A new man has taken up residence at the Home of Golf. Cameron Smith stormed back from as many as three down on Sunday to claim his first major win at the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews.
The Australia native narrowly defeated Cameron Young and Rory McIlroy, who entered the fourth round with a four-stroke lead.
Smith’s tremendous putting and McIlroy’s cold putter helped Smith climb back into contention, and he finished with a final-round 64 and 20-under par for the tournament.
Smith isn’t just taking home the claret jug. He’s also bringing home some cash after his performance at the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland.
The stage was set for McIlroy to end his eight-year drought in the majors and cap off a week of celebration at the home of golf in the 150th Open.
Instead, Smith stole the show by running off five straight birdies to start the back nine and delivering more clutch moments at the end. His 8-under 64 was the lowest final round by a champion in the 30 times golf’s oldest championship has been played at St. Andrews.
Smith won by 1 shot over Cameron Young, who holed a 15-foot eagle putt on the final hole to ever-so-briefly tie for the lead.
Smith came home with birdies from 5 feet on the 10th, 20 feet on the 11th, 12 feet on 12th, 18 feet on the 13th and a tap-in for a two-putt on 14th from more than 100 feet.
The five consecutive birdies reeled in McIlroy and gave Smith the lead.
His biggest putt, however, came on the Road Hole, the course’s toughest. After his approach came up short of the famous Road Hole Bunker, Smith putted around the hazard to 10 feet and then buried the putt for par to maintain his lead.
His next huge putts came about on the 72nd hole. Smith drove the green and from 80 feet nestled his first putt to three feet. But playing partner Cameron Young had driven the green and then knocked in a 15-footer for eagle to tie Smith if only for a moment.
Smith calmly stepped into his putt and knocked it in to win his first major championship.
My Goat Sports 