Not many knew Shaun Micheel until this weekend. No one will forget the shot that won him the PGA Championship.
Clinging to a one-shot lead, Micheel hit a 7-iron from the first cut of rough that stopped 5cm from the cup for a birdie and a two-stroke victory, the final touch to the most surprising season of major championships in 34 years.
From 175 yards away, the ball descended from the blue skies over Oak Hill, hopped three times and trickled toward the cup. Micheel knew it was good from the roar of the crowd.
PHOTO: REUTERS
He didn't know how good until he jogged up the steep slope of shaggy grass in front of the green and saw only 5cm of grass between his ball and the hole. He removed his cap and waved it in celebration.
"I really can't believe this is happening to me," Micheel said. "I showed up here on Tuesday to play a practice round and saw how difficult the golf course was. I was just trying to make the cut. I probably would have been happy with that."
Winless in 163 previous starts on the PGA Tour, ranked No. 169 in the world when he arrived at Oak Hill for the final major of the year, Micheel closed with an even-par 70 and won US$1.08 million.
It was a fitting end to a wild summer. Just one month ago, rookie Ben Curtis, ranked 396th in the world and playing in his first major, captured the British Open.
The victory by Micheel is the first time since 1969 that the four majors were swept by players who had never won a Grand Slam event.
Mike Weir became the first Canadian and first lefty to win the Masters. Jim Furyk picked up his first major at the US Open. Both were proven winners, among golf's elite.
The last two were shockers.
Micheel, who finished at 4-under 276, was playing in only his third major. At times it showed, but not when it mattered.
"Be right!" Micheel's caddie shouted as his 7-iron took flight, and it was almost perfect.
Chad Campbell, who trailed by three with four holes to play, split the middle with a pressure-packed drive on the 18th hole, knowing he needed birdie to force a playoff. Before he could hit his shot, the options became more narrow.
He had to hole the shot, and the tournament was over when his approach stopped 15 feet from the cup. Campbell made par for a 2-over 72.
Micheel became the first player since John Daly in 1991 to make the PGA Championship his first victory, and he is the 13th winner in the last 16 years to make the PGA his first major.
He walked off the green and into the arms of his pregnant wife, Stephanie, hugging her and then kissing her belly.
Ernie Els, with a chance to get the third leg of a career Grand Slam, got within three strokes of the lead as he made the turn. He made sloppy bogeys on two of the next three holes and meaningless pars the rest of the way.
Vijay Singh didn't make a birdie until the 14th hole, but by then he was on his way to a 79, his second Sunday fade in a major this year.
Those were the only guys among the top 11 on the leaderboard going into the final round who had won majors.
Then again, no experience was necessary this year.
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