It was a great U.S. Open this year, and congratulations go out to Justin Rose, who has been knocking on the door of winning majors and made his first a really great one. A few final thoughts:

1. Lots of people picked Tiger Woods to capture his 15th major, but until he putts better on weekends he’s not going to win another major. I’ve said it before, he can post all the wins he wants on his favorite golf courses (Torrey Pines, bay Hill, etc.) – and take nothing away from him, those wins are still great achievements – but when it comes to majors he’s just another excellent golfer in a field of great golfers. There are just too many guys out there capable of winning majors, and that number is only growing larger by the year. Now that Webb Simpson, Adam Scott, and Justin Rose have broken through, do you think Tiger’s job of catching Jack Nicklaus’ 18 majors has gotten any easier?

2. Jason Day is the real deal, a real gentleman, and someone destined to win a major – and soon.

3. And, breaking clubs aside, Rory McIlroy is my new choice to win The Open Championship at Muirfield during Goodboys Invitational weekend. I believe him when he says he’s really close.

4. Who will be the next to break through and win their first major? Besides the afore-mentioned Day, how about Jason Dufner, Billy Horschel, Rickie Fowler, Ian Poulter, or Hunter Mahan? All great young golfers who hung really tough this past weekend under the most brutal conditions. I wouldn’t be surprised to see any of them break through very soon. Dufner is the one in this group I’m especially high on. That dude’s got game.

5. As much as my heart goes out to Phil Mickelson for falling short a record 6th time in a U.S. Open, he’s got only himself to blame. He was in a great position after that eagle on 10, but that mis-hit wedge on 13 and that missed putt on 16 are unforced errors you just can’t make if you want to win a U.S. Open. Justin Rose’s goal all week was to focus on par, and that’s why he’s the U.S. Open champ.

6. People this past week were talking about Ben Hogan’s iconic 1-iron on 18 back in 1950; decades from now people will be talking about Rose’s drive on 18 and his follow-up 4-iron – two of the purest strikes you will ever live to see. It was golf at its finest.

All in all the biggest congratulations goes out to the USGA for having the vision to pull this year’s U.S. Open off at a classic site like Merion and the folks at Merion for working with the USGA to help make it happen. It was a wonderful venue, really tough, and one that deserves through its history and beauty and layout to be called upon again sometime in the future.