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Curtis pulls off surprise win in 132nd British Open
Sandwich, July 21: Little-known American Ben Curtis produced one of the biggest surprises in major championship history on Sunday (July 20), winning the 132nd British Open at Royal St George`s by a stroke.
Sandwich, July 21: Little-known American Ben Curtis produced one of the biggest surprises in major championship history on Sunday (July 20), winning the 132nd British Open at Royal St George's by a stroke.
The 26-year-old Curtis, a 250-1 outsider at the start of the tournament, fired a closing 69 to finish at one-under 283, Denmark's Thomas Bjorn having thrown away a three-shot lead with four holes remaining.
Ryder Cup player Bjorn, who bounced back from a bogey at the first with birdies at three, four, seven and 14, took three shots to escape from a greenside bunker at the par-three 16th.
He then bogeyed the par-four 17th, failing to get up and down from just off the green, to hand victory to the American. Bjorn, who started the day one clear of the field, carded a one-over 72 to slip back into a tie for second with twice major winner Fijian Vijay Singh, who returned a 70.
World number one Tiger Woods of the USA, who had been bidding for a ninth career major, faltered after a strong start, closing with a 71 to end up joint-fourth at one over, level with compatriot Davis Love III, who shot a 72.
Curtis, a rookie on the USPGA Tour who qualified for the British Open by tying for 13th at the Western Open earlier this month, produced sparkling form with his approach play over the first 11 holes.
Appearing remarkably calm, he reeled off four birdies to reach the turn in four-under-par 32, at that point tied for the lead with Singh. As Singh faltered at the eighth, Curtis picked up further shots at 10th and 11th to stretch his lead to two.
But the Ohio-based professional, a semi-finalist at the 1999 U.S. amateur championship, dropped his first shot of the day at the par-four 12th, where he failed to get up and down from the back of the green.
After finding the rough off the tee at the 459-yard 13th, Curtis also bogeyed 14, 15 and 17 to fade to one under, before Bjorn threw away his own golden chance of a major breakthrough with his poor finish.
Woods, wearing his trademark final-round maroon shirt, had got off to a good start, making birdie at the par-five fourth for the third time this week and then sinking a curling 5-metre putt at the fifth.
He then two-putted for birdie number three at the seventh, briefly drawing level with Curtis and overnight leader Bjorn in a share of second place. But Woods dropped his first shot of the day at the eighth, missing a short putt for par, and also bogeyed the par-four 10th, where he found heavy rough with his second shot and failed to get up and down in two.
Although he reached the green in two to set up another birdie at the par-five 14th, he dropped further shots at the par-four 15th, where he overhit his approach, and at the 17th, where he also misjudged to slip back to level par.
Collated final round scores (British unless stated): 283 Ben Curtis (U.S.) 72 72 70 69 284 Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) 73 70 69 72, Vijay Singh (Fiji) 75 70 69 70 285 Davis Love III (U.S.) 69 72 72 72, Tiger Woods (U.S.) 73 72 69 71 286 Brian Davis 77 73 68 68, Fredrik Jacobson (Sweden) 70 76 70 70 287 Nick Faldo 76 74 67 70, Kenny Perry (U.S.) 74 70 70 73 288 Gary Evans 71 75 70 72, Sergio Garcia (Spain) 73 71 70 74, Retief Goosen (South Africa) 73 75 71 69, Hennie Otto (South Africa) 68 76 75 69, Phillip Price 74 72 69 73 289 Stuart Appleby (Australia) 75 71 71 72, Chad Campbell (U.S.) 