Martin Kaymer landed his second major, much as expected, winning by eight strokes at Pinehurst No2
8.06pm ET
Not the most dramatic US Open, then, but one of the great performances. Congratulations to Martin Kaymer for a stunningly comprehensive victory and one of the great major performances; to Erik Compton and Rickie Fowler for their runners-up spot; and to Matthew Fitzpatrick for winning low amateur in his last tournament before turning pro. On to the Open in a months' time, then. "The magnitude of Kaymer's 65-65 on the first two days will take a while to sink in," opines Simon McMahon. "At least until Sergio shoots 63-63 at Hoylake in July."
8.04pm ET
The guy from the USGA hands over the trophy. With trademark modesty, Kaymer lifts it to the sky, almost apologetically. An interview. "It was a very nice week, a very nice day, and a lot of credit to the players, who were very fair." It's just about the most polite interview of all time. He's asked what it's like to match Bernhard Langer's haul of two majors, both at the Masters. "Well, we have almost a German grand slam now," he smiles. "Almost! It's only the British Open missing! I hope it will make Bernhard proud." He then gets a huge laugh by pointing out that he won the Players on Mother's Day, and while it's Father's Day in the US today, it was Father's Day in Germany a couple of weeks ago. "I didn't get anything for my father that day, so maybe this works!" And then the acceptance speech. "I want to thank you all for your great fair support, and I hope we didn't ruin the golf course too much for the ladies next week!"
7.52pm ET
The presentation to come. But first, a word with Erik Compton. "No-one was catching Kaymer this week, and Rickie and I are great friends. I'm just thrilled. My wife and daughter are at home and ... [emotional pause, as sweet tears threaten to come] ... it's just a special moment! And you [speaking to the NBC interviewer] just told me I got in the Masters. [smile as wide as North Carolina] I didn't know I got in the Masters! I wanted to prove to the world that I'm not just the guy with two heart transplants." No sir, you are certainly not: you're the guy who has just come second in the US Open!
7.45pm ET
That's one of the greatest performances in US Open history! He wins by eight shots from Erik Compton and Rickie Fowler. Those stunning 65s on Thursday and Friday laid the foundations, but yesterday's 72 was a work of belligerent brilliance as he refused to bow to the course, and today was a masterclass in closing a tournament out. He was the best off the tee, the best with his irons, the best with his putter, and perhaps most importantly the best mentally: the only man never to lose his head. Here's how it finished:
-9: Kaymer
-1: Compton, Fowler
+1: Bradley, Day, Koepka, D Johnson, Stenson
+2: Scott, Walker, Snedeker
+3: Furyk, Siem, Rose, Na, Kuchar
+4: Todd, Poulter, Holmes, Spieth
7.41pm ET
But Kaymer can rattle in his par saver! What a way to become the 2014 US Open champion! He calmly raises his arms in the air, and soaks up the moment!
7.39pm ET
Fowler can't roll in his 20-footer. He'll share second place with Erik Compton!
7.39pm ET
Kaymer drives into real trouble to the right of the 18th fairway. He's stuck behind a cute little shrub, and perhaps mindful of Jean van de Velde, opts against playing the last hole "like d'Artagnan". He chips out on the fairway, then lifts a sand wedge pin high. Fowler follows him, so he'll have a great chance for birdie and second place on his own. But now it's time for Kaymer to walk up the last and soak up the adulation of the crowd. Which he does, and despite yet another US Open going across to Europe - this is four of the last five now, almost unthinkable of a tournament which once felt like a US closed shop - he receives a huge and generous reception from the knowledgeable and warm Pinehurst gallery.
7.34pm ET
Erik Compton rolls in his par saver! That's a stunner! He receives the loudest, warmest roar of the entire afternoon, and allows a smile to play across his face. Such a courageous performance by a player outside the world top 200, though of course he's faced much bigger battles in his life, and shown some real courage: you know, the stuff people have to show Outside Sport. What a guy. He's currently tied for second place after carding 72 today. Whatever Fowler does - and he's in prime position to go for birdie - this has been a stunning display.
7.30pm ET
Compton clips a delightful recovery shot to 15 feet! He's given himself half a chance of saving a share of second place, although much depends on what Fowler does behind him - and Fowler finds the fairway with a big boomer. This is where we are right now ...
-9: Kaymer (17)
-1: Compton (17), Fowler (17)
7.28pm ET
Fowler's tee shot at 17 is dumped into the bunker on the left. His splash out is 15 feet past the flag. And he can't knock in the birdie putt. He's now tied for second with Compton. But Compton drives into gorse down the right of 18, then clatters a poor second into sand well short of the green. He'll need a hell of a shot to get anywhere near the hole. Par looks unlikely. Back on 17, Kaymer finds the middle of the green and dribbles a putt down to the hole, an inch short from 25 feet. He's trying hard not to smile, knowing the job is not technically complete. But it is. He's one hole from US Open glory!
7.21pm ET
Dustin ends with a par, and signs for a 73, +1 for the championship. Fowler splashes to six feet at 16, and knocks his par putt in for an unbelievable par escape. Kaymer's approach finds the front of the green, but falls back off. He can't get up and down from the front this time, his putt up the hill weak for once. He drops a stroke, and goes back to -9. And on 17, Stenson makes his birdie, while Compton knocks his medium-range birdie effort to a couple of feet, and taps in for par. Can Compton somehow grab a share of second? You sense the Pinehurst crowd are willing it.
-9: Kaymer (16)
-2: Fowler (16)
-1: Compton (17)
7.16pm ET
A superlative tee shot by Henrik Stenson at 17, too little, too late. It's arrowed at the flag, and he's got a six-footer for birdie. Compton's tee shot just about finds the front of the green. With Fowler in bother on 16 - he's battered his second into the bunker to the left of the green, though a gap in the trees, a good effort from there - Compton's got a real chance of finishing second, or at least with a share. I really hope he makes it, after all he's been through.
