OLYMPIA FIELDS, Illinois, 17 June 2003 — Jim Furyk survived dropped shots at the last two holes to clinch his first major title at the US Open on Sunday, his closing two-over-par 72 giving him a three-shot victory.

The 33-year-old American, who had forged three strokes ahead of the field with a 67 in the third round, held off a brave challenge from playing partner Stephen Leaney of Australia, finishing tied with the tournament record on eight-under 272.

One of the straightest hitters in the game, Furyk equaled the 72-hole mark first set by Jack Nicklaus at Baltusrol in 1980, and later matched by Lee Janzen at the same venue in 1993 and Tiger Woods at Pebble Beach in 2000.

“It’s very special ... it’s beyond some dreams,” an emotional Furyk said.

“This is a heckuva present for Father’s Day,” he added, referring to his father Mike, who has been his sole swing coach since he turned professional in 1992.

Nineteen players had been under par going into the last day, but only four stayed there as the course firmed up and the greens became lightning fast under a baking sun.

Furyk struck a superb approach to within three feet of the flag for birdie at the par-four 14th to stretch his lead to four, and could afford to bogey the treacherous finishing holes at Olympia Fields Country Club to secure his major breakthrough.

He had wobbled briefly with his first dropped shots of the day on 10 and 12, and Leaney then closed the gap to three with a 40-foot birdie putt on 13.

But Furyk hit back immediately with his birdie on 14, and the end result, thereafter, was never in any doubt in bright afternoon sunshine. The 34-year-old Leaney had provided a brave challenge, but experienced a roller-coaster round.

He started the day three strokes behind, but bogeys on one, three, seven, eight, 11 and 17 more than offset his birdies at the second, fourth, sixth and 13th.

Mike Weir, the US Masters champion, had got to three under after 16 holes but dropped shots on 17 and 18 for a one-over-par 71, finishing in a tie for third with Kenny Perry at one-under 279.

Perry, winner of back-to-back titles on this year’s PGA Tour, had earlier carded an impressive three-under-par 67 to hold the clubhouse lead.

Briton Justin Rose, in his first US Open, carded a final-round 69 to tie for fifth at even-par 280 with twice champion Ernie Els (72), three-times major winner Nick Price (75), 2001 US PGA champion David Toms (71) and Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson (71).

Defending champion Tiger Woods, whose title hopes all but disappeared with his third-round 75, was another to struggle after a promising two-birdie start.

His bid to vault up the last-day leaderboard was derailed by a four-putt double-bogey at the ninth, and he dropped two more shots on the back nine to finish with a two-over-par 72 at three-over 283.

Australia’s Teske Wins Four-Way

Playoff at Giant Eagle

In Vienna, Ohio, Australia’s Rachel Teske birdied the third hole of a sudden-death playoff with Jennifer Rosales of the Philippines and Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam Sunday, ending an 11-month victory drought at the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic.

Teske is 4-1 lifetime in playoffs for the third-best winning percentage in LPGA Tour history. Three of those wins have came against Sorenstam, who captured last week’s LPGA Championship in sudden-death but was denied a third straight win.

A 31-year-old Teske parred the first playoff hole and birdied the second to keep pace with Rosales, Sorenstam and Lorie Kane of Canada. Kane was the least likely playoff participant. Teeing off an hour before the leaders, she scorched the Squaw Creek Country Club for a course-record 9-under-par 63.

Her 54-hole total of 12-under 204 withstood challenges from Teske and Rosales, who birdied the final two holes in regulation.

Rosales, of Manila, overcame a pair of early bogeys with three birdies on the final five holes of regulation and posted the best finish of her four-year career.