74 71 72 72, Pierre Fulke (Sweden) 77 72 67 73 290 Ernie Els (South Africa) 78 68 72 72, Mathias Gronberg (Sweden) 71 74 73 72, Greg Norman (Australia) 69 79 74 68, Tom Watson (U.S.) 71 77 73 69 291 Angel Cabrera (Argentina) 75 73 70 73, K.J.Choi (South Korea) 77 72 72 70, Peter Fowler (Australia) 77 73 70 71, Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 75 73 74 69, Thomas Levet (France) 71 73 74 73, J.L.Lewis (U.S.) 78 70 72 71 292 Mark Foster 73 73 72 74, S.K.Ho (South Korea) 70 73 72 77, Paul McGinley (Ireland) 77 73 69 73, Andrew Oldcorn 72 74 73 73, Nick Price (Zimbabwe) 74 72 72 74, Mike Weir (Canada) 74 76 71 71 293 Stewart Cink (U.S.) 75 75 75 68, Jose Coceres (Argentina) 77 70 72 74, Bob Estes (U.S.) 77 71 76 69, Shingo Katayama (Japan) 76 73 73 71, Scott McCarron (U.S.) 71 74 73 75, Adam Mednick (Sweden) 76 72 76 69, Gary Murphy (Ireland) 73 74 73 73, Marco Ruiz (Paraguay) 73 71 75 74, Duffy Waldorf (U.S.) 76 73 71 73 294 Robert Allenby (Australia) 73 75 74 72, Rich Beem (U.S.) 76 74 75 69, Tom Byrum (U.S.) 77 72 71 74 295 Markus Brier (Austria) 76 71 74 74, Fred Couples (U.S.) 71 75 71 78, Brad Faxon (U.S.) 77 73 70 75, Mathew Goggin (Australia) 76 72 70 77, Tom Lehman (U.S.) 77 73 72 73, Ian Poulter 78 72 70 75, Anthony Wall 75 74 71 75 296 Michael Campbell (New Zealand) 78 72 74 72, Trevor Immelman (South Africa) 77 73 72 74, Raphael Jacquelin (France) 77 71 72 76, David Lynn 73 76 71 76, Mark McNulty (Zimbabwe) 79 71 77 69, Rory Sabbatini (South Africa) 79 71 75 71 297 Darren Clarke 75 75 71 76, Alastair Forsyth 74 70 78 75, Skip Kendall (U.S.) 73 76 73 75, Peter Lonard (Australia) 73 73 70 81, Phil Mickelson (U.S.) 74 72 73 78, Craig Parry (Australia) 73 73 76 75 298 Charles Howell III (U.S.) 71 76 77 74, Stephen Leaney (Australia) 74 76 78 70, Len Mattiace (U.S.) 74 75 74 75, Mark O'Meara (U.S.) 73 77 77 71 300 Katsuyoshi Tomori (Japan) 72 77 75 76 301 John Rollins (U.S.) 72 76 78 75 302 Chris Smith (U.S.) 74 73 76 79 303 John Daly (U.S.) 75 74 74 80, Ian Woosnam 73 75 80 75
Bureau Report
World number one Tiger Woods of the USA, who had been bidding for a ninth career major, faltered after a strong start, closing with a 71 to end up joint-fourth at one over, level with compatriot Davis Love III, who shot a 72.
Curtis, a rookie on the USPGA Tour who qualified for the British Open by tying for 13th at the Western Open earlier this month, produced sparkling form with his approach play over the first 11 holes.
Appearing remarkably calm, he reeled off four birdies to reach the turn in four-under-par 32, at that point tied for the lead with Singh. As Singh faltered at the eighth, Curtis picked up further shots at 10th and 11th to stretch his lead to two.
But the Ohio-based professional, a semi-finalist at the 1999 U.S. amateur championship, dropped his first shot of the day at the par-four 12th, where he failed to get up and down from the back of the green.
After finding the rough off the tee at the 459-yard 13th, Curtis also bogeyed 14, 15 and 17 to fade to one under, before Bjorn threw away his own golden chance of a major breakthrough with his poor finish.
Woods, wearing his trademark final-round maroon shirt, had got off to a good start, making birdie at the par-five fourth for the third time this week and then sinking a curling 5-metre putt at the fifth.
He then two-putted for birdie number three at the seventh, briefly drawing level with Curtis and overnight leader Bjorn in a share of second place. But Woods dropped his first shot of the day at the eighth, missing a short putt for par, and also bogeyed the par-four 10th, where he found heavy rough with his second shot and failed to get up and down in two.
