Johnson wins British Open; Spieth finishes short of playoff

Zach Johnson won the British Open on Monday, July 20, emerging victorious from a gripping 4-hole playoff against Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman.

“That hole was disappointing”, said Leishman who now lives in the USA and has one PGA Tour win to his name.

After sinking an improbable birdie putt on the 16th hole to tie Johnson and Leishman for the lead, it looked as if Spieth would use his momentum to capture the tournament.

All three golfers scored a par on the final hole – with the most painful par coming courtesy of a missed putt by Oosthuizen that secured the Claret Jug trophy for Johnson.

The young Texan missed out on the playoff by a single stroke, ending his bid to become the first player to sweep all four majors in a year.

Johnson, 39, fought back tears after being hugged by his wife Kim, and Spieth was one of the first to congratulate his compatriot on the victory.

Leishman managed to par the last two holes for a 6-under 66 and a spot the playoff, but another short putt lipped out on No. 1, a hole that Johnson and Oosthuizen birdied for a two-shot swing.

Johnson also took time out to praise world number one Rory McIlroy who was sidelined for the British Open after injuring ankle ligaments playing soccer with his friends.

“Jordan was a massive hit at The Australian past year – nobody who saw him play will forget his final round, in particular”, Herden said.

He said thinking about Johnson’s 2007 Masters win at August National still gives him chills.

He will still have the chance to accomplish the rare feat – achieved only by Ben Hogan in 1953 and Tiger Woods in 2000 – of winning three majors in a year at the US PGA Championship next month.

“I’m grateful. I’m humbled”. But I do know that this is the birthplace of a great game and a place that has fantastic fans.

“I’ll take a lot out of the putts I made to be able to get in the play-off, the shots I pulled off, and the little second on 18 (in regulation play)”, he added.

The 22-year-old was given exemptions to the U.S. Open and the British Open this year, providing he stayed amateur.

The past Masters Champion got his second major today, and he won it, nobody gave it to him.

Oosthuizen missed a 12-foot putt at the fourth extra hole to keep the play-off alive.

It was the first British Open to end on Monday since 1988 because of a brief rain delay Friday morning and 10 1/2 -hour wind delay on Saturday.

Langer never won the British Open but he usually played well at St. Andrews.

A total of 14 players are within four shots of the lead.

Padraig Harrington drove into a gorse bush on No. 6 and made double bogey.

Scott bogeyed the final four holes to cough up a four-shot lead in 2012 and was also inside the top five in 2013 and 2014 without claiming victory. Faced with a relatively short putt, his ball swooped around the cup, prompting gasps in the large and loud gallery.

Not surprisingly, Texas tough Jordan Spieth went down fighting in his march toward history on an ancient links hard by the North Sea. Then there’s Paul Dunne, positioned to be the first amateur champion since Bobby Jones in 1930.

“You feel like you’ve got a really good chance of winning rather doing it during the tournament or in the fourth round”.