7.10pm ET
Kaymer and Fowler batter drives down 16. The former finds the fairway, the latter a buggy parked in some trees down the left. Oop. Further up the hole, Compton's approach dies short of the green. But he gets up and down. Stenson drops another shot there, though. And up on 17, it's three bogeys on the bounce for Dustin, who has given up. He's back to +1 alongside the clubhouse trio of Keegan Bradley, Jason Day and Brooks Koepka, who has signed for 71.
7.03pm ET
A lovely touch here as the defending champion bows out. Or rather, lunges forward. He strikes the Payne Stewart pose as his valedictory birdie putt on 18 drops. It's a respectful nod to one of the game's greats, and one that's met with broad smiles all round. A sweet moment. He signs for a 72. He's +3, having struggled on the back nine, but tied for 13th, that's a fine defence of his title, one that he can be proud of. Payne would approve of Rose's fighting spirit, and his sense of humour, you strongly suspect.
7.00pm ET
Kaymer putts up the hill from off the green. Again. This one isn't quite as brilliant, and yet it's still only five feet from the flag, some achievement from where he was. He dribbles in the par putt. Nails. He remains at -10. Fowler makes his par too.
6.58pm ET
Compton can't make his par on 15. Shame. He drops back to -1, third spot, tied with Dustin (for the moment). Kaymer's tee shot at 15 falls down the back right of the green. Fowler's stays on the back left. And here's Dustin, bumbling a pitch across the front of the 16th green from far out on the left, the ball falling off the front. He attempts to pitch in to save par, but that flies ten feet past the flag. He sinks it, and the bogey drops him back to level par. There's still an outside chance Jason Day could get another second spot yet!
6.53pm ET
Dustin's lid has flipped. He's in scrub down the left of 16, and mishits, squirting the ball off to the left. The crowd scatter in all directions, in the silent-movie Keystone Kops Coming Down The Pavement In Ford Model T Without Steering Wheel Or Brake style. His ball ends up in more filth, but a good 100 yards to the left of the green. Only Dustin. I love Dustin Johnson so much.
6.50pm ET
Fowler is an inch away from chipping in on 14! Stunning. That's saved his par, and so nearly a birdie that'd have given him sole ownership of second spot. Compton opts to nudge from the back of 15 with a hybrid, but doesn't really hit it. He'll have a 20-footer for his par. But on 14, Kaymer rattles a 30-foot uphill putt straight into the centre of the cup. This is stunning golf. He's back into double figures below par!
-10: Kaymer (14)
-2: Compton (14), Fowler (14)
6.47pm ET
Fowler in sand down 14. He sails his second into Compton County, front right of the green. Not the worst place he could be. Kaymer in the middle of the fairway. His second is front-middle of the green. This is a procession now. The only thing left is to see who'll end up second, never a bad place to end up once the dust settles. Compton's tee shot at 15 flies through the green and down the back. I hope he ends his round strongly, but he's set himself a poser there.
6.44pm ET
One man can. Both? Nope. Dustin pushes a piss-poor par effort wide right of the hole. Bogey. But Compton bumps a lovely chip up to a couple of feet on 14 and saves his par.
-9: Kaymer (13)
-2: Compton (14), Fowler (14)
-1: Dustin (15)
+1: Bradley (F), Day (F), Stenson (14)
6.40pm ET
This is a masterclass. And if we didn't know who was going to win the US Open already, we surely do now, as Kaymer rolls his birdie putt up 13 and into the centre of the cup. He is a stunningly good golfer. Fowler raps his birdie putt into the cup too. He's now up into a share of second place with Compton and Johnson. And he might have it all to himself soon, for here's Dustin for birdie on the fringe at 15. He misjudges the speed, he's eight feet short. Meanwhile Compton's approach to 14 is short and to the right. Can either man save their par? Can both?
6.37pm ET
Fowler and Kaymer both blooter drives towards the 13th green. Fowler in the left-hand bunker, Kaymer in the one on the right. Kaymer first up. A safety-first splash out, though for a minute it looks like the ball's going to topple back and scuttle off down Stenson Street. Kaymer races up and marks the ball as quickly as he can. He's taking no chances! Fowler clips his ball out to 12 feet.
6.33pm ET
Stenson can't pop in his par putt on 13. He is fuming.
-8: Kaymer (12)
-2: Dustin (14), Compton (13)
-1: Fowler (12)
+1: Bradley (F), Day (F), a fuming Stenson (13)
6.31pm ET
After taking the walk of shame back down the fairway, Stenson chips up to ten feet. He is far from happy. The look on his coupon! Stern isn't the word. He's fuming. Compton meanwhile scrambles a brilliant par on the hole. From the awful filth on the right, he Mickelsons a flop over scrub and bunker to 20 feet, the best he could do, then lags up and taps in for par. Marvellous. Meanwhile on 14, Dustin underhits his birdie putt and settles for one of the more preposterous pars of the week.
6.27pm ET
Here's the Dustin we know and love! He's driven behind some trees down the right of 14. There's next to no gap, but he fires through what's there, onto the green, and 10 feet from the hole. What a recovery! Meanwhile on 13, Stenson drives through the green, then from down the slope, putts straight back through it and 30 yards down the fairway! That is ludicrous! And also a perfect illustration of just how well Kaymer has judged his putts this week. It's been a total masterclass.
6.24pm ET
Another Kaymer putt from off the green and up a slope, another display of perfectly-judged brilliance. He'll tap in from three feet for another par. But not before Fowler rattles in a very deserved birdie. That was a stunning approach. Both men walk off satisfied with their work at 12.
6.21pm ET
So much for bigging up Jason Day's chances of second spot; he bogeys the last and ends with a 68. He could still do it, mind you, as he's tied for the clubhouse lead with Bradley at +1. A long shot got even longer. Dustin can't get up and down from the human carnage to the left of 13 for his birdie. Par. Kaymer, from the centre of 12, falls off the front left of the green. Fowler's gone very close, straight at the pin. And on 13, Compton drives into the scrub down the left. It's beginning to go wrong for the US hero.
