Retief Goosen won the first of his two U.S. Open titles in an 18-hole Monday playoff, two strokes ahead of runner-up Mark Brooks.

Goosen had ten feet (3 m) for birdie, but also three-putted to tie Brooks, forcing the next-day playoff.

Lengths of the course in previous major championships: Sixty-seven players were exempt and the remainder earned their place through sectional qualifying.

However, it was enough to earn him a one-stroke lead over three-time champion Hale Irwin and Canadian Mike Weir with tour journeyman J. L. Lewis one stroke further back.

Phil Mickelson and David Duval, players who briefly flirted with the lead during Woods' run at the Masters in April, were knotted at 139 (−1) after each posted 69 on Friday.

One of three leaders at the start of the day, Goosen parred each of the last nine holes despite a number of wayward shots down the stretch.

Brooks, a co-leader of Goosen's after a tournament-low 64 on Friday, shot even-par 70 to join Rocco Mediate and García in third place at 206 (−4).

Sunday, June 17, 2001 Goosen missed a two-foot (0.6 m) par putt at the 72nd hole to fall back into a tie with Brooks, forcing an 18-hole playoff on Monday.

Goosen, who stoically battled to hold on to a piece of the top spot all week, knocked his approach at the 15th to the back fringe and rolled in a 12-footer to return to minus-five with Brooks.

Two players who had been expected to make a charge in the final round - Mickelson and García - blew their chances with poor displays.

The most eye-catching performances of the day came from Vijay Singh and Tom Kite, who both stormed to 64 (−6) - the best rounds of the week - and Olin Browne, who sank a hole-in-one at the 11th.

Woods, winner of the previous four major championships, failed to make a charge on Sunday and saw his run come to an end.

He chose a fairway wood for his approach and did well to run his ball into the bunker short and left of the final green.

Goosen found the 18th fairway with his drive, then hit a five-iron that landed short of the green and rolled 20 yards (18 m) back down the slope.

Taking no chances with his tight uphill lie, Goosen used a putter to knock his ball onto the putting surface, leaving 25 feet (7.6 m) for his par.

Goosen became the third South African to win the title, joining Gary Player and Ernie Els as champions of the USGA's premier event.

Source:[6][7] "It's amazing and I don't want to consider what it would have felt like if I had lost but I played solid and my putter was warm in places – except yesterday."

– Retief Goosen "I got punished severely in the rough today and that was kind of the difference," – Mark Brooks after his playoff loss.