ST ANDREWS, Scotland — Cameron Smith wasn’t interested in your storybook ending.
With massive crowds at the Old Course at St Andrews (and couches around the world) firmly in the corner of 54-hole co-leader Rory McIlroy, the 28-year-old Smith played a back nine for the ages at the Home of Golf to win the Claret Jug at the 150th Open Championship.
Trailing McIlroy by three strokes as he made the turn, Smith birdied five holes in a row beginning at the 10th. When the dust cleared on a birdie binge that instantly becomes part of the long history of this historic town, the relentless Aussie was the leader by one and never let it slip from his grasp.
With a par save after missing the green at the diabolical Road Hole, and the required birdie at the famous closing hole that welcomes players back into town, Smith shot a back-nine six-under 30 to close with an eight-under 64. His 20-under-par total was one clear of his playing partner Cameron Young (65), who eagled the last, and two clear of McIlroy (70), who failed to card a birdie over the final eight holes.
“I feel like I can breathe,” Smith said after the win. “These last four or five holes aren’t easy around here, especially with the wind up off the left. Yeah, just stuck to what I was doing. Just really proud of how I kind of knuckled down today and managed to get it done.”
“I love this type of golf. I think this type of golf suits a lot of Aussies, the firm and fast fairways. Having to hit away from pins, I think, is another one, where Aussies are brought up doing that. I just felt really good with where my game was at and how the course was set up.”
Golf has a Bear and a Tiger, and it had its King, but McIlroy has long been the game’s Prince; but he’s a prince seemingly forever in line but unable to fully ascend the throne. After four quick majors, it has been eight long years since McIlroy held one of golf’s biggest prizes. Near misses this summer at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open were both optimistic and worrisome. But golf is an eternally hopeful sport and it was hard not to think it was all building to this Sunday; hard not to think that the curse would end here at the Home of Golf.
“Of course you think about it, and you envision it, and you want to envision it,” McIlroy said. “My hotel room is directly opposite the big yellow board on 18 there right off the first. And every time I go out, I’m trying to envision McIlroy as the top name on that leaderboard and how did that feel?”
Then the putter went cold and the birdies ran dry, and McIlroy found himself squarely in the crosshairs of a man who couldn’t miss.
“I tried to stay as patient as possible, and I kept hitting good putts,” McIlroy said. “I hit a good putt on 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. I was hitting good putts. They just weren’t dropping.”
While Rory deals with the inevitable stage in every great golfer’s game where all the talent is still there but the gremlins of past defeats lurk, Smith’s feet have not touched the ground since he launched himself toward the game’s top stars by winning this year’s Players Championship.
“He’s got so much belief in himself and so much confidence,” his caddie Sam Pinfold told a small group of reporters minutes after the win. “It makes my job easy. I don’t have to think about a second option, it’s what’s the best shot, what’s the best option. Point, shoot, and then go. And he just has the courage to do it and stands up and does it.”
Pinfold said he honestly believes Smith was buoyed this week from a win by his hometown Queensland Maroons in the State of Origin series.
“He’s just a competitor, it’s the Aussie Queensland spirit,” Pinfold said. “I think he honestly drew a lot from that, I really do. He loves gettin’ in a fight. You put him in a fight and he’s three or four back, he’s going to step up his game and go for it. It’s pretty fun to be around.”
Viktor Hovland, who was tied with McIlroy for the 54-hole lead, shot a two-over 74 and finished tied for fourth with Tommy Fleetwood (67). Dustin Johnson (69) was the top LIV golfer this week, finishing tied for sixth with Brian Harman (66).
During his winner’s news conference, Smith was asked about rumours he might be heading to the Greg Norman-led, Saudi-funded breakaway LIV Golf Series.
“I just won the British Open, and you’re asking about that? I think that’s pretty not good,” Smith said. “I don’t know, mate, my team around me worries about all that stuff. I’m here to win golf tournaments.”
Rounding out the top 10 in a three-way tie for eighth was Jordan Speith (68), Bryson DeChambeau (66), and Patrick Cantlay (68).
Corey Conners shot a five-under 67 to finish T28 at eight under.
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