6.14pm ET
Dustin on 13, sends his tee shot into the crowd to the left of the green. I'm surprised there aren't several casualties. (There may be several casualties.) Kaymer's birdie putt on 11 stops a turn short, but he's perfectly happy with par. One hole down, seven to go, and he's the US Open champion. Because Fowler can't stage an escape from the bunker down the right, though his sand shot is spectacular, generating enough spin to put the handbrakes on before falling off the back into the unknown. He can't hole the 20-foot double-breaker, and that's another bogey. He's back to level par. And Compton three-putts from the front of 12. The lead's six strokes. And the way things are going, Jason Day could yet again finish second in a US Open, you know! He's nicking Phil Mickelson's act!
-8: Kaymer (11)
-2: Dustin (12), Compton (12)
E: Day (17), Stenson (12), Fowler (11)
6.05pm ET
Kaymer whipcracks an approach into the centre of 11. That's magnificent, and a sense that this could be all over bar the singing soon. I suppose we've known this since Friday afternoon, but you know how golf is. Compton can only find the front left of 12, facing a long two-putt for par, while Fowler is hacking his way down the right of 11 in all manner of bother.
6.02pm ET
Fowler drives into all sorts down the right of 11. Kaymer decides to play it safe with a long iron. Up on the green, Stenson can't get up and down from a bunker, and he's back to level par. Snedeker drops back again with bogey on 12. A new clubhouse leader, by the way: Keegan Bradley has signed for a 67, his third sub-par round of the week. If only he could have that third round again: that 76 has cost him dearly.
-8: Kaymer (10)
-3: Compton (11)
-2: Dustin (12)
-1: Fowler (10)
E: Day (17), Stenson (11)
+1: Bradley (F), Koepka (12), Kuchar (12), Snedeker (12)
5.56pm ET
Shank! Kaymer re-enacts Fowler's mistake from the sand back on 4. And he could soon be carding a very similar double bogey! His ball flies off the back right of the green, and then he hits a hot putt up the hill and back off down the front! This is farcical. But the damage is not severe. Kaymer lags back up to a couple of inches and taps in for bogey, limiting the problem. Meanwhile Compton is always struggling to make par after that wild drive down 11, and he drops a shot too. So Kaymer's lead is still five. And he'll be further boosted by Fowler's inability to get up and down from sand at the front of 10. Par.
5.50pm ET
Kaymer blooters his drive down the right of the 10th fairway. His second, a long iron, is not particularly great, and into sand further down the right. Up on 11, Compton drives into a rare patch of long stuff. On the 18th, McIlroy departs with par and a 73 - he's +3 - while Adam Scott birdies to card a 69, and ends the tournament at +2. A fairly nondescript week for two of the game's biggest stars.
5.46pm ET
Brandt Snedeker threatened to run away with this, Kaymer style, on Thursday. Remember? Any case, he was out in 37 today, but he's just arrowed his approach to 11 to five feet, and popped in the birdie putt. He's back to level par. Hope he ends well, for his form's been off for a while. Good to see him back in the thick of the action.
5.44pm ET
Jason Day has never been in the running this week, but he could be en route to another high finish in a major. He' s been faultless today, with birdies at 2, 13 and now 15. He's level par for the tournament, and tied sixth. He's already finished in second spot at the US Open twice, in 2011 and last year. It's only a matter of time before he makes the breakthrough in a major, but then they've been saying that about Phil Mickelson at this championship for the best part of two decades now, and look how that's turning out.
5.42pm ET
Fowler does about as much as he can do, splashing out, 20 feet behind the flag. A brilliant attempt at a par save, but it slides past the right side of the cup. A dimple to the left and it was in. Bogey. Kaymer's short putt has a huge right-to-left break downhill, but he tickles it in perfectly. Nerves of steel, veins full of ice. On 10, Compton flops a stunning chip from down the back of the green to four feet. He'll have a magnificent birdie opportunity. And it's in! Up on 11, Dustin can't drain a 15-footer that would have sent him to -3.
-9: Kaymer (9)
-4: Compton (10)
-2: Dustin (11)
-1: Stenson (9), Fowler (9)
5.36pm ET
Kaymer is not that far away from replicating Zach Johnson's hole in one on 9. He whips a high iron to the left of the flag, letting the green gather the ball towards the hole. Which it does. It ends up six feet behind it. A great birdie chance. Fowler finds the gree too, but only just, front left, and his ball topples back into the Mickelson-Compton bunker. Straight inta Mickelson-Compton. Speaking of the latter, he's just fizzed his second straight through the green at the par-five 10th. It's all happening.
5.33pm ET
Kaymer's putting from off the green is something else. It's hard enough to judge the pace on the greens, never mind factor in a bit of the fringe or some fairway. And he lags this one straight up to three feet! That is astonishingly good. He'll likely escape with a par. Stenson was there a few minutes ago, and struggled terribly, dropping a shot. Fowler's birdie effort kisses the left lip of the cup, but fails to drop, teetering tantalisingly just behind on the left. Par. And that's what Kaymer secures as he taps in. Brilliant from the German, who could easily have lost a couple of shots to Fowler there. Meanwhile a birdie for Dustin Johnson on 10, getting up and down from a greenside bunker.
5.29pm ET
Fowler pearls a brilliant second pin high at 8. Great chance for birdie from 15 feet. Very possible that there will be a two-shot swing between the final pairing here. Meanwhile it's been a poor day for Rory McIlroy. Birdies at 3 and 7, but bogeys at 1 and 9, a double bogey at 12, and now a short par putt missed at 16. He's three over for his round and +6 for the tournament, in the middle of the peloton.
5.25pm ET
Compton first. He splashes out of the bunker at 9, but his ball skates 25 feet past the hole and only just stays on the green. Then Kaymer, interacting with nature down the left of 8. He hacks his ball towards the green. He doesn't make it that far, but he's front right and again, from where he was, that's decent enough. At least he's got the chance to get up and down. He'll also gain succour from the fact that Compton can't rake in his par putt on 9, so his lead is back to five strokes.