Although he reached the green in two to set up another birdie at the par-five 14th, he dropped further shots at the par-four 15th, where he overhit his approach, and at the 17th, where he also misjudged to slip back to level par.
Collated final round scores (British unless stated): 283 Ben Curtis (U.S.) 72 72 70 69 284 Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) 73 70 69 72, Vijay Singh (Fiji) 75 70 69 70 285 Davis Love III (U.S.) 69 72 72 72, Tiger Woods (U.S.) 73 72 69 71 286 Brian Davis 77 73 68 68, Fredrik Jacobson (Sweden) 70 76 70 70 287 Nick Faldo 76 74 67 70, Kenny Perry (U.S.) 74 70 70 73 288 Gary Evans 71 75 70 72, Sergio Garcia (Spain) 73 71 70 74, Retief Goosen (South Africa) 73 75 71 69, Hennie Otto (South Africa) 68 76 75 69, Phillip Price 74 72 69 73 289 Stuart Appleby (Australia) 75 71 71 72, Chad Campbell (U.S.) 74 71 72 72, Pierre Fulke (Sweden) 77 72 67 73 290 Ernie Els (South Africa) 78 68 72 72, Mathias Gronberg (Sweden) 71 74 73 72, Greg Norman (Australia) 69 79 74 68, Tom Watson (U.S.) 71 77 73 69 291 Angel Cabrera (Argentina) 75 73 70 73, K.J.Choi (South Korea) 77 72 72 70, Peter Fowler (Australia) 77 73 70 71, Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 75 73 74 69, Thomas Levet (France) 71 73 74 73, J.L.Lewis (U.S.) 78 70 72 71 292 Mark Foster 73 73 72 74, S.K.Ho (South Korea) 70 73 72 77, Paul McGinley (Ireland) 77 73 69 73, Andrew Oldcorn 72 74 73 73, Nick Price (Zimbabwe) 74 72 72 74, Mike Weir (Canada) 74 76 71 71 293 Stewart Cink (U.S.) 75 75 75 68, Jose Coceres (Argentina) 77 70 72 74, Bob Estes (U.S.) 77 71 76 69, Shingo Katayama (Japan) 76 73 73 71, Scott McCarron (U.S.) 71 74 73 75, Adam Mednick (Sweden) 76 72 76 69, Gary Murphy (Ireland) 73 74 73 73, Marco Ruiz (Paraguay) 73 71 75 74, Duffy Waldorf (U.S.) 76 73 71 73 294 Robert Allenby (Australia) 73 75 74 72, Rich Beem (U.S.) 76 74 75 69, Tom Byrum (U.S.) 77 72 71 74 295 Markus Brier (Austria) 76 71 74 74, Fred Couples (U.S.) 71 75 71 78, Brad Faxon (U.S.) 77 73 70 75, Mathew Goggin (Australia) 76 72 70 77, Tom Lehman (U.S.) 77 73 72 73, Ian Poulter 78 72 70 75, Anthony Wall 75 74 71 75 296 Michael Campbell (New Zealand) 78 72 74 72, Trevor Immelman (South Africa) 77 73 72 74, Raphael Jacquelin (France) 77 71 72 76, David Lynn 73 76 71 76, Mark McNulty (Zimbabwe) 79 71 77 69, Rory Sabbatini (South Africa) 79 71 75 71 297 Darren Clarke 75 75 71 76, Alastair Forsyth 74 70 78 75, Skip Kendall (U.S.) 73 76 73 75, Peter Lonard (Australia) 73 73 70 81, Phil Mickelson (U.S.) 74 72 73 78, Craig Parry (Australia) 73 73 76 75 298 Charles Howell III (U.S.) 71 76 77 74, Stephen Leaney (Australia) 74 76 78 70, Len Mattiace (U.S.) 74 75 74 75, Mark O'Meara (U.S.) 73 77 77 71 300 Katsuyoshi Tomori (Japan) 72 77 75 76 301 John Rollins (U.S.) 72 76 78 75 302 Chris Smith (U.S.) 74 73 76 79 303 John Daly (U.S.) 75 74 74 80, Ian Woosnam 73 75 80 75
Bureau Report