ST. ANDREWS, Scotland - American Zach Johnson claimed the second major triumph of his career after winning a four-hole playoff at the end of a captivating, cliffhanger of a final round in the British Open on Monday.
In an Open that never seemed to want to end, the 39-year-old surged through the field with a closing 66 before overcoming South African Louis Oosthuizen (69) and Australian Marc Leishman (66) in extra holes.
“I feel blessed to be the champion and honored to be part of the history of this game,” Johnson said after a round played in a damp and heavy atmosphere but, more importantly for the players, in light winds. “It has been a week of patience, courage and trust. I can’t play any better than I did. I just stayed in it, waited for the opportunities and made a few putts.”
Johnson, who won the Masters in 2007, took a vice-like grip on the playoff by ramming in birdie putts of 12 and 18 feet at the first two holes and could afford the luxury of taking a bogey at the 17th before a par at the 18th sealed victory.
Oosthuizen, the winner of the British Open when it was last played at St. Andrews in 2010, was even par for the extra holes while Leishman effectively played himself out of it when he three-putted the first. He ended 2 over.
Johnson wiped tears from his eyes before hugging his wife as he walked off the 18th green to pick up the coveted Claret Jug and a first prize of $1.79 million.
“This isn’t going to define me or my career, at least I hope it doesn’t,” the down-to-earth Johnson told reporters. “It’s not my legacy.
“Granted, as a professional athlete and as a golfer I’m going to relish this, I’m going to savor this. I’m humbled by this but my legacy should be my kids, my family, that kind of thing. I realize it’s just a game. I’m just a guy from Iowa that has been blessed with a talent and this game provides great opportunity.”
One of the first to congratulate Johnson was fellow American Jordan Spieth who failed to make the playoff by one stroke after a day of fluctuating fortunes.
Spieth, 21, bidding to become the first player since fellow Texan Ben Hogan in 1953 to win the opening three majors of the year, finished with a 3-under 69 for a 14-under 274 total.
Johnson, Leishman and Oosthuizen ended the regulation 72 holes at 15 under.
Spieth’s chances were effectively wrecked when he took four putts from 100 feet to double bogey the eighth and he eventually settled for a share of fourth place with Australian Jason Day (70).
“I made a mental mistake,” Spieth said. “If you make a double bogey it’s a very difficult climb back. I hit my first putt off the green and there’s absolutely no reason to do that.”
Irish amateur Paul Dunne, who went into the final round of golf’s oldest major in a tie for the lead, slumped to a closing 78 and ended in a share of 30th position.
Earlier, Johnson came sprinting out of the blocks with a swashbuckling run of seven birdies in the opening 12 holes.
He dropped strokes at the 13th and 17th, completely mis-hitting his second shot at the notorious ‘Road Hole’ after his feet slipped in the wet rough.
Johnson bounced straight back by gently caressing a 35-foot birdie putt into the cup on the 72nd green, letting out a roar of delight as the ball disappeared into the hole before squatting down and producing a theatrical fist pump.
Leishman then missed a 20-foot birdie putt at the 18th that would have given him outright victory but had the consolation of knowing his last two rounds of 64 and 66 tied the record Open low for the closing 36 holes.
Oosthuizen appeared to be out of contention until he grittily holed a 15-foot par-saving effort at the 17th and chipped close at the 18th before rolling in his birdie putt to join Johnson and Leishman in the playoff.
American Jordan Niebrugge finished as the leading amateur, in a tie for sixth spot at 277 with the British duo of Justin Rose and Danny Willett and Spain’s Sergio Garcia.
It was only the second time the championship had finished on a Monday after heavy rain and strong winds caused havoc earlier in the tournament.
