Cameron Smith blasted his way into history on the Old Course, a Sunday upset at St. Andrews that sent the Aussie to his first major as he beat Rory McIlroy to win the British Open.
The stage was set for McIlroy to end his eight-year drought in the majors and cap off a week of celebration in the house of golf at the 150th Open.
Smith stole the show by executing five birdies in a row to start the last 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 the longest-serving golf champion had been played at St. Andrews.
Smith beat out Cameron Young by one stroke, who sank a 15-foot eagle putt on the final hole. It wasn’t enough, and neither was anything McIlroy could muster.
He was unable to make an early putt. He couldn’t hit it close enough late. His last good chance was a 15-foot birdie attempt at the terrifying Road Hole at No. 17, and he narrowly missed left.
Smith, who saved the par on the 17th with a 10-foot putt, was in front of the green on the 18th with his tee shot. From 80 feet away, his pace up the hill and toward the cup was almost perfect, leaving him with a birdie to finish with 268, 20 under par.
Smith equaled the major championship record on par, last set by Dustin Johnson at the 2020 Masters held in November.
McIlroy needed eagle to tie him down, and his putt through Sin Valley didn’t stand a chance. He missed birdie and finished with a 70 to finish third.
Smith is the first Australian to win at St. Andrews since Kel Nagle in 1960, when he beat a rising American star named Arnold Palmer, the crowd’s choice.
This is McIlroy now, and all day there was energy along the mounds and hollows of the Old Course, everyone waiting to celebrate McIlroy as Open champion at St. Andrews.
He gave them little to cheer: two birdies, 16 pars, more disappointment.
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