US Open Golf Scores 2012: Players Who Will Build off Surprising Performances

After four days of grinding out as many pars as possible, the world's best golfers walk away from Olympic Club knowing they won't face a tougher test for the rest of the year. And the players who were able to avoid disaster should receive a nice confidence boost.

Here's a look at three players who exceeded expectations in the U.S. Open, giving them plenty of reason to feel good about the state of their game moving forward. For a complete look at the final scores from the year's second major, click here.

Michael Thompson (+2)

Thompson posted the lowest score in Round 1 to take a three-stroke lead. He also led the field in scoring on Sunday with a three-under 67. Unfortunately for the Arizona native, the two rounds in the middle weren't nearly as impressive.

That said, it was still a far better performance than most people were expecting from Thompson, who had missed three cuts in his previous six starts. It's a perfect example of why major events are so hard to predict. It's impossible to see players like Thompson coming.

All told, he picked up his second top-10 finish and more than doubled his yearly course earnings. That should be enough to help break him out of his recent funk and get him get back on the path to success in the coming months.

Webb Simpson (+1)

The list wouldn't be complete without the tournament winner. Simpson used a weekend charge to surpass the leaders and claim his first major championship. He's one of the PGA Tour's rising stars, and this weekend's victory establishes him as a weekly threat.

Perhaps the best thing for Simpson was the fact he never had to be in the spotlight until the end. While the spotlight was on players like Tiger Woods, Graeme McDowell and Jim Furyk, he avoided the pressure and took the back door into the winner's circle.

Now that he has a marquee win under his belt, he won't be able to hide anymore. How he deals with that new focus on his game will be the biggest key to success, but his relaxed attitude should help him continue to thrive.

Beau Hossler (+9)

It took awhile, but the tough course and newly-discovered stardom finally caught up with Hossler on Sunday, as he shot a six-over 76. That doesn't diminish his accomplishments from the first three days, however, as he stood toe-to-toe with some of the game's greats.

The 17-year-old American turned a lot of heads by making big shot after big shot when most watching were expecting him to fade. It's a showing that makes Hossler a player to watch as he continues to develop his game.

More than anything else, it was a tremendous learning experience. Most players don't get a chance to contend on Sunday at a major until well into their careers. The fact he was able to do it before his even officially starts sets him up for future success.