Nerve-less Collin Morikawa shot a scintillating bogey-free final round yesterday to clinch the Claret Jug on his Open Championship debut as returning fans soaked up the victory at a sun-drenched Royal St George’s.
The American wrestled hold of the lead with three birdies to finish the front nine and held off the charging Jordan Spieth to win by two strokes on the Kent coast.
The 24-year-old, who won his first major on his US PGA Championship debut last year, becomes the first Open debutant to win since Ben Curtis did so at this course in 2003.
Morikawa’s four-under 66 saw him win on 15 under, with 2017 champion Spieth also recording a final-day 66 to finish as his fellow American’s nearest challenger.
US Open champion Jon Rahm birdied four of his last six holes to card a 66 and finish joint third on 11 under with overnight leader Louis Oosthuizen, who closed with a 71.
Up to 32,000 spectators flooded through the gates on Sunday and were treated to a blockbuster final round as the only players to make the cut in all four of this year’s men’s majors finished as the top four in Sandwich.
It was a fitting finale at Royal St George’s as the venue belatedly got to hold the 149th edition of golf’s oldest major after last year’s championship was cancelled because of the Covid pandemic.
Shane Lowry’s victory at Royal Portrush two years ago was beginning to feel like it hailed from a different era when sport was locked down and, while six majors have since been played in the US, this was the first to be staged on this side of the Atlantic Ocean since the Irishman’s iconic victory in 2019.
