Spieth bounces back from double-bogey

Spieth almost was able to jump in and earn a spot in the playoff round, but he mucked it all up on the last hole at St. Andrews.

A massive roar echoed around the course when Spieth holed the 40-foot birdie at the 16th to move into a share of the lead with compatriot Zach Johnson, already in the clubhouse, and Australia’s Marc Leishman.

Irishman Dunne’s hopes to become the first amateur to win since 1930 were jolted from the beginning.

“I’m fairly speechless right now”, Johnson told officials, media and fans during the trophy presentation.

Humble has backed Day to seize Open Championship glory, declaring the Queenslander has the form to snare his first major. “It’s definitely a dream come true”.

The 21-year-old shot a final-round 70 at St Andrews to post 11 under and overtake Ireland’s Paul Dunne, who had begun the final round with a three-stroke lead over his rival. Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods only got one shot at it, and none ever started the final round of the British Open so close to the lead. He shot a 67 and tied for 12th.

Niebrugge, the 2013 US Amateur Public Links champion, rated it as his biggest achievement so far. “I felt great. I’m just in awe right now”. “I’ve got a couple more events this summer left, and we’ll see how it goes”.

“You’ve got to learn how to manage your life, and when you’re done with school, it feels like this is easy, I can manage everything else in life, I don’t have to do schoolwork”. “I had a lull on Friday and Saturday but nothing significant, but stayed in it and waited for the opportunities and made a few”.

Louis Oosthuizen is closing in on a career Grand Slam of sorts.

It’s the second major win for Johnson, an Iowa native whose breakthrough victory came at the Masters in 2007.

Zach Johnson would go on to win, giving the Open a fine champion.

As it transpired, his decision to play with balls marked simply with a number “1” proved premature, if not presumptuous.

Day left his final birdie attempt short at the 18th green to miss a chance at joining the playoff.

Bernhard Langer made what could be his final crossing of the Swilcan Bridge. Spieth has proven he can handle himself in pressure situations.

Surprisingly, however, it was his putter that did in his bid for history.

And after a crucial par save on the 17th, Oosthuizen, who won the previous Open staged at St Andrews in 2010, then birdied the 18th from five feet to make it a three-way play-off. Entering the day, Dunne, Oosthuizen and Jason Day were tied at 12-under.

This could only happen to Phil Mickelson.

The Masters and US Open victor p ulled his drive on the 18th near the grandstands on the right-hand side of the first fairway a nd had to back off his second shot due to noise from spectators taking pictures. With winds picking up and rain expected later, a good finish might have at least put him in the conversation on the Old Course. Over 72 holes, he made 20 birdies, seven bogeys and one double-bogey.

But the nerveless putting that propelled him to the Masters and the U.S. Open this year, failed him as the ball rolled wide.