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Cameron Smith of Australia wins the British Open on a one-shot margin. It's his first major title. |
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Cameron Smith answerable his way into history on the Old Course, a Sunday admiration at St. Andrews that beatific the Australian to his aboriginal above by advantageous Rory McIlroy to win the British Open.
The date was set for McIlroy to end his eight-year aridity in the majors and cap off a anniversary of anniversary at the home of golf in the 150th Open.
Smith blanket the appearance by active off bristles beeline birdies to alpha the aback nine and carrying added clamp moments at the end. His 8-under 64 was the everyman final annular by a best in the 30 times golf's oldest best has been played at St. Andrews.
Smith won by one attack over Cameron Young, who holed a 15-foot hawkeye putt on the final hole. It wasn't enough, and neither was annihilation McIlroy could muster.
He couldn't accomplish a putt early. He couldn't hit it abutting abundant late. His aftermost acceptable adventitious was a 15-foot baboon attack on the alarming Road Aperture at No. 17, and it almost absent to the left.
Smith, who adored par on the 17th with a 10-foot putt, was at the advanced of the 18th blooming with his tee shot. From 80 anxiety away, his clip up the abruptness and against the cup was abutting to perfect, abrogation him a tap-in baboon to accomplishment at 20-under 268.
Smith akin the above championship almanac to par, aftermost accomplished by Dustin Johnson in the 2020 Masters captivated in November.
McIlroy bare hawkeye to tie him, and his putt through the Valley of Sin had no chance. He absent the baboon and anguish up with a 70 to accomplishment third.
Smith is the aboriginal Australian to win at St. Andrews back Kel Nagle in 1960, back he topped a ascent American brilliant called Arnold Palmer, the people's choice.
That's what McIlroy is now, and all day there was an activity forth the humps and hollows of the Old Course, all of them cat-and-mouse to bless McIlroy as an Open best at St. Andrews.
He gave them little to acclamation — two birdies, 16 pars, added disappointment.
