SAN DIEGO • A golf ball hit by one of the leaders lodged in the limb of a tree.

A shot by another contender settled next to an open case of beer.

No one seemed able to keep his footing on the 13th tee, where the surface was as unpredictable as a carnival Tilt-A-Whirl.

The reigning champion missed a hole-in-one by an inch.

The final round of the 121st US Open on Sunday did not lack for tension and theatrics.

But Jon Rahm, who two weeks ago was forced to withdraw from the PGA Memorial tournament, despite holding a six-shot lead going into the final round, in tears because he had tested positive for the coronavirus, found the resolve to birdie the final two holes at Torrey Pines to win America's national golf championship by one stroke.

The victory was Rahm's first Major, making him the first Spaniard to win the event.

Informed of the result as he came off the 18th green, Rahm, who shot a four-under 67 for a six-under 278 total, doubled over and left the area wiping his eyes.

Speaking after his US Open victory, the new world No. 1 said that when he was cleared to play in the tournament last week, he felt that "the stars were aligning".

"I just had a good feeling knowing I was coming to San Diego," said Rahm, who has often visited the area and who proposed to his wife, Kelley, at Torrey Pines.

"Every time we come here, we're happy. It had to happen this way, every part of the journey I was never resentful for anything for any second, and I don't blame anybody (for what happened at Memorial).

"Unfortunately, Covid is a reality. We have lost a lot of people. People said it wasn't fair, but it was what had to be done. And all of it led to this moment."

Rahm's victory ended a streak of six consecutive American winners in the event and the 26-year-old revealed he was able to keep a positive outlook thanks to advice from former Major champions Padraig Harrington, his 2018 Ryder Cup teammate, and Nick Faldo.

"Padraig told me a story in which he was leading by five after 54 holes, signed the wrong scorecard, and got disqualified," he said. "Nick texted and told me a story of how he was winning a tournament, leading by six with six holes to go and got disqualified as well, and how he learnt from that and got a win the week after."

Those stories stayed with Rahm and while many of the game's biggest names crumbled at the US Open, he stood tall.

Paying tribute to his late compatriot Seve Ballesteros, who put Spain on the golfing map by winning five Majors before dying of brain cancer at age 54 in 2011, as well as Harrington and Faldo, Rahm said: "This is definitely for Seve. I know that he wanted to win this one most of all.

"I had in mind Padraig and Nick when I was out there on the course a couple times, knowing that they won shortly after (adversity), and I knew today was my day."

Louis Oosthuizen (71), who won the 2010 British Open, finished second, the sixth time he has been the runner-up at a Major, with American Harris English (68) a further two behind the South African in third.

NYTIMES, REUTERS