5.22pm ET
Stenson appears fairly deflated. His approach to 8 fell short, and his chip is weak. He'll have a 15-footer for par. He fails to make it, and he's back to -1. But Compton sinks his birdie putt! He's up to -4! Back on 7, Kaymer elects to putt onto the green, via a route to the right of the bunker, and take his medicine, rather than attempting a miracle chip which could go very wrong. Even playing it safe is fraught with danger: there's not much space to lag the ball onto, and a great risk of it toppling off the front of the green and miles from the hole. But he judges it well, and it's on the green. He then nearly sinks the 25-foot uphill par putt he's left himself. Bogey. Not the worst score from where he was there. Fowler takes two putts for par. Kaymer's lead is only - only! - four strokes now, and his drive at 8 isn't brilliant, into trouble down the left. Though this topsy-turvy narrative takes another twist as Compton dumps his ball in the bunker front of 9. Phil Mickelson couldn't work a way to get up and down from there. So let's see how the American and German stars get on with their respective posers.
-8: Kaymer (7)
-4: Compton (8)
-2: Fowler (7)
-1: Dustin (9), Stenson (8)
5.11pm ET
Kaymer is busy making a meal of 7. Hitting his second, punching an iron greenwards from the filth, he takes his hand off the club on the follow through as he hoicks the ball to the left of a bunker on the left. Not only does he have sand in between his ball and the green, he's also shortsided on a green that slopes off in all directions in the dramatic fashion. Good luck getting up and down from there. This could be a chink of light for the chasing (such as they are chasing) pack, because from the sand on the other side, Fowler finds the front of the green, and will have a medium-range putt for birdie. Meanwhile birdie for the defending champ! Justin Rose picks a stroke up at 10 to move back to level par for the tournament.
5.08pm ET
Or is it? Kaymer plays an iron off the tee at 7 for safety, but whistles his ball into the dirt down the left. He might be nestled up against a small shrub there. Fowler bombs his ball into sand down the right. Both in bother. Compton's ludicrous three putt on 7 is already forgotten as he fires his approach to eight feet. He's playing some marvellous golf. Par putt missed at 8 from 15 feet for Dustin, who didn't commit to that at all. He's back to -1.
5.05pm ET
The differences in attitudes - or more accurately, levels of desperation - between Kaymer and Fowler are laid bare on 6. Kaymer lags his putt up, while Fowler races his dangerously past. But Fowler needs birdies. They both settle for par. Meanwhile three putts for Compton from 12 feet, and a birdie chance is turned into a bogey on 7. He's back to -3. This is currently looking extremely comfortable for Kaymer.
-9: Kaymer (6)
-3: Compton (7)
-2: D Johnson (7), Stenson (7), Fowler (6)
4.57pm ET
Compton and Stenson both parred 6, and now they've peppered the flag at 7. Well, lightly salted it. They both have makeable birdie putts from roughly 12 feet. Back on 6, Kaymer and Fowler both wheech long irons 25 feet to the left of the flag. It's a flat-blade face-off! Fowler has been the one-putt king this week; another here now might rattle Kaymer's cage.
4.55pm ET
Kaymer's putt up onto the green only just makes it over the ridge, after thinking about toppling back. Fowler splashes out, but only to 15 feet. No matter, he raps in the birdie putt! Two huge putts, one after the other! If he'd tripled the last, you'd have written him off completely. Now? It's still unlikely. But Kaymer can't make his birdie putt, and the American's tail is suddenly back up! That's one of the few short putts Kaymer's made a balls of this week. A small turning point? This is golf, so you never can tell.
-9: Kaymer (5)
-4: Compton (6)
-2: D Johnson (7), Stenson (6), Fowler (5)
4.51pm ET
Kaymer and Fowler both boom large drives down 5. Kaymer's iron ends up off the right of the green, while Fowler's hybrid finds sand front left. The American is probably in better nick, because there's a huge slope to climb from where Kaymer is, and the pin is only just over the top of it, with little flat surface to toy with. Getting up and down is far from simple. Another bogey for Rose, this time at 8, and he's +1. But crazy scenes on 7 as Kuchar chips straight through the green from the back, then holes the monster coming back up for par! He stays at +1.
4.47pm ET
Up on 18, Mickelson signs for a 72. He's +7, and yet again the US Open is beyond him. It probably won't make him feel any better, but if he was destined to miss a major off his CV, better that he won the Open than the US Open. He might have set his heart on his home event, but the British version ensures he'll be remembered as a more rounded, more complete golfer. But, hey, of course, there's still time.
4.43pm ET
Fowler only just gets his chip up onto the green. This is Dustinesque now. But from 30 feet he drops his double-bogey putt into the hole! What an escape. Er, sort of. He still drops two, and back to -1. Kaymer pops in his par putt. Simply brilliant. Meanwhile Stenson fires out of the bunker on 5 to 15 feet. Not a great chance for birdie, but about the best he could do. He can't make it. Rose misses a par putt on 7, and he's level par again. Dustin misses a birdie chance, albeit from distance in the heart of 6, and stays at -2. Only Compton is keeping pace with Kaymer: he takes two putts and scribbles a deserved birdie four on his card at 5.
-9: Kaymer (4)
-4: Compton (5)
-2: Dustin (6), Stenson (5)
-1: Fowler (4)
E: Rose (7), Koepka (6)
4.38pm ET
Kaymer's judgement from distance with the putter this week has been exemplary. He rolls a 60-footer up the hill and onto the green to five feet, and will have a very decent chance to save his par. Rickie Fowler, meanwhile. And here's a stat! He's gone eight straight majors with at least one double bogey on a card somewhere. None this week so far, but he's behind a tree hitting four. After briefly considering a Seve-esque escape by shaping the ball round the left of the tree, he takes his medicine and chips out to the right, where he'll do well to get up and down for double.
