Johnson Wins Open Championship in Extra Holes; Spieth Barely Misses Playoff


The winner of the Open Championship was a Johnson, but it wasn't 36-hole leader Dustin. It was Zach Johnson who's bringing the Claret Jug back to the U.S. The 39-year-old Iowan closed with a 6-under 66 on the Old Course at St. Andrews and survived a four-hole aggregate-score playoff to win the second major of his career.

The 2007 Masters champion finished 72 holes at 15-under 273, tying South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen (69) and Australian Marc Leishman, who matched Johnson for the day's low round of 66. Following four holes - in order the par-4s at the first, second, 17th and 18th - Johnson ended up at 1-under, a stroke ahead of Oosthuizen, the winner of the 2010 Open at St. Andrews - and three clear of Leishman.

Oosthuizen and Johnson birdied the first playoff hole while Leishman bogeyed to fall two strokes behind. On the second extra hole, Oosthuizen and Leishman two-putted for par while Johnson sank a 20-footer for birdie to go 2-under and take a one-stroke edge over Oosthuizen.

On the third hole, the tough 17th, all three found the dogleg-right fairway with their tee shots. Hitting first, Leishman found the front-right of the green and faced a long birdie try. His putt stopped 15 feet short. Johnson pulled his 4-iron approach, leaving him with a difficult flop shot over the Road Hole bunker. His third landed on the green but rolled over before stopping in the rough behind the putting surface.

Oosthuizen struck his birdie try to about 7 feet. Leishman missed, dropping him to 2-over in the playoff, while Oosthuizen also missed for his first bogey of the week on the 17th. After his chip shot almost went in for par, Johnson made his 4-foot comebacker for a critical bogey to stay one-up on Oosthuizen entering the final extra hole.

Both Oosthuizen and Johnson had birdie chances on the 18th, with Oosthuizen's drive stopping about 35 yards in front of the green and Johnson facing a 77-yard approach. Johnson's second stopped 15 feet above the hole, while Oosthuizen's pitch went 10 feet past. Both players just missed their birdie attempts, giving Johnson the title Champion Golfer of the Year.

An emotional, teary-eyed Johnson said during a greenside interview on ESPN, "I'm grateful and humbled. This is the Birthplace of Golf, it means so much. I feel great. I felt patient. Thank the lord, my friends, my family."

As for his second major title, he added, "If I could summarize it, I've come a long way since 2007. I think what this does is it really puts this in perspective. I play golf for a living. It's a great opportunity," said the weeping Johnson, who sank a birdie putt on the 72nd hole to qualify for the playoff.

Of his just coming up short for his second victory at St. Andrews, Oosthuizen noted, "I've always enjoyed playing St. Andrews, especially the Open. I got into the playoff. I didn't take advantage on 17. I've putted well all week. Not much more than I could do."

The 31-year-old Leishman, whose wife Audrey almost died in May after suffering a series of infections that left her in a coma but who has since recovered, said of his performance, "Obviously I'm disappointed. I had my chances. I'm going to go home and see my wife and boys."

While Oosthuizen, Leishman and Johnson battled it out in overtime, Jordan Spieth just missed joining them. The Dallas native, who turns 22 on July 27, was tied for the lead at 15-under entering the rugged Road Hole. After hitting short with his second shot, Spieth struck his third to 7 feet, but missed the par attempt that would have kept him in a tie for the lead and given him a chance for an outright victory with a birdie on the last.

On the final hole, Spieth had a 100-yard approach in to the rolling green, but again hit up short, his ball rolling back into the depression called the Valley of Sin. Spieth putted and almost sank his birdie, but it missed, and so did his chances of becoming the first player since fellow Texan Ben Hogan in 1953 to capture the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open in the same year.

Also dashed were Spieth's hopes for a Grand Slam. "We gave it a great effort. I didn't think three guys would go 15-under. Finishing par-birdie is ideal. Three guys played better. "

Of his final birdie putt, Spieth - who closed with a 3-under 69 to share fourth with Jason Day (70) - added, "It had a chance. It was a really good putt but it just hung out there on the left side." As for the disappointment of not winning a third straight major, Spieth remarked, "It's a tough feeling to come up short. I believe I'll have other chances. But right now, it's tough. Very pleased with the way we worked this week. I'm looking forward to the PGA Championship."

Day also suffered disappointment, carding a par on the last en route to a 2-under 70. "I didn't do anything out of the ordinary to win the championship. I'm disappointed about a par on the 18th," the 27-year-old Aussie said. "I hit it right in the heart but it just came up short. It's just something that I need to keep working at. It was frustrating, but I played good, solid golf for four days. I'm looking forward to playing the PGA (Championship) and another major."

Sharing sixth at 277 were Englishmen Danny Willett and Justin Rose, Spain's Sergio Garcia and American amateur Jordan Niebrugge, who all carded 70s.

Florida's Brooks Koepka (68) and Aussie Adam Scott (71) tied for 10th at 278, while sharing 12th at 279 were Americans Brendon Todd (66) and amateur Ollie Schniederjans (67), English pros Luke Donald (68) and Anthony Wall (70) and British amateur Ashley Chesters (69), and Germany's Martin Kaymer (68).

After taking the halfway lead following a 65 and 69, Dustin Johnson struggled to a pair of 75s in the final two rounds to drop into a tie for 49th at 284.

Irish amateur Paul Dunne, who began the final round tied for the lead with Oosthuizen and Day, stumbled to a 78 and shared 30th at 282.

The 144th Open Championship had a rare Monday finish after Saturday's third round was wiped out because of high winds.

For all the scores, visit http://www.theopen.com/leaderboard#!/traditional.