Paul Dunne shares the lead with Jason Day and Louis Oosthuizen going into the final round of the 144th Open at St Andrews. Adam Scott was tied for the lead until he found a pot bunker behind the 14th green for bogey, missed an 18-inch par putt on the next hole and hit onto the road and out-of-bounds on the 18th. “Whoever comes out the champion, that’s a hell of a major“.
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Golfing fever is gripping the nation with an Irish duo right in the mix for the British Open this afternoon.
Dunne, the 22-year-old from Ireland, was impervious to everything around him and soaked up a day he won’t soon forget in his round of 6-under 66.
Johnson was the sole American to make it into the playoff round, using a thrilling buzzer-beater style putt to earn a berth in the extra round of golf.
Zach Johnson held history at bay and made some of his own at the Old Course on Monday winning his second career major championship.
They were at 12-under 204.
That left Johnson with a one-shot lead over Oosthuizen playing the last, with Leishman out of contention two shots further back. But the sense that something bigger was lost wasn’t just felt by the fans who bought tickets for 10 pounds to sit in the rain on what was looking to be a magical day. “But whether I do or not, I’ll survive either way”.
Despite missing the chance to make history with regards the grand slam, and become the second youngest world number one ever, Spieth insisted he would soon get over his disappointment.
All three golfers bogeyed the 17th, leaving Johnson with a one-stroke lead over Oosthuizen. He had a shot at the British Open to be the first player in decades to win golf’s first three major tournaments. He finished with a 66.
Then, of course, there was last month’s U.S. Open, when he had a 12-foot putt to win the title on the final hole.
However, as an amateur Dunne will not be entitled to any of the £1,150,000 prize money should he win on Monday. I didn’t play as well there. “Whether I will or not is a different question, but I’m well capable of shooting the score necessary tomorrow to put myself in with a chance”. I was really motivated to win this championship.
“You’ve just got to get the confidence that you belong here, whether that’s from the players you’re playing with, fans out there, people back home”, Niebrugge said. “It’s going to be hard”.
It was an extraordinary day of extravagant shot-making that saw a barrage of birdies assail the Old Course.
One day after raging wind off the Eden Estuary caused a 10-hour delay and forced a Monday finish, the flags were soaked from passing showers and limp from no wind.
However, Dunne mishit his approach so badly that it came up short of the Swilcan Burn and although he managed a wry smile, the resulting bogey meant he was suddenly two off the lead.
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Meanwhile, Dustin Johnson’s jinx at majors struck again as he went from favourite to outsider with a scrappy three-over-par 75.
