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Ice-cool Collin Morikawa produced a scintillating final round to win The Open by two shots at a scorching Royal St George’s in Sandwich on Sunday.
The 24-year-old American made history by becoming the first man to win two different majors in his debut in them. In 2020, he won the PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco.
Morikawa trailed overnight leader Louis Oosthuizen by one shot but took charge on a sunshine-kissed final day with three birdies on the final three holes of the front nine.
By the time Morikawa birdied the second par-five hole on the course at 14, his nearest challenger was Jordan Spieth, who was still two shots behind with three holes to play.
Morikawa’s second shot at the 15th found rough to the left of the green and he needed to produce a brilliant wedge shot before holing a tense eight-foot putt to rescue par.
Spieth missed the chance to pile on the pressure at the par-three 16th, his tee shot finding the front of the green and his putt falling just short of the hole.
As Morikawa also took a three at the 16th, Spieth missed a birdie chance at 17 and the race was seemingly won.
Morikawa, who only turned professional in 2019, took no chances as he took a par four at the 17th and then drove straight down the middle of 18 and found the green with his second shot before taking two putts to complete a brilliant round of 66 and end the week at 15 under par.
Spieth’s charge ultimately came too late, an eagle at seven cancelled out two early bogeys. Four birdies in six holes gave him hope, but he could not ruffle Morikawa’s feathers.
Jon Rahm finished third alongside Oosthuizen, whose bid slipped away with a one over par round of 71. Rahm struggled to hole his putts throughout the week but enjoyed a purple patch on the back nine, producing four successive birdies from 13 and only narrowly failing to repeat the trick at 17.
Brooks Koepka was another to save his best golf for last, his final round of 65 saw him finish the week at eight under par alongside Mackenzie Hughes.
Dustin Johnson and Robert MacIntyre both turned in rounds of 67 to lead the pack at seven under, one shot ahead of champion Shane Lowry, whose defence of the trophy he won at Royal Portrush in 2019 proved a spirited one.
Paul Casey went round at level par to finish five under, Ian Poulter was three under, one shot ahead of Tommy Fleetwood. Bryson DeChambeau went round in 65 to finish alongside Fleetwood at two under while Rory McIlroy ended the week at level par after a 71.
