Furyk glad to have finally made his mark

It did not take long for Jim Furyk to absorb the enormity of his achievement in winning the 103rd U.S. Open championship on Sunday.

"The most special thing is knowing my name will be on that trophy for ever," the American Ryder Cup player told reporters.

"It will be there with some of the greatest names in golf ... and you can't take that away from me."

Furyk secured his major breakthrough with a two-over-par round of 72 at Olympia Fields, leaving him eight under for the tournament and three strokes ahead of Stephen Leaney.

One of the more unglamorous players on the PGA Tour, few will nevertheless resent the popular Furyk's place among the likes of previous champions Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan and Bobby Jones.

The 33-year-old from Pennsylvania began the day 10 under par, with a three-shot lead over Leaney, and it was only a bogey five at the last that cost him sole possession of the record for lowest aggregate score at a U.S. Open.

But even that could not spoil the occasion, as he was joined in celebration -- on Father's Day in the United States -- by his own father and baby daughter.

"I had a difficult time even wishing my Dad Happy Father's Day this morning," Furyk said.

"I am very close to my family and they have been so involved with my career ... it's a heck of a Father's Day present.

"My Dad's been my only teacher and, because of my (unorthodox) swing, he took a lot of criticism early on.

"I think all my family could sense I was tight this morning ... I was, I was nervous.

"Then I heard on NBC (American television) that I needed to shoot a 71 to break the record, and to be honest that was the last thing I wanted to hear (before the final round began).

"When I was on the 18th, it entered my mind that I needed to putt for the record, but I had begun to break down emotionally walking down the fairway and I just lost my concentration on the putts.

"After I missed the par putt I just thought 'forget about the record and let's get out of here'.

"But it was all a wonderful feeling, with people cheering for you. When I sit down in a few years I will look back on this and, I can tell you now, it will always be the best part of my golfing career."

He was met by a female streaker on the 11th green, but Furyk said: "It didn't distract me at all. It was more embarrassing to have to deal with than anything."

Furyk's caddie, Mike 'Fluff' Cowan, also caddied for Woods when he won his first major.

Asked if he could now go on to claim further major championships, Furyk said: "There are a few guys, like Tiger and Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson, who separated themselves from the rest of the field.

"I have always felt I was in the next tier. I always felt I had a good enough game to win a major, but this is a big step mentally, I guess.

"People have asked me this week about me never having won a major before, but I have to say it has not consumed me.

"If I was to have gone through my career never having won a championship, I could have lived with that. That's not to say I haven't worked hard, and today is definitely the icing on the cake."