Rose reflects on emotion down the stretch at Merion

Leading the U.S. Open by a shot headed to the 18th tee, Justin Rose could have easily gotten lost in the moment and failed to keep composure at one of the biggest moments of his golfing life. After 15 years of professional golf - some very good, some not so good - all that remained between him and history was one hole.

And it was't just any hole, it was the brutally tough 18th at Merion, where no birdie was to bad had all weekend long. Not one.

But Rose played the hole as if it was a Tuesday evening at the local muni. Perfect drive down the center. Well-struck 4-iron just over the green, to the back fringe. Chip to inside a foot, and a tap-in for par.

"I felt like I had done enough to win the tournament at that point," Rose said. "But you certainly don't want to overcelebrate...So anything could happen still, especially with Phil. You never know."

Indeed, Phil Mickelson - the birthday boy, the local hero everywhere he goes, the ever-tormented six-time runner-up at the national championship - had a chance to tie Rose and force a Monday playoff if he could go one-under on his final two holes. Mickelson never really gave himself a great shot, though, hitting to 40 feet on the par-3 17th and missing the fairway left on 18.

From the left rough, on a hole that nobody had birdied all weekend, Mickelson fared no better. He came up 40 years short on his approach (not a bad effort under normal circumstances) and went up to the green to survey the elevation as the crowd cheered 'Let's Go Phil' repeatedly. After final analysis, Mickelson made his stroke and ran up to the green to see his fate.

The ball ran by the hole, Mickelson went on to bogey, and Rose had his place among golf's greatest champions.

"Watching your fate or your destiny kind of unfold in front of you on TV, you'd rather be in the last group and win it," said Rose, who watched Phil's birdie bid from the Merion clubhouse. "It's always a strange situation basically needing someone to miss a shot for you to win. It's an awkward moment, but at the same time, say if Phil had pitched in, he showed me that courtesy at the Ryder Cup. If someone pulls out a great shot on you, you just have to take your hat off and say fantastic golf, fantastic shot."

Although Rose enjoyed the moment when he knew that he was officially, no doubt about it, the U.S. Open champion, his most sentimental moment came on the 18th green. After tapping in his 4-incher to finish 72 holes at 1-over, Rose pointed to the sky to honor his late father, Ken, who he credits as one of his biggest advocates and supporters.

The verdict was still in doubt at that point, but Rose figured it was an appropriate time - on one of the grandest stages in golf, on the 72nd green - to give the fitting and well-deserved tribute.

"It was important for me to honor him in that moment," Rose said. "I haven't had a moment in the last 11 years or whatever it's been now to where I could - where there's been a perfect situation to thank him and honor him for all the hard work he put into my game. That was my moment. Win, lose or draw, I felt like I'd acquitted myself well and he'd be proud. That's when I could just look up and thank him."

Well said, Justin. Somewhere, Ken Rose is smiling.