get the last spot if Burmy doesn't win @AfrAsiaMRUOpen.@BurmyGolf will get the last spot if he wins it! #OWGR pic.twitter.com/c0UcpqWosI

— Nosferatu (@VC606) December 11, 2022

Based on preliminary calculations from the OWGR, Oosthuizen is projected to finish 50th in the final ranking (he’ll be 48th in the ranking that comes out on Monday), but with a caveat. Fellow South African Dean Burmester, who also finished T-7 at the Dunhill after a bogey-birdie finish, is currently projected to finish 53rd in the OWGR. Burmester, however, is playing in next week’s AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, another co-sanctioned DP World Tour/Sunshine event. If he wins the event, he could jump Oosthuizen and knock his countryman to 51st.

Potentially, Oosthuizen might try to get into the Mauritius event at the last minute, just to shore up his position. Interestingly, if he were to do that, he could potentially put another LIV golfer clinging to top 50 status in jeopardy of falling out. Kevin Na is projected to be 49th in the final OWGR list. If Burmester and Oosthuizen played well at Mauritius, they could both jump Na and drop him to 51st.

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WATCH: All the action live from Portland

The LIV Golf Invitational Series features teams of four where players compete as individuals and teams for both points and prize money. Captains and teams are finalised the week of each event, as each tournament may showcase a different field. In the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational London at Centurion Club, Stinger GC, with captain Louis Oosthuizen and fellow South Africans Charl Schwartzel, Hennie du Plessis and Branden Grace, took first place with a total score of 20-under-par. The four players will again compete together to defend the first-ever LIV Golf team title against a field that showcases a variety of new team captains and rosters as well as major champions and rising stars making their LIV Golf debut.

Every team has a LIV Golf-appointed team captain who selects his squad. All members of the four-player teams, including the captain, compete in the three-day tournament. The player with the lowest 54-hole stroke play total is the individual winner. In the team competition, the best two stroke play scores in the first two rounds will count for each team. For the third and final round, the best three scores will count. The lowest overall team score after 54 holes is the team winner.

[parone_video_player campaign=”281″ defaultlang=”en” feed=”51-all-videos”/]

STINGER GC

All four players were born in South Africa. Stinger GC won the inaugural team competition at the LIV Golf Invitational London. Stinger members also took the top three spots on the individual leaderboard (1-Charl Schwartzel, 2-Hennie du Plessis, 3-Branden Grace).

CRUSHERS GC

New LIV Golf member Bryson DeChambeau takes over as captain. DeChambeau replaces Peter Uihlein, who led the team to a runner-up finish in London. Uihlein, fourth individually in London, remains on the team. Newcomers include South Africans Shaun Norris (formerly of 4 Aces) and Justin Harding (formerly of Hy Flyers).

MAJESTICKS GC

Lee Westwood takes over for Ian Poulter as captain of the all-English team. Poulter remains on the team, as does Laurie Canter and Sam Horsfield. Majesticks GC finished third in London and Horsfield was the top Majesticks player, finishing fifth individually. Combined, the players have made more than 1,600 starts professionally.

TORQUE GC

Entirely new line-up consisting of four players born in Japan. Hideto Tanihara (formerly of Iron Heads GC) takes over for Talor Gooch as captain. Other new players include Ryosuke Kinoshita (formerly of Punch GC), Jinichiro Kozuma (formerly of Smash GC) and Yuki Inamori (making his LIV Golf debut). Combined, they’ve made nearly 1,000 starts professionally.

4 ACES GC

Captain Dustin Johnson is the only carryover from London. His new team now includes three fellow Americans – Patrick Reed, Pat Perez and Talor Gooch. Reed and Perez are making their LIV Golf debuts and Gooch was formerly the Torque GC captain. Reed (2018) and Johnson (2020) have won two of the last five Masters. Combined, the four players have made more than 1,350 worldwide starts in professional events.

CLEEKS GC

Martin Kaymer remains captain and Ian Snyman is also a carryover from London. New team members include Scott Vincent (formerly of Smash GC) and Turk Pettit (formerly of Niblicks GC). Snyman and Vincent were among six players who qualified for the LIV Golf Invitational London through the International Series. The four teammates are from different countries – Germany (Kaymer), South Africa (Snyman), Zimbabwe (Vincent) and the US (Pettit).