4.33pm ET
Compton is playing brilliantly. His second to 5 is pin high. Just off the green to the right, but not down a huge slope, and he'll have an outside chance of an eagle rake, a realistic expectation of birdie. Stenson is unnerved by events on 4, though, and now he's dumped his second into bunkers down the right and is left with a long bunker shot.
4.31pm ET
Kaymer finds the front of 4 with his second, though his ball topples back off the green and a good 2o yards down the fairway. The small margins, because that was a fine shot from the scrub. Not so fine was Fowler's, who shanks into the crowd down the right. He might have hit a tree, scoreboard or fence, or been given a little assistance by a friendly spectator, because that was miles right and has popped back out into the dusty stuff along the side of the fairway. He doesn't take advantage of his good fortune, though, and thins his third shot over the green and into filth over the back. That could be anywhere. This isn't good news for Fowler. Kaymer will feel a bit better about his ball running back off the green right now.
4.25pm ET
Dustin has an attack of the chyips. He fluffs his chip up onto 5. The ball dies on the hill, and comes back down towards his feet. He putts the next one up to four feet and taps in for par, but that's a huge opportunity spurned on this (relatively) easy hole by the big man. Meanwhile Stenson's approach to 4 flies through the back and down the hill. He putts up from the back, and sends it ten feet past the hole and right. He can't hole the par putt, lipping out on the right. He's back to -2. A solid par for Compton, who is hanging on in there nicely.
4.21pm ET
Dustin's second to the gimme-something 5th bounds through the green and off the right. But he'll have a fairly makeable up and down for birdie. Back on the 4th tee, Kaymer's tee shot drifts into the dirt down the left. Much depends on the lie. The drive encourages the crowd to scream a few C'MON RICKIEs, but their man's tee shot finds the rubbish on the other side. Neither man in serious trouble as far as can be made out. Birdies perhaps a pipe dream now on this 528-yard par four, though.
4.17pm ET
Ian Poulter's round is hitting the skids: a second bogey in a row, this time at 12, and he's back to +3. He's there alongside Jim Furyk, who shot a very fine 67 today and, for what it's worth, and it's not worth much, is the current clubhouse leader.
4.17pm ET
Fowler's bunker shot up towards the flag at 3 is decent, but not brilliant. He'll have a 12-footer uphill for birdie, but would have hoped to get that much closer. The line of his birdie putt is dead on, but he doesn't hit it. Disappointing par. Meanwhile Kaymer rolls his medium-distance eagle putt three feet past the hole, missing just to the left. More of a lag-up than anything else. In goes the birdie putt, and he's suddenly six in the lead:
-9: Kaymer (3)
-3: Stenson (3), Compton (3), Fowler (3)
-2: D Johnson (4)
-1: Rose (5)
4.10pm ET
Compton gets a break down the right of 3. He's got a route to the green, and punches his iron to ten feet. But he misses the birdie putt. Stenson birdies the hole, though, and he joins the American at -3 in second place. Back down to the tee, where Fowler finds a bunker at the front, and Kaymer sends a pearler into the middle of the green. That's a stunner, especially in these circumstances. A fair chance for eagle from 25-30 feet; a real chance for birdie.
-8: Kaymer (2)
-3: Compton (3), Stenson (3), Fowler (2)
-2: D Johnson (4)
-1: Rose (5)
E: Na, (5), Koepka (4), Kuchar (4), Snedeker (4)
4.06pm ET
An eagle elsewhere first! The defending champ Rose bombs his second into the heart of 5, then drains a 30-footer straight back down the green and into the cup! He's -1 all of a sudden, and in sixth place! Bradley then makes his eagle on 13, which is equally deserved; he's +1. And back on 2, Kaymer tickles in a very missable left-to-righter for his par! What a save, and one that will sicken the majority of the field, and a good proportion of the gallery too! Fowler's putt suddenly looks very tricky, but he holds his nerve to pop it away.
4.01pm ET
Drive of the day by Keegan Bradley. He's +3, on the 13th tee, and he batters his big stick onto the front of the green. The ball bounces up towards the hole, and stops six feet from the flag. That's a wonderful opportunity for eagle, and a chance to leapfrog quite a few players and into the top ten. On 3, Compton sends a high fade into the trees down the right. Trouble over there. Back on 2, Kaymer opts to putt up the hill, and it's a pretty good effort given the distance he has to cover, stopping ten feet from the pin. But that's a tester for par. It's a putt that'll look twice as long if Fowler rakes in his birdie chance, but the ball turns right just before the hole, though he gave it a good run. Line rather than pace the problem there. He's left with a four footer for par that he should get, but this is the final day of a US Open.
3.57pm ET
Kaymer does indeed enjoy a favourable lie in the dirt down the right. But he's a club too long with his approach, and the ball bounds through the green and down the back of a big slope. Fowler sends his over the pin, and he'll have a 20-footer on the way back, fairly straight and uphill, for birdie. Meanwhile on 3, Dustin can't get up and down from distance for birdie - his chip was decent, to ten feet, but his putt was distinctly average - and he settles for par. He remains at -2.
3.53pm ET
Fowler tears his drive at the 2nd - the third hardest hole on the course this week - down the fairway. Kaymer's drifts into the scrub down the right, but only just, and he looks to have a decent enough lie. Up on the green, Compton saves his par with a fantastic up and down from miles to the left of the green, after pulling a poor iron by way of approach. It's Stenson's turn to play it steadier this time. He's started 4-4 too. Poulter's fast pace slows as he fails to drain a 20-footer to save his par on 11. He's back to +2.
3.49pm ET
Fowler has started nervously. His chip up onto the green only just gets over the hill, and he's left with a 12-footer for par. Kaymer's downhill putt from 30 feet travels 31 feet, missing just on the left. His putting has been superb this week, a lovely touch. A solid par, and he looks calm as he walks off the green. Fowler, to roof-bothering cheers, rolls in his par saver. That's a crucial putt, because he can't afford to fall further behind.
