Wonder from Down Under Smith stops McIlroy in his tracks with record score
Swashbuckling Australian overwhelmed after lifting Claret Jug in historic 150th edition at St Andrews
GIVEN the circumstances, there was no other word for it. Strewth. In an astonishing finale to the 150th Open Championship, Cameron Smith had us all gasping that well-kent Australian exclamation as he snatched the Claret Jug with a quite masterful display.
Mounting a thrilling backnine rampage, which should have had been accompanied by the rousing soundtrack of Ride of the Valkyries, Smith roared home in just 30 blows en route to a sparkling eight-under 64. That gave him a mighty 20-under aggregate – a record low at St Andrews – and a oneshot victory over the wonderfully gallant Cameron Young, who pulled a riveting eagle out the hat on the last hole to crank up the tension.
As the hyperventilating masses grasped for a brown paper bag, Smith stood as sturdy as the Martyr’s Monument and dunted in a short one to seal the glory. It was a truly remarkable effort on a remarkable day for golf.
Smith joined those Aussie greats, Peter Thomson and Kel Nagle, as an Open champion at St Andrews while he became the first man from Down
Under to get his name etched on to the Claret Jug since Greg Norman in 1993.
“I can breathe now,” he panted with a smile after completing the job
Poor old Rory McIlroy, sharing the lead by four strokes heading into the final day, was left to reflect, once again, on what might have been. As he gazed down from the 17th green at events unfolding ahead of him on the last, he knew the writing was on the wall. Another missed birdie chance from 18 feet on the penultimate hole effectively killed his hopes.
McIlroy, who led by two with eight to play, needed to eagle the last to tie with Smith but could only muster a par and finished third on 18 under.
The Northern Irishman, desperately seeking a first Major title in eight years, had declared during the week that winning a second Open title here in the cradle of the game would be like finding the holy grail. He had it in his sights with a few holes to play. When he finished, it had disappeared again. The hunt, and the drought, goes on. This was a particularly sore one to take but McIlroy was philosophical.
“It’s not life or death,” he said. “It’s one that I feel like I let slip away, but there will be other opportunities.”
For Smith, there was the wonder of a first Major conquest after a number of near misses in golf’s showpiece occasions. And what a way to do it. A keen fisherman, Smith must have felt like shoving the rod and tackle into the bag as he set out to reel in the leaders.
Needing to chase down McIlroy and co-leader Viktor Hovland, the 28-yearold threw caution to the
wind and embarked on a rousing offensive full of courage, conviction and some tremendous putting. As he slithered off the lead during Saturday’s third round,
Smith could not buy a putt. Yesterday, he bagged them like they were on offer at a cutprice sale.
In stark contrast, McIlroy could not hole anything outside of six feet. Two birdies and 16 pars in a closing 70 was not bad at all – he hit every green in regulation – but it was blown away by Smith’s barnstorming blitz.
Having separated themselves from the field with those 66s in round three, everybody was anticipating a shoot-out for the ages between McIlroy and Hovland.
From the moment he threeputted the fourth to leak a shot, though, Hovland slowly retreated from the front line. The Norwegian would eventually finish tied fourth after a 73.
McIlroy’s disciplined, patient probing early on was rewarded with a first birdie of the day on the fifth and you felt he would put the foot down and seize the championship in a double nelson. The 2014 Claret Jug winner made another birdie by two-putting from well over 100feet on the 10th but, by this point, Smith was beginning to move up through the gears.
His scintillating surge of fives birdies in a row from the 10th was a masterclass in bold, attacking vigour and his approach into the 13th, which led to a birdie putt from 18 feet, galvanised his spirit.
“That’s when I thought I can win this thing,” he said.
Another gain arrived at the 14th but there was still the Road Hole to negotiate. Short with his approach to the treacherous 17th, Smith rolled a putt up past the side of the lurking bunker and salvaged a brave par. It was a decisive moment.
The fearless, unyielding Young, making his Open debut, conjured a jaw-dropping finish with a two on the last in a 65 but Smith completed the formalities with aplomb.