Spieth follows up Masters title with victory at US Open

The winner of this year's Masters, Jordan Spieth shot a one-under-par 69 on Sunday's final round at Chambers Bay, Washington on Sunday, to finish the tournament with a five-under total of 275 to claim the US Open title.

This made the 21-year-old Spieth the youngest man to win the US Open since the legendary Bobby Jones did so in 1923. It also makes him the first golfer to win the Masters and the US Open in the same year since Tiger Woods pulled it off in 2002.

"I couldn't be more happy right now," Spieth said on the 18th green after receiving the trophy from the president of the US Golf Association.

However, it wasn't all clear sailing for Spieth, who started the final round in a four-way tie for the lead.

Shaky start

The Texan shot a bogey on Sunday's first hole, but he hung in there and eventually clawed his way back, in part thanks to mistakes by some of the other contenders. One of the decisive moments was on the 16th, when South African Branden Grace, then tied with Spieth for the lead at five-under, fired his drive out of bounds for a double bogey.

Spieth created trouble for himself with his own double bogey on 17, but bounced back with a birdie on 18 to take the lead.

As he headed to the clubhouse, Spieth could only watch on as Dustin Johnson, playing in the final pairing, threatened to claim the title for himself on the last two holes.

First, Johnson produced a strong birdie on the 17th hole to keep himself within striking distance. Then, on 18, being played as a par five for the third out of the four rounds, Johnson reached the green in two, setting up a 12-foot putt for eagle - which, had he made it, would have given the 30-year-old American his first major title.

But Johnson, who hadn't putted well throughout the back nine, put the ball well beyond the hole and then missed the follow-up chance to force a playoff.

That left Johnson in a tie for second place, along with South African Louis Oosthuizen, both of whom finished the tournament at four under.

'It just didn't work out'

"On the last green, I was thinking, 'This is why I'm here. This is why I play the game of golf.' It just didn't work out," Johnson said of the three-putt finish that cost him the title.

Three golfers, Adam Scott, Cameron Smith, and Grace finished tied at one back on three under.

For Spieth, the Masters and US Open titles keep him on track for a potential grand slam of majors - the next is the Open Championship on the Old Course at St Andrews, Scotland next month.

"You can't win them all unless you win the first two," Spieth joked. "So we are going to go St Andrews looking for the Claret Jug. I believe we can get it done."

pfd/msh (AFP, dpa, AP, Reuters)