-8: Kaymer (1)
-3: Compton (1), Fowler (1)
-2: D Johnson (2), Stenson (1)
-1: Kuchar (3)
E: Koepka (3), Snedeker (2)
3.44pm ET
A poor approach to the opening hole by Fowler, who leaves his 8-iron short and left. Kaymer plays safe and sound, in the middle of the green. Not a great birdie chance from 30 feet, but he's not the one who needs to chase anything. Up on 3, Dustin batters his drive miles left of the green and down a slope. He's 40 yards past the green. But an up and down from there is not beyond the realms of the imagination.
3.40pm ET
Up on the green, Compton can't make his birdie putt. Par start, though, not to be sniffed at. Certainly not by his playing partner Henrik Stenson, who sends a hot approach through the green and does very well to get up and down in two, not least because he'd missed a tiddler on 18 last night. Up on 2, Snedeker can't scramble two pars in a row, and drops back to even par for the tournament. Johnson pars. And on 3, Matt Kuchar is the first of the pack to make a positive move, rolling in a putt from off the green up the hill and into the cup from 15 feet. He's -1. Kuchar's playing partner Brooks Koepka pops in a birdie putt, too, and moves to level par.
3.37pm ET
Martin Kaymer and Rickie Fowler, the final pairing at the 114th US Open, are on the 1st tee. It's on, everyone, it's on! Kaymer has five shots on his playing partner, and one suspects he needs to stumble early on to give the chasing pack real hope. Nothing in his temperament this week suggests a Dustinesque meltdown's on the cards, but history teaches us very little sometimes. Anyway, let's see these tee shots off. Fowler - to lusty screams of U! S! A! - clips his down the fairway. And then finally Kaymer - to very warm and appreciative applause, let's be fair to the denizens of Pinehurst - batters his down the middle too. He looks calm. But does he feel calm? Probably not. But he looks it!
3.30pm ET
And here comes Compton! Extremely warm applause for the American, who knows more than most that this is just a game. That doesn't mean he's not going to feel nervous teeing off in the penultimate pairing of a US Open. His drive leaks away to the right, but he's got a fairly good lie and clips a nerve-settler straight at the flag to eight feet. Meanwhile Rose drops a shot at 2, but picks it back immediately at 3 thanks to a gorgeous sand splash. And on 7, another birdie for McIlroy, who is up to +2 now.
3.27pm ET
Erik Compton is the real feelgood story of the week so far, of course, competing for the US Open after two heart transplants. But the JB Holmes fairytale is a pretty good yarn as well. The 32-year-old US journeyman has undergone brain surgery twice in recent years to deal with vertigo issues, and now here he is, in the mix too! Birdies at 1 and 5, and he's two under for the day at +1 for the tournament. Meanwhile on 1, Johnson can't find the green from the middle of the fairway, then seriously undercooks his chip onto the putting surface. His playing partner Brandt Snedeker scrambles well for his opening par, and Dustin follows him in. They stay at -1 and -2 respectively.
3.15pm ET
Here comes Dustin Johnson! I love the big man. Especially on the final day of a major. The first stroke of what will either be a 63 or an 83 is bombed down the middle of the track. Up on 9, Poulter makes his birdie, as expected and deserved. What an excellent performance so far today. He's +1, and into the top ten.
3.12pm ET
Adam Scott guides a lovely iron into the par-three 6th, pin high to five feet. Certain birdie, and he's back up to +2. Early birdie for Victor Dubuisson at 3, to move the impressive French Ryder Cup cert to +1. Ryan Moore has just tapped in for birdie at 9. Just as well, because he's just recorded back-to-back triple bogeys on 7 and 8. Back to back triples! That doesn't happen every other day. He's out in 41 strokes, plummeting down the leaderboard to +11. And following him is Ian Poulter, who very nearly replicates Zach Johnson's hole in one, but having dropped his ball perhaps six feet shorter than the US player, is left with a similar length when the ball breaks right and gathers towards the cup. If he makes that, he's out in 32 strokes, and halfway to a very impressive final round. Yesterday's 74 is beginning to look like one of the great shames.
3.06pm ET
Rose manages to scramble his birdie at 1! Magnificent news. He remains at +1, tied for 10th spot right now. It'd be fantastic if he can record a top-ten finish. Given that, with his hellish start on Thursday, he basically lumbered himself with a four-shot handicap on the field, and has since carded rounds of 72, 69 and 70, you'd think his game is in good enough nick now to achieve that. Chip-in of the day so far (not counting Zach Johnson's hole in one at 9) from Steve Stricker at 7. He bumps up from the right of the green and sends a perfectly weighted ball rolling into the cup along a left-to-right arc. Lovely touch. Clayton Rask finished with a 77, by the way, for those of you still wondering, to ensure that Toru Taniguchi ended up ten shots adrift of the entire field.
3.00pm ET
Always a chance to pick up a shot or two on 5. It's been the easiest hole all week, offering up 16 eagles and 139 birdies. But McIlroy can only par it today, wanging his approach into the trees to the left of the green, and not chipping up in particularly impressive style. He remans at +3. Meanwhile the defending champion Justin Rose is on the course. He can't find the green at the opening hole. Or, more accurately to say, he can, but his ball falls off it, front right. A testing up and down to start his round, and to stay at +1. He'll not become the first man to retain the US Open since Curtis Strange in 1989, but his performance as defending champ has been incredibly impressive, especially seeing he took 39 strokes on the first nine holes of his opening round. He can be very proud of himself, once again.
2.54pm ET
Jordan Spieth is out, and he clips his approach to a few feet. He'll have a fantastic chance for an opening birdie. But he pushes it right of the hole, a terrible effort. He remains at +1, and he's not flying out of the blocks. Poulter's good start continues with birdie at 5; he's +2. But poor old Brendon de Jonge keeps going the other way. In second place at various times yesterday afternoon, he came back in a hellish 39 strokes to drop down the leaderboard, and has opened his final round with a bogey. He's +2 now, and very possibly slightly demoralised.