The 144th British Open Championship
St. Andrews, Scotland
Final
(x-won on 4th playoff hole)
x-Zach Johnson 66-71-70-66-273 (-15)
Marc Leishman 70-73-64-66-273 (-15)
Louis Oosthuizen 67-70-67-69-273 (-15)
Jason Day 66-71-67-70-274 (-14)
Jordan Spieth 67-72-66-69-274 (-14)
Sergio Garcia 70-69-68-70-277 (-11)
Jordan Niebrugge 67-73-67-70-277 (-11)
Justin Rose 71-68-68-70-277 (-11)
Danny Willett 66-69-72-70-277 (-11)
Brooks Koepka 71-70-69-68-278 (-10)
Adam Scott 70-67-70-71-278 (-10)
Ashley Chesters 71-72-67-69-279 (-9)
Luke Donald 68-70-73-68-279 (-9)
Martin Kaymer 71-70-70-68-279 (-9)
Ollie Schniederjans 70-72-70-67-279 (-9)
Brendon Todd 71-73-69-66-279 (-9)
Anthony Wall 70-71-68-70-279 (-9)
Hideki Matsuyama 72-66-71-71-280 (-8)
Robert Streb 66-71-70-73-280 (-8)
Stewart Cink 70-71-68-72-281 (-7)
Marcus Fraser 74-69-68-70-281 (-7)
Retief Goosen 66-72-69-74-281 (-7)
Branden Grace 69-72-73-67-281 (-7)
Padraig Harrington 72-69-65-75-281 (-7)
Russell Henley 74-66-72-69-281 (-7)
Phil Mickelson 70-72-70-69-281 (-7)
James Morrison 71-71-70-69-281 (-7)
Greg Owen 68-73-71-69-281 (-7)
Patrick Reed 72-70-67-72-281 (-7)
Steven Bowditch 70-69-69-74-282 (-6)
Paul Dunne 69-69-66-78-282 (-6)
Rickie Fowler 72-71-66-73-282 (-6)
Jim Furyk 73-71-66-72-282 (-6)
Billy Horschel 73-71-71-67-282 (-6)
Matt Jones 68-73-69-72-282 (-6)
Anirban Lahiri 69-70-71-72-282 (-6)
Ryan Palmer 71-71-67-73-282 (-6)
Andy Sullivan 72-71-68-71-282 (-6)
Jimmy Walker 72-68-71-71-282 (-6)
Scott Arnold 71-73-73-66-283 (-5)
Rafael Cabrera Bello 71-73-68-71-283 (-5)
Paul Lawrie 66-70-74-73-283 (-5)
Francesco Molinari 72-71-73-67-283 (-5)
Geoff Ogilvy 71-68-72-72-283 (-5)
John Senden 72-72-68-71-283 (-5)
Webb Simpson 70-70-71-72-283 (-5)
Henrik Stenson 73-70-71-69-283 (-5)
Marc Warren 68-69-72-74-283 (-5)
Jamie Donaldson 72-71-71-70-284 (-4)
David Duval 72-72-67-73-284 (-4)
Ryan Fox 72-69-76-67-284 (-4)
David Howell 68-73-73-70-284 (-4)
Dustin Johnson 65-69-75-75-284 (-4)
Hunter Mahan 72-72-67-73-284 (-4)
Graeme McDowell 72-72-70-70-284 (-4)
Eddie Pepperell 72-70-66-76-284 (-4)
Lee Westwood 71-73-69-71-284 (-4)
Greg Chalmers 70-71-69-75-285 (-3)
Jason Dufner 73-71-67-74-285 (-3)
Matt Kuchar 71-73-70-71-285 (-3)
David Lipsky 73-69-70-73-285 (-3)
Kevin Na 67-75-70-73-285 (-3)
Cameron Tringale 71-71-73-70-285 (-3)
Gary Woodland 72-70-71-72-285 (-3)
Ernie Els 71-73-69-73-286 (-2)
Thongchai Jaidee 72-71-70-73-286 (-2)
Romain Langasque 69-72-71-74-286 (-2)
Graham DeLaet 71-73-68-75-287 (-1)
Harris English 71-72-69-75-287 (-1)
Ross Fisher 71-73-72-71-287 (-1)
Richard Ramsay 72-71-70-74-287 (-1)
Charl Schwartzel 67-72-69-79-287 (-1)
Bernd Wiesberger 72-72-71-72-287 (-1)
Paul Casey 70-71-75-72-288 (E)
David Lingmerth 69-72-70-77-288 (E)
Ben Martin 74-70-67-77-288 (E)
Brett Rumford 71-71-71-75-288 (E)
Bernhard Langer 74-70-73-72-289 (+1)
Mark O’Meara 72-72-71-74-289 (+1)
Thomas Aiken 75-69-72-74-290 (+2)