PUNCH GC

Wade Ormsby (captain), Matt Jones and Blake Windred are carryovers from London. Jediah Morgan (formerly of Fireballs GC) joins the now All-Australian team. Punch loses its top performer from London, Ryosuke Kinoshita (T-13th individually).

NIBLICKS GC

Captain Graeme McDowell is the only carryover from London. His new roster consists of Travis Smyth (formerly of Crushers GC), Hudson Swafford (formerly of Torque GC) and James Piot (formerly of Fireballs GC). McDowell was his team’s top performer in London, finishing T-10 individually.

SMASH GC

New LIV Golf member Brooks Koepka takes over as captain of a team with an entirely new roster of players. His younger brother Chase Koepka (formerly of Hy Flyers GC) joins the team, as does Richard Bland (formerly of Crushers GC) and Adrian Otaegui (formerly of Torque GC). Otaegui finished T-6 individually in London.

HY FLYERS GC

Captain Phil Mickelson gets three new members with Matthew Wolff making his LIV Golf debut. Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger (former of Niblicks GC) and Thailand’s Itthipat Buranatanyarat (formerly of Smash GC) join the two Americans. Mickelson and Wolff are former NCAA Division I men’s golf champions.

FIREBALLS GC

Sergio Garcia is the lone carryover. The Spaniard remains captain of a team that includes three players making their LIV Golf debuts and all four players are from Spanish-speaking countries. Abraham Ancer and Carlos Ortiz are from Mexico, and Eugenio Chacarra is from Spain. Chacarra, the No. 2 ranked amateur making his pro debut in Portland, considers Garcia as a mentor. Ancer and Ortiz competed in the Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2021, while Garcia competed in the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.

IRON HEADS GC

Kevin Na (captain) and Sadom Kaewkanjana are carryovers from London. Newcomers include Sihwan Kim (formerly Smash GC captain) and Phachara Khongwatmai (formerly of Crushers GC). Na and Kim were born in Seoul, South Korea, and each moved to California at a young age. Khongwatmai and Kaewkanjana are from Thailand.

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By Ryan Herrington
There’s a saying that winning a major championship is priceless. And we get what’s meant when it’s said. The true currency that comes with victory in one of golf’s biggest events isn’t something you deposit in a bank account. It’s spent when you step on to a tee box and are forever referred to as a major champion.

However …

They do actually pay money to the winner of a major. A lot of money. This week, Matt Fitzpatrick took home $3.15 million, the largest individual prize money payout for any winner of a major championship.

Of course, the spoils have been far larger in recent years — and the conversation about money in golf has been amplified with the rise of LIV Golf and the debate over players earning guaranteed paydays in no-cut events. But it’s interesting to contrast what’s going on now with the past.

Consider that Jack Nicklaus played in 44 US Open during his historic career, won a record tying four times and earned a grand total of $363,955. That’s slightly more than the player who finishes in 12th place will earn at Brookline. Arnold Palmer, in 32 US Open starts, made $112,119.50. Finish 31st in the 2022 championship and you’ve made more. Ben Hogan’s career US Open earnings ($32,651.66) get beat by the last-place finisher among the pros this year, Stewart Hagestad.

So the list of the top 10 all-time money winners in US Open history will naturally be skewed to those who played — and likely won — in recent years. But before looking at the list below, it is interesting to note that you don’t have to have won the event to have banked some big bucks in the USGA event.

So, can you guess the 10 tour pros who’ll be named below? Probably, but we bet there will be a few surprises, too. (All stats are through the 2021 US Open at Torrey Pines.)

Rory McIlroy. David Cannon

10. Rory McIlroy, $2,845,052
Starts: 13 Wins: 1 Top-10s: 6 Missed Cuts: 5
Average earnings/start: $218,850.15

McIlroy made a fourth straight top-10 finish in the US Open at The Country Club after having won the title back in 2011 at Congressional.

Jon Rahm. Sean M. Haffey

9. Jon Rahm, $2,933,669
Starts: 6 Wins: 1 Top-10s: 2 Missed Cuts: 2
Average earnings/start: $488,944.83

Rahm’s win at Torrey Pines vaulted him into the top 10.

Justin Rose. Getty Images

8. Justin Rose, $2,939,203
Starts: 16 Wins: 1 Top-10s: 5 Missed Cuts: 7
Average earnings/start: $183,700.19

Rose’s win in 2013 at Merion has allowed him to play the rest of his career without the burden of chasing an elusive major that’s followed fellow Englishman Ian Poulter, Paul Casey and Lee Westwood in their careers.

