Dustin Johnson Captures U.S. Golf Open

Dustin Johnson overcame a controversial rules violation that consumed the final two hours of the U.S. Open on Sunday, playing the final six holes at Oakmont Country Club unsure if he would be penalized or not.

Johnson covered those holes in even par as others faltered around him, which made the decision to penalize him a stroke far less egregious and simply altered his victory margin from four strokes to three for his first major championship. But over the tense back nine, the ruling loomed large as Johnson was in a tight battle with Shane Lowry. Johnson ended up winning by three strokes over Lowry, Jim Furyk and Scott Piercy.

"It doesn't matter now and I'm glad it didn't matter because that would have been bad,'' Johnson said.

The possibility of a penalty was the talk of the tournament, with other players weighing in on social media, including the likes of Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Tiger Woods, all of whom criticized the United States Golf Association for its handling of the matter.

Woods, in a congratulatory text to Johnson, called it a "farce.'' McIlroy said it was "ridiculous'' and Spieth declared it a "joke.''

Jack Nicklaus, who was on site as an honorary chairman of the U.S. Open, congratulated Johnson as he walked off the green, telling ESPN.com later that "I told [him] what you did with all that crap that they threw at you was pretty good.''

Johnson, 31, who shot a final-round 69, was assessed the penalty because his ball moved on the fifth hole as he was about to attempt a 6-foot par putt.

After taking two practice strokes near the ball, Johnson briefly set his putter down before starting to put it behind the ball. At that point, Johnson recoiled, as the ball ever-so-slightly moved backward.

He immediately called in a rules official and explained what happened; he said he did not ground his club, so the rules official told him to putt out. But after looking at video, Jeff Hall, the USGA's managing director of competitions, approached Johnson on the 12th hole to explain he might yet be penalized after all.