2.48pm ET
Martin Kaymer speaks! "It's going to be the toughest day of my career. It won't be easy. But I watched some golf this morning and the flags are a little bit easier, so I hope I can take advantage of a few of them." The chappie from Sky asks him if he'd take a 71 were it offered to him now. He thinks twice before answering vocally. Problem is, he's already nodded like an eager puppy, and has to eventually fess up. "Yeah, I would take it," he laughs. He's also aware that it'll be tough coping with a home crowd desperate to see an American winner, and there's none more popular than his playing partner Rickie Fowler. Well, OK, there's Phil, but you get the point.
2.45pm ET
Thanks to Rob for that. The Hamburger Helper was delicious, seeing you neither asked nor care. Now then, some sand-based shenanigans hither and yon. Up on 9, Mickelson, who had been going well in the crowd-pleasing fashion, plugs his ball in a greenside bunker. Even he's not going to get that one close, and sure enough his escape falls off the front of the green, pretty much, and he bogeys. He's still out in 34 shots, one-under, but there goes that momentum, as soon as it had arrived. The story of his week. The story of his 2014, tell the truth. Meanwhile McIlroy drives the green at 3. Drives through the green. He's a good 30 yards through it! His ball is sitting up invitingly on sand, and he clips to six feet, before rolling in the birdie putt. Superb stuff, and he's back to +3 for the tournament.
2.39pm ET
More European woe and Graeme McDowell has bogeyed his second hole in a row at 13 to slip further back to seven over. He took four shots to get down from the sandy stuff that would be rough anywhere else after a horrible hook.
2.36pm ET
Brandt Snedeker, who goes out in the third-last group, is adamant he still has a chance of catching Martin Kaymer and taking the crown. Rather informatively, he tells us the key to a final-round charge will be "making putts", but he does have comeback previous. Rickie Fowler reckons his job is to make sure he finishes ahead of everyone else and hope Kaymer slips up, but displaying an atypical lack of American bravado, concedes "Martin is in control".
2.23pm ET
Phil Mickelson gets the crowd going with a birdie at 7. A nice approach shot was followed by a confident putt to take him to three over. Nice to see the big man firing, but Graeme McDowell is back to six over after pulling a five-foot putt wide at 12.
2.12pm ET
Thank you Scott and hello everyone. Big golfing shoes to fill indeed but I shall do my best. After bogeying the first Rory McIlroy was in serious danger of dropping another shot but held his nerve to roll in a tricky putt for a par four at the second. It was not much more than three foot that putt, but it was important for the Northern Irishman, who remains at four over.
2.01pm ET
Yes, shots are out there. A fast start for Keegan Bradley, with birdie at 3. How he'll regret that 76 yesterday after a pair of 69s. Ian Poulter birdies the opening hole, while Steve Stricker picks up a shot at 2. They're all at +3. This is likely to start cooking quite soon.
Speaking of which, I'm off to quickly refuel with a big bowl of the only foodstuff to be marketed by a singing golf glove, and which may or may not taste similar to the sandy dunes of Pinehurst No2. In the meantime, Rob Bleaney is - like a nourishing pint of plain to a grateful Flann O'Brien - your only man.
1.54pm ET
Daniel Berger hit the opening shot of this tournament. His last shot at the 2014 US Open was a three-footer for birdie after a fine approach, and that means he's signing his name to a 66. Will that prove the best of day? A few players further up the leaderboard (Berger ends at +7) will hope to follow the 21-year-old American's lead. Magnificent round.
1.51pm ET
Hole in one news! Zach Johnson, the 2007 Masters champion, with a 7-iron on the 172-yard par-three 9th. He whips it into the front left of the green. It takes an immediate right turn, and rolls serenely down towards the hole. One of those that's obviously going to drop, long before it actually does. What a shot! Up on the tee, Johnson drops his iron over his head, turns and performs a rather sweet double fist pump, a circular motion as smooth as that swing. Then a fist bump with his playing partner Kenny Perry. And then he runs down the gallery, high-fiving a never-ending row of hands. There have been 43 previous aces in US Open history, the last 12 months ago at Merion. That one, you may recall, was made by Shawn Stefani, a gift from the golfing gods to make up for the 85 he'd shot the day before. Johnson's appears to have been payback for the double-bogey he took at 7, which isn't quite as spectacular a turnaround, but it's good enough!
1.43pm ET
Oosthuizen sadly bogeyed the last, by the way. A shame, because that would otherwise have been a four-under 68. Doesn't make much difference to the South African, of course, who is well down the field, finishing at +9. But it shows there's a score out there. Or there might be: of course the course is going to (literally) get harder as the sun keeps cooking it. But still, the point's been made.
1.41pm ET
Matthew Fitzpatrick finishes his amateur career by tapping in for par at 18, and signing for a stunning final-day 69. He's +11 overall, and of course the low amateur. His playing partner Louis Oosthuizen smiles broadly and offers him warm congratulations. The knowledgeable North Carolina crowd give the up-and-coming Sheffield star a huge reception. And here's something for his CV. Fitzpatrick, of course, won the silver medal at the Open Championship last year. The only other player to hold both Open and US Open low amateur titles at the same time? Bobby Jones, in 1930. Not bad going, huh?
1.37pm ET
A weekend to forget for Toru Taniguchi. The Japanese veteran shot a painful 88 yesterday, fully 18 strokes over par. He ended the third day at +23 for the tournament, and he's certain to finish this tournament in 67th and last place, having carded another six bogeys on his way to a 76 today. Chances are his woeful overall total of +29 will ensure he's an embarrassing ten shots worse than the penultimate straggler: Boo Weekely, also back in the clubhouse, finished a mere 19 over par for the tournament. But Clayton Rask is doing his level best to spare Taniguchi's blushes with a late run towards the bottom. He's currently +17, having just double-bogeyed 10 and triple-bogeyed 12. Dearie me. Now, dispatches detailing the travails of struggling professionals can always be read as snide, of course, but nothing's further from the truth. These gentlemen have more talent in their little fingers than a two-bob hack will ever have in their entire body. But weekend hackers need a little boost sometimes, and it's good to know that the best can struggle like the rest of us.
