Tour News

The Open: Z. Johnson wins in playoff, Spieth’s Grand Slam bid falls just short

Published

9 years ago

Jul 20, 2015

It was a marathon at The Open Championship at St. Andrews; five days, multiple weather delays and 76 holes. In the end, Zach Johnson stood teary-eyed, humbled and victorious after beating Marc