Ernie Els. Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

7. Ernie Els, $3,049,309.92
Starts: 27 Wins: 2 Top-10s: 10 Missed Cuts: 7
Average earnings/start: $112,937.33

Els’ US Open record is even better than the two wins would lead you to believe. From 1993 to 2013, he had seven top-fives and 10 top-10s.

Louis Oosthuizen. David Berding

6. Louis Oothuizen, $4,038,535.33
Starts: 12 Wins: 0 Top-10s: 5 Missed Cuts: 2 (1 WD)
Average earnings/start: $336,544.611

The South African nabbed his second runner-up finish in the event at Torrey Pines in 2021.

Jim Furyk. Warren Little

5. Jim Furyk, $4,191,423.93
Starts: 25 Wins: 1 Top-10s: 7 Missed Cuts: 3
Average earnings/start: $167,656.84

Furyk’s career milestone win was a US Open at Olympia Fields in 2003, but what is underappreciated is his consistency in the championship, with seven top-10s and just three missed cuts in 25 starts.

Phil Mickelson. Icon Sportswire

4. Phil Mickelson, $4,350,759.08
Starts: 30 Wins: 0 Top-10s: 10 Missed Cuts: 4
Average earnings/start: $145,025.30

Mickelson was in the news this week at The Country Club for reasons other than trying to finally clinch the career Grand Slam.

Dustin Johnson. Getty Images

3. Dustin Johnson, $4,762,664
Starts: 14 Wins: 1 Top-10s: 6 Missed Cuts: 2
Average earnings/start: $340,188.86

DJ’s sneaky good U.S. Open record includes five top-six finishes in the last eight years.

Tiger Woods. Richard Hartog/Getty Images

2. Tiger Woods, $5,773,917.60
Starts: 22 Wins: 3 Top-10s: 8 Missed Cuts: 4
Average earnings/start: $262,450.72

If only Woods’ three victories came more recently than 22, 20 and 14 years ago, he’d hold the top spot.

Brooks Koepka. Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

1. Brooks Koepka, $6,788,470
Starts: 8 Wins: 2 Top-10s: 5 Missed Cuts: 1
Average earnings/start: $848,558.75

Interestingly enough, Koepka is the only player to ever earn more than $1 million in three consecutive US Opens, thanks to his wins in 2017 and 2018 and a runner-up showing in 2019.

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By Alex Myers
Day 1 at the US Open has come to an end, and there were plenty of things that left us scratching our heads. Here are eight surprises from the first round at The Country Club:

Adam Hadwin is your leader

Look, the guy’s a PGA Tour winner and he finished T-9 at the Players Championship earlier this year. But the Canadian’s record at the US Open couldn’t be much colder. In six previous starts, he has two missed cuts with a T-39 being his best finish. And that came 11 years ago at Congressional. And he wasn’t even in the field at Brookline until Paul Casey withdrew last week with his continued back ailment. Still, there he was on Thursday going out in a scorching four-under-par 31 and finishing at that number to take a one-stroke lead after 18 holes. Not bad, eh? Sorry, couldn’t resist.

Callum Tarren is contending

How under-the-radar is this 31-year-old Englishman? He doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page. That didn’t stop him from shooting an opening 67, which was highlighted by an eagle at the par-5 eighth hole. Tarren has six pro runner-ups, but you’re probably not aware of them since they all came on the PGA Tour China. The 445th-ranked player in the world had his best ever finish — at least, in terms of Official World Golf Ranking points — with a T-5 at this year’s Puerto Rico Open. So he would be quite the surprise winner. Bye the way, here’s what he looks like:

Callum Tarren. David Cannon

Then again, this is a place probably most known for producing a surprise winner. And Francis Ouimet didn’t have a Wikipedia page when he won back in 1913. So you never know!

So is David Lingmerth

Lingmerth, an alternate, got his opportunity when Martin Kaymer withdrew earlier this week, and so far, he’s taking advantage of it. The winner of the 2015 Memorial, Lingmerth has fallen to No. 592 in the Official World Golf Ranking. But he certainly didn’t play like that during a bogey-free 67. Even better, it seems as if he parlayed this week into some snazzy new clothes:

Thanks @swanniesapparel for providing some ? new gear in time for the US Open. Let’s get after it !!?? pic.twitter.com/O5YGD8Dnpl

— David Lingmerth (@dlingmerth) June 16, 2022

Look good, feel good, am I right?

