U.S. Open Golf 2014: Struggling Favorites Didn't Limit Intrigue at Pinehurst

In the days leading up to the 2014 U.S. Open, topping the list of favorites were the usual suspects: Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott and Phil Mickelson. 

On Sunday, none of them were in contention. 

McIlroy (74) and Scott (73) struggled on Saturday, while Lefty didn't shoot under par once. None of the trio were especially bad—Mickelson had the worst finish at 31st place—but they seemed to just hover behind the leaders, never serving as legitimate threats. 

It marked just the third time in the last five years—2009 Open Championship and 2012 U.S. Open being the other two—that no members of that trio were in the top 10. Here's a look at the final leaderboard:

Throw in the absence of golf's biggest star, Tiger Woods, along with the presence of the World Cup and NBA and NHL finals, and there was no shortage of reasons to turn away from the U.S. Open. 

Still, considering the circumstances, the action at Pinehurst did well to hold our attention. 

Martin Kaymer's transcendence may have bored some, but there was absolutely nothing boring about his performance. Sure, he may have taken the drama out of Sunday, but with every pinpoint approach shot and every clutch, perfect putt, it was difficult to not be captivated. 

It was one of the best performances in the history of the tournament, per the Golf Channel's Justin Ray:

It wasn't quite Woods in 2000, but it was a truly impressive showing and an absolute joy to watch. Fox Sports' Robert Lusetich and Grantland's Shane Ryan put it simply: 

Then you had Erik Compton, one of the best stories of the year. 

The 34-year-old has undergone two heart transplants and never made the cut at a major. He looked like a superstar for much of the week, though, shooting two rounds under par en route to a second-place finish. 

Alex Myers of Golf Digest helped put things into amazing perspective: 

Every time Compton talks, it becomes impossible not to like him more and more. Take these comments, via Yahoo! Sports' Jay Busbee, for example:

"

I plan weeks to share my story and visit hospitals. This week, I have really been kind of under the radar and trying to focus on golf. I'm in here because I'm playing well. ... I was just, for this tournament, enjoying focusing on my game.

I think that my attitude suits a U.S. Open style course because I don't ever give up. 

"

Yes, for the common fan, it was likely a little underwhelming to see a leaderboard vacant of Woods, Mickelson, McIlroy and Scott. 

But from Kaymer's unbelievable play to Compton's miraculous story, the year's second major—albeit in unconventional ways—didn't disappoint.