Ruediger Meyer -
Stroke average vs. the field on that day is certainly in Johnny Miller's favor.
However, JM was not in the last group of the day at Oakmont, as he was not the over night leader. He did not have to play head-to-head in a pairing with a guy matching him virtually stroke for stroke during the round. 10 birdies in a final of a major (when teeing off on Sunday with the pressure of being the overnite leader) is very, very impressive measured against any criteria.
DT
The flip side is that Henrik really only had to worry about one player -- Phil. Everyone else was miles behind them. Miller was so far back when his round started in 1973 he had to pass over a dozen players.
In 1973 only three other players shot under 70 the last round at Oakmont. Yesterday at Troon 12 other players besides Henrik shot under 70. While four players shot under par at Oakmont the final day, 21 players shot under par at Troon on Sunday.
Johnny also made a bogey in his round -- and he lipped out a few birdie putts. His playing partner Miller Barber said it easily could have been a 59.