The British Open: Jordan Spieth Fails in Triple Crown Bid

The only golfer to win what’s called a Grand Slam was Jones, who in 1930 won the US and British Opens and US and British Amateurs at a time when those were considered the major championships of golf.

FIFE, Scotland – Through 9 holes, Cedar Rapids native Zach Johnson held the outright lead in the final round of the British Open.

However, Dunne would still be able to lay claim to the Claret Jug as a “symbolic prize”. Since signing Spieth to wear Under Armour from head to toe, the Baltimore-based apparel company has more than doubled its golf-related earnings.

No one has ever won all four.

“Just made a mental mistake on No. 8”, he said, and “who would have thought a drive on 18 was going to be what really hurt me at the end”. It’s not like I really lost it on the last hole, and 17 was brutally challenging.

Johnson added another birdie at the second to get to 2 under, while Oosthuizen and Leishman managed pars.

“I was nervous but nothing anything different to the last three days”, he said.

The tournament marked a welcome return to form for Harrington, who had recorded just three top-10 finishes in the majors since winning the 2008 US PGA Championship.

“You’d have to pay me a million dollars a day to wear those things”, ESPN’s Paul Azinger said. Johnson was in tears when he was interviewed off the green, and he cradled the jug after his acceptance speech.

“I feel honoured to be part of the history of this game and to don my name on that trophy, especially with the names before me”.

Using the first, second, 17th and 18th holes – all par-4s – for the aggregate playoff, Oosthuizen and Johnson opened with birdie while Leishman bogeyed it.

Johnson rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole in regulation to close with a 6-under 66. He had a birdie putt for the win that stayed wide left.

Not since Tiger Woods’ chances evaporated in a rain-blown 81 in the third round at Muirfield in 2002 had a player had a shot at three straight majors.

Then came Chambers Bay, where – somehow – he was tied with Branden Grace, Dustin Johnson and Spieth with 18 holes remaining. But what a show. Jordan Spieth birdied holes 5 and 6 to move to a tie for third at (-14) and is shooting (-3) for the day. Ideally you can finish par, birdie and that would have got it done. Getting away with a par on number five was huge.

Sergio Garcia couldn’t keep up with his putter.

Paul Dunne of Ireland, the first amateur in 88 years to be a leader going into the final round of the Open, wasn’t so fortunate. Louis Oosthuizen is alone in second at (-15).

One of the first to congratulate Johnson was fellow American Spieth. “So that would be the next goal as far as the history goes”.

One of them is 22 years old and the other is 21 years old. And he can only hope he gets this chance again.