There were no LIV-PGA Tour fistfights

At least, none that we know of. This week marks the first time PGA Tour pros and PGA Tour defectors have mingled since the inaugural LIV Golf event and several players — most notably Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and Justin Thomas — have been rather vocal defending their turf/tour. But for the most part, these guys all seem to be playing nice. For now.

Brooks Koepka didn’t dominate

This four-time major champ hasn’t been at his best for a while. Still, this is a guy who has lost to a total of four players over his past four US Opens. And yet he got beaten by more than half the field on Thursday.

Brooks Koepka. Patrick Smith

I know this will shock you, but Brooks didn’t stop to chat with the media after.

Phil Mickelson barely broke 80

Let’s just say Phil Mickelson didn’t have his happiest birthday. The six-time major champ struggled from start to finish shooting an eight-over-par 78 that included a four-putt from 16 feet on No. 6. Let’s also just say that 52-year-olds aren’t supposed to play well at US Opens. Still, this was a particularly rough performance for a man who has had a particularly rough go of late.

Phil Mickelson. Patrick Smith

And … let’s also just say that career Grand Slam ain’t happening this week.

Louis Oosthuizen didn’t do much better

Remember when this guy was seemingly in the hunt at every major last year? Well, that seems like a long time ago. Oosthuizen, who finished T-2, solo second and T-3 in the final three majors of 2021, withdrew at this year’s Masters before finishing T-60 at the PGA, and now he’ll need a miracle to make the cut after opening with 77.

Jon Rahm had a golf ball stolen

In plain sight. On the 18th hole. Fortunately, someone had already marked it in the rough before it disappeared. And Rahm thinks he knows who the culprits are.

“Somebody — I’m pretty sure I know who it was. I recognised the two kids that were running the opposite way with a smile on their face,” Rahm said laughing. “I am 100 per cent sure I saw the two kids that stole it.”

Despite the bizarre situation, Rahm responded by making birdie to shoot 69 and put himself in great shape to defend his title. No word on if he went to local police to help provide a sketch of the thieves.

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The post US Open 2022 wrap: Unlikely leaders, golf ball bandits and 6 other surprises from Thursday at The Country Club appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Christopher Powers and Jay Coffin
The US Open is set to return to The Country Club in Brookline for the first time since Curtis Strange won in 1988. That year, Strange took a one-shot lead into the final round and ultimately was tied with Nick Faldo after 72 holes. They went into an 18-hole Monday playoff and Strange prevailed by shooting 71 to Faldo’s 75.

Of course, The Country Club is no stranger to hosting huge golf events. It was site of the 1999 Ryder Cup when the US stormed from a 10-6 deficit on Sunday to defeat Europe in what was then the largest comeback in Ryder Cup history. It also hosted the 1963 US Open, won by Julius Boros and the 1913 US Open, when 20-year-old amateur Francis Ouimet, who grew up across the street, defeated British professionals Ted Ray and Harry Vardon to win in a playoff.

The Country Club has hosted three US Women’s Amateurs — the last in 1995, won by Kelli Kuehne — and six US Amateurs, the last in 2013 won by Matt Fitzpatrick.

Last year at Torrey Pines, Jon Rahm captured his first major championship after erasing a three-shot deficit to start the final round. He shot 67, finished the week at six-under and beat Louis Oosthuizen by a shot.

Rahm, ranked No. 2 in the World Ranking, will be back to defend his title and will again be among the favorites to hoist the trophy. The rest of the top five include Masters champion Scottie Scheffler (No. 1), Patrick Cantlay (No. 3), Cameron Smith (No. 4) and Collin Morikawa (No. 5). PGA champion Justin Thomas will be looking to capture his third major championship. He’s ranked sixth.

MORE: Rory gears up for US Open in style

With that as a primer, here are the answers to some frequently asked questions to get you ready for The Country Club.

When is the US Open played?
Traditionally, the US Open is scheduled every year for the third weekend of June, with the final round planned to be finished on Father’s Day. In 2020, the USGA moved the championship to mid-September in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. In 2021, it moved back to its normal spot on the schedule.

Who conducts the US Open?
The United States Golf Association (USGA) conducts the championship.

