American Zach Johnson wins British Open

Johnson outlasted Marc Leishman and his good friend Louis Oosthuizen in a four hole playoff to win the 2015 British Open at St. Andrew’s.

Perhaps the 21-year-old, who is a measure of composure and maturity on and off the course, should get raging more often.

After a birdie at the opening hole, Johnson sprayed a shot into the gorse at No. 2, had to take a penalty, and settled for a bogey. He rolled in a 50-foot birdie putt for a share of the lead with two holes to play.

“We gave it a great effort”, Spieth said.

Spieth is looking to join Ben Hogan as the only players to win the first three majors of the year.

Johnson won the Masters in 2007 and described himself as just a normal guy from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I’m humbled, thankful and honored. I’ve said it a thousand times.

Johnson sunk a snaking, downhill 20-footer for birdie at the last to get to 15 under and it was up to Leishman, Spieth, Day and Oosthuizen coming up behind him to match or better his score.

Leishman was brought undone on the very first hole of extra time when he found an old divot in the middle of the fairway and was forced to err on the side of caution and his approach was 35 feet past. But he missed a 10-foot birdie attempt at the 16th, squandered another good birdie look at the tough 17th, and then watched a wedge to the 18th roll back into the Valley of Sin. All three have birdie putts.

Those hoping for history had to settle, instead, for one of the most riveting 72-hole, five-day Open Championship horse races ever at the place where golf was born. He walked off the 18th green applauding the fans and giving them a thumbs-up, stayed to watch the closing hole in the playoff and came back onto the course to hug Johnson.

David Duval posted a 67 in the first group of the day, his best score in the Open since winning at Lytham in 2001.

Spieth lost his chance on the greens at the Old Course at St. Andrews.

Former champion Phil Mickelson’s charge up the leaderboard came to a dramatic end in the delayed final round of the Open at St Andrews on Monday. But what a show. Spieth and Jason Day and Sergio Garcia and Adam Scott all had their runs.

He is now eight shots back, with the leaders still waiting to tee off. Had he played them in more clement conditions, who knows how things might have turned out.

Pretty much the same thing happened again at St Andrews, only this time Scott let five shots go in the last five holes.

And right there with him for over a decade, including the win at Augusta National, in his caddie Damon Green. It seems far-fetched to think he’ll become the first amateur since Bobby Jones to win the Open, but he’s teeing it up with every chance to do so.

Johnson and Oosthuizen both birdied the first as Leishman three-putted from long range and Johnson edged ahead with another birdie on the second.

He’s been playing in the U.S. Senior Open in recent years. He’s been in contention at a handful of majors, including the 2010 PGA Championship, where he finished third.