NEWS
OTHER SPORTS
DIARY
PEOPLE
MATCH REPORTS
SLIDE SHOW
ARCHIVES

Stewart wins US Open on final putt

Payne Stewart hit a long, pressure-packed putt on the 18th green of the Pinehurst no. 2 golf course in north Carolina to win the 1999 U.S. Open yesterday, one stroke ahead of challenger Phil Mickelson.

The knickers-clad Stewart outdueled three other golfers, including Tiger Woods and V J Singh, over the last three holes to win his second US Open title after capturing the 1991 championship.

Stewart, 42, finished four rounds at 279 as the only golfer below par on the demanding golf course designed 92 years ago by legendary course designer Donald Ross.

It appeared the championship would go to a play-off between Stewart and Mickelson, who had led by one stroke on the 16th hole, when Stewart's 18th hole drive shanked right into the rough. He had to punch out and his third shot left him nearly 10 metres distant and well below the hole.

After Mickelson completed his putts for par it was up to Stewart to sink his demanding putt or finish tied with Mickelson.

Stewart calmly sank the putt with a soft, straight stroke then erupted in fist-pumping joy as he became the sixth oldest man in US Open history to win the championship.

''I could never give up,'' said an emotional Stewart. ''Phil played unbelievable.''

Last year, Stewart finished second on the final hole while Lee Janzen won the title at Olympic in Wwashington state.

Woods and Singh finished tied for third at one over par. The finish was bittersweet for Woods, who had charged to just one stroke off the pace with an impressive birdie on the 16th, when he gave back a stroke on an easy par putt at 17.

DPA