When and where was the first US Open? And who won?
The first US Open was played in 1895 at Newport Golf Club, Rhode Island. At the time, it was a nine-hole course, so the championship was a 36-hole, one-day competition. The winner was an Englishman named Horace Rawlins, a 21-year-old who beat a field of nine other professionals and one amateur. He won with a score of 173 and was awarded $150, a gold medal and custody of the US Open Trophy for one year.

What is the format of the US Open? How many players are in the field?
The US Open is a four-round, 72-hole stroke-play championship, with a cut after 36 holes. There are 156 players who compete. The top 60 players and ties make the cut.

If players are tied after 72 holes, how is the winner determined?
Until 2018, if players were tied after 72 holes, the winner was determined in an 18-hole stroke-play playoff on Monday after the final round. The USGA has since changed the format to a two-hole aggregate playoff. If still tied after two holes, players will compete in sudden death until a winner is crowned.

Tiger Woods reacts as he sinks a birdie putt on the 18th hole to force a playoff with Rocco Mediate at 2008 US Open. Gina Ferazzi

When was the last time an 18-hole playoff occurred?\
The last time the US Open went to an 18-hole playoff was in 2008 at Torrey Pines, when Tiger Woods defeated Rocco Mediate on the 19th hole after they were still tied at the end of the scheduled playoff.

What type of course is The Country Club?
It is one of the oldest clubs in the United States and is one of the five charter clubs that founded the USGA. The first six holes of the club were designed in 1893, the next three were added to complete the first nine in 1894 and the full 18 holes were done by 1899.

This description according to our Derek Duncan: At times it feels like playing golf on the moon, or maybe Mars. Rock outcroppings, embankments, rugged shifts of land, canted terrain and thick fescues drive the flow of holes as much as any architectural intent. These elements, sometimes all found on a single hole, can lead to abnormal and uncomfortable shot situations. Though elite players have their distances dialed in, and yardages to precise landing spots are no longer guesswork, the lack of visibility and repeated need to save par after missing the microscopic greens will take a toll on those who don’t approach The Country Club with an open mind.

Can you play The Country Club?
No. Well, not without a member. It is a private golf facility and you need to be invited by a member in order to play there.

Is Tiger Woods playing in the 2022 US Open?
Unfortunately, Woods will not be playing this year at The Country Club. The 15-time major champion played in the Masters and made the cut, withdrew after three rounds at the PGA Championship and announced last week that his body needs to get stronger because of injuries he sustained in a single-car crash more than a year ago.

How many US Opens has Tiger Woods won?
Woods has won three US Opens, the last coming in 2008 at Torrey Pines. He previously won the US Open in 2002 at Bethpage Black and in 2000 at Pebble Beach, when he set the record for largest margin of victory in major championship history, winning by 15 strokes.

Who has won the most US Opens?
Willie Anderson, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus hold the record for most US Open victories, each winning four.

Is Phil Mickelson playing in the 2022 US Open?
Yes, he is. Thanks to his PGA Championship victory in 2021, which gives him a five-year exemption into the US Open. Prior to his win at Kiawah, Mickelson was not exempt into the US Open field, though he did accept one of the rare special exemptions from the USGA. That became irrelevant after his PGA triumph. He needs the US Open to complete the career Grand Slam.

Phil Mickelson

But Phil Mickelson is playing in LIV Golf series events. You sure he’s eligible?
Yes. He’s eligible. At least for this year. Although the PGA Tour announced earlier this week that those playing in the Saudi Arabian-backed LIV Golf tour are suspended immediately, the USGA announced last week that those same players are eligible to compete in the US Open in Brookline. Part of a USGA statement said: “Our field criteria were set prior to entries opening earlier this year and it’s not appropriate, nor fair to competitors, to change criteria once established.”

Who are the favorites to win the 2022 US Open?
See the opening paragraphs of this piece regarding Rahm, the defending US Open champion, and the other top-five players in the world. It’s probably safe to add World No. 8 Rory McIlroy to the list of favorites as well.

How can you qualify for the US Open?
The US Open is open to any professional or amateur with an up-to-date men’s USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 1.4.

The USGA allows those eligible players to attempt to qualify for the national championship. Qualifying consists of two stages, local and final (previously known as sectional). Local qualifying is played over 18 holes at more than 100 courses around the United States. Roughly 530 spots are available to move on to the final qualifying round, known as “Golf’s Longest Day.” Final Qualifying is played over 36 holes with several sites in the United States, as well as one each in Japan and Europe. Those who qualify after this stage earn a spot in the US Open’s field of 156 players.