1.17pm ET
On the subject of Johnson, here's the always entertaining Butch Harmon on Sky, giving one of the most trenchant quotes of the sporting decade so far: "Dustin isn't - I don't know how to say this nicely - he isn't the most intelligent person in the world." Harmon then goes on to suggest that this works to his advantage, as he'll be going out today and taking everything on, and to hell with it. Which explains a lot about Dustin's many major meltdowns, but what an entertaining player. It'll be heartbreaking if he doesn't land one at some point.
1.10pm ET
And now some historical fuel for those hoping to hunt down Kaymer. Sky are showing re-runs of Dustin Johnson's incredible antics over the opening holes of the final round of the 2010 US Open at Pebble Beach. He was three in front going into that round, and four behind after five holes. His amateur turn at the side of the 2nd green was one of the most jaw-dropping meltdowns ever seen on a sporting stage; two weekend hacks to advance his ball less than a yard as he attempted to find the putting surface. And then a drive at 4 dispatched into the briny. Only Dustin can implode as spectacularly as that, of course. Then again, sport has myriad ways of telling very strange stories. Imagine if he finally won the major he's been threatening to land for years, as the beneficiary of one of the game's great collapses! No, it'd be too ridiculous. But just imagine it.
1.01pm ET
Louis Oosthuizen is having the sort of round that'll give the chasing pack some serious succour. He's -4 for his round today through 14 holes, with birdies at 1, 5, 10 and 13. Daniel Berger is now -3 after his third birdie of the day at 12. And a bit further up the leaderboard, Billy Horschel has added a birdie at 3 to the one he carded on the opening hole. Seems there could be something out there. Plus the fact, consider: a birdie for Rickie Fowler and a bogey for Martin Kaymer at the 1st, and suddenly the lead would only be three strokes. Anything could happen this afternoon. It'll be time to give ourselves over to the affliction of golf fever, that feeling that only comes at the business end of a major tournament, very soon.
12.49pm ET
G-Mac, as we heard earlier, wedged his Optimistic Titfer onto his noggin at a jaunty angle this morning. But the Sky summariser and former Ryder Cup player Howard Clark has just been asked about the pin positions, and his reply began with an involuntary smirk, shake of the head and small splutter of laughter. "I thought they might have given the players a little bit of respite today, but I cannot find one pin where the slopes of the green gather the ball towards the pin. They all repel the ball. They throw the ball away. If you get a couple of yards on the wrong side, they just throw the ball off the side of the green." Clark then went on to describe birdies as "a thing of the past". Ian Poulter, mind you, thinks the pin locations are "a touch friendlier than they were yesterday", though of course that statement is extremely relative, and anyway he has to think like that, or what's the point in going out there? Whoever's proved right, we could be in for a lot of entertainment.
12.41pm ET
A second birdie for G-Mac at 3, wedging to six feet, but he's dropped a shot at 4 and remains at +6. A few early starters in the red for their rounds, though: the aforementioned Fitzpatrick (-2 now today after a smooth putt for birdie at 13!), Berger (-2 through 11) and Oosthuizen (-3 through 12), as well as Billy Horschel and Jim Furyk, who have birdied 1 and 3 respectively, and are +5 for the tournament. "He may not have the game or charisma, but in golfing terms, if Martin Kaymer wins today he can only be compared to Seve in achievements by a European prior to turning 30," opines Seamus Devlin. "Outstanding." Yep. In fairness, you'd have to have some act if you were planning to compete with the much-missed Señor Ballesteros in terms of charisma. But Kaymer's achievements are already pretty stunning: a PGA Championship, time spent as world number one, the decisive putt at a Ryder Cup, and an unofficial "fifth major" in the Players. Perhaps Rory McIlroy's two majors, near miss at the Masters, and overall celebrity pizazz - things seem to have constantly happened to him ever since he broke onto the scene - runs Kaymer close? Rory's got four years on Kaymer, too.
And then of course there's the stellar career of Sergio Gar
[You are fired. Ed.]
12.29pm ET
The last round of the brilliant young Matthew Fitzpatrick's amateur career, and already he's made sure he'll have something to remember it by. Of course he's already guaranteed to end the tournament as low amateur, but he's just raked in a 40-footer on 11 for birdie, a lovely embellishment to the day. You'll not see a more spectacular putt in this final round, and he's a very, very respectable +11. His performance on Thursday and Friday, holding his own alongside Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose, was simply magnificent. Good luck to the young man as he embarks on a professional life travelling all round the globe, playing the greatest game in the world, sampling different cultures, meeting new people, the sun beating down on his sponsored cap, the money rolling in, the constant sense of achievement and wonder as he makes use of a rare god-given talent ... it's hard sitting here writing these reports sometimes, I can tell you that for free. Luckily there's not too much time to stop and think.
12.14pm ET
One man who's been almost totally forgotten this week has been Michael Campbell. Memories of Pinehurst's first-ever US Open winner, the late Payne Stewart, are always going to take precedence. But Campbell won Pinehurst's second US Open in 2005. That's a victory worth remembering today, because third-round leader Retief Goosen went into the final day with a three-shot advantage over second place, dropped six strokes on the front nine, and ended up carding an 81. The lads in second place at the 54-hole mark were no less hapless: Olin Browne shot 80, while Jason Gore ended up with an 84. That's worth repeating: the leading trio going into the final round of the US Open returned cards of 81, 80 and 84. Campbell, four behind at the start of play, shot a best-of-day 69 and deservedly took the title. So nothing's done and dusted.
11.58am ET
G-Mac's taking his own advice, leading from the front, showing the way forward, etc., and so