LOS ANGELES — Tommy Fleetwood reacts to his putt on the tenth green during the final round of the 123rd U.S. Open Championship at The Los Angeles Country Club on June 18, 2023. | Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
The Englishman, Tommy Fleetwood, carded a 7-under 63 on Sunday at the Los Angeles Country Club, moving past Johnny Miller in history books.
Tommy Fleetwood has made history.
With his unbelievable round of 63 on Sunday at the Los Angeles Country Club, Fleetwood becomes the first man to shoot a 63 in the final round of the U.S. Open twice, per Elias Sports Bureau.
He shot 63 during the final round at Shinnecock Hills in 2018, finishing one stroke behind Brooks Koepka.
But Fleetwood started his day 12 shots behind the lead. He knew he never had a chance at winning his first major title.
“Never really felt in contention,” Fleetwood said after his round.
“I think that was one of the differences between today and Shinnecock really. Shinnecock, as soon as I got midway through the back nine, I was in with a chance so I had a long period where I was trying to win a major, whereas today it was just about to shoot the best score you can, and I was enjoying it and trusting my game.”
Outside of Fleetwood, only Johnny Miller has shot a 63 in the final round of a U.S. Open. He famously did so in 1973, coming from behind to win the championship at Oakmont. Many golf historians consider Miller’s round one of the greatest ever.
“The secret of a 63 is the fact that I shot it on Sunday, and it was enough to win the U.S. Open,” Miller recalled ahead of the 123rd U.S. Open. “Some guys will shoot 61 or 62, but can they do it on Sunday to win? That’s what makes the round what it is.”
Photo by Ken Regan /American Broadcasting Companies via Getty Images
Oakmont, Pa. — Johnny Miller competing in the 1973 US Open at the Oakmont Country Club.
As for Fleetwood, his final round got off to a pedestrian start.
He pared the opening hole, then birdied the second.
But at the little 6th hole, the drivable par-4, Fleetwood hit his tee shot to six feet from the pin and made an eagle two—the third eagle at the 6th this week and the only one recorded on Sunday.
After that, he was off and running.
He birdied the 8th, 9th, and 11th.
He then eagled the tough par-5 14th—the only eagle recorded this week at the 612-yard hole.
Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — Tommy Fleetwood of England walks from the 18th green during the final round of the 123rd U.S. Open Championship at The Los Angeles Country Club on June 18, 2023.
By that point, Fleetwood was 8-under for his round. But he dropped a shot at the brutal par-4 16th and then missed a 5-footer on 18 for birdie.
Had that dropped, Fleetwood would have matched Rickie Fowler’s and Xander Schauffele’s record-setting 62s—Fowler and Schaffuele shot 62 to open the 2023 U.S. Open.
Settling for a 63 is not bad, however.
“It’s a nice little piece of history,” Fleetwood added. “I think shooting multiple 63s in a major, and I think anything like days like today where you can put in the memory bank and know that you can get rounds going and your game can stand up on a major golf course and shoot low scores is really nice to have.”
Fleetwood, who has never won on American soil, will finish in the Top 10 of a major for the first time since the 2022 Open Championship at St. Andrews.
He hopes to carry this momentum to Royal Liverpool in July, where he will again try to win his first major championship.