Has a US Open ever been won by someone who earned a spot through Final Qualifying?
Yes. The last time was Lucas Glover at Bethpage in 2009.

Has the US Open ever been won by someone who earned a spot through Local and Final qualifying?
Yes. The last time was Orville Moody at Champions Golf Club in 1969.

Is there an age limit to qualify?
There is not an age limit to qualify for the US Open. The youngest player ever to make the field was 14-year-old Andy Zhang in 2012.

What site has hosted the most US Opens?
Oakmont Country Club outside of Pittsburgh has hosted the most US Opens with nine, the most recent in 2016.

What state has hosted the most US Opens?
New York has hosted the most US Opens with 20. In addition to Winged Foot’s six, Shinnecock Hills has hosted the US Open five times, Oak Hill three times, Bethpage Black two times with Fresh Meadow, Inwood, Country Club of Buffalo and Garden City each hosting once.

What is the US Open scoring record?
The US Open scoring record is held by Rory McIlroy, who shot a total of 16-under 268 at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda in 2011.

What is the highest winning score of the US Open?
The highest winning score is held by Fred Herd, who won the 1898 US Open with a total score of 328.

What is the lowest round in US Open history? Highest?
Six players hold the record for lowest round in US Open history with a score of 63. They are: Johnny Miller, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Weiskopf, Vijay Singh, Justin Thomas and Tommy Fleetwood. Thomas’ 63 was the lowest score in relation to par (nine under) when he shot the score in the third round of the 2017 US Open at Erin Hills, where he finished T-9. Fleetwood shot his 63 in the final round at Shinnecock Hills in 2018, only the second 63 posted in the final round, along with Miller’s in 1973 at Oakmont.

The highest round belongs to JD Tucker, who shot a 157 at Myopia Hunt Club in South Hamilton in 1898.

Who is the oldest winner of the US Open? Youngest?
The oldest player to win the US Open is Hale Irwin, who won the 1990 US Open at Medinah Country Club when he was 45 years and 15 days old.

The youngest champion is John McDermott, who won the 1911 US Open at Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton when he was 19 years and 315 days old.

Has an amateur ever won the US Open?
Five amateurs have won eight US Opens in history: Francis Ouimet (1913), Jerome D. Travers (1915), Charles Evans Jr. (1916), Bobby Jones (1923, 1926, 1929, 1930) and John Goodman (1933).

How many times has an American won the US Open?
Of the 121 US Opens that have been contested, an American has won 86 of them.

When was the last time an international player won the US Open?
Last year. Jon Rahm is from Spain. Before that it was Germany’s Martin Kaymer at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014. England’s Justin Rose won in 2013.

Which countries have produced the next most US Open wins?
Second to the United States in US Open victories is Scotland with 14. Englishmen have won seven times, while South African-born players have won five.

What type of conditions are the US Open played in?
The US Open is typically played under very difficult scoring conditions, where accuracy off the tee is essential. Fairways are often narrow and guarded by thick rough, and the course is generally set up quite long. Even par is usually a good score for the week, although the USGA contends that it’s not looking at even par as a barometer.

What are the confirmed future sites of the US Open?
2023: Los Angeles Country Club
2024: Pinehurst (N.C.) No. 2
2025: Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club
2026: Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Southampton, N.Y.
2027: Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links
2029: Pinehurst (N.C.) No. 2
2030: Merion Golf Club, Ardmore, Pa.
2032: Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links
2033: Oaklmont (Pa.) Country Club
2034: Oakland Hills Country Club, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
2035: Pinehurst (N.C.) No. 2
2037: Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links
2041: Pinehurst (N.C.) No. 2
2042: Oaklmont (Pa.) Country Club
2044: Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links
2047: Pinehurst (N.C.) No. 2
2049: Oaklmont (Pa.) Country Club
2051: Oakland Hills Country Club, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

How much is the purse of the US Open, and how much does the winner receive?
The purse for the 2022 US Open has yet to be announced. The purse in 2021 was $12.5 million, with the winner receiving $2.25 million.

How many World Ranking points does the US Open winner get?
The winner of the US Open receives 100 world ranking points.

How many FedEx Cup points does the US Open winner get?
The winner of the US Open receives 600 FedEx Cup points.

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The post US Open 2022: All you need to know about the third 2022 major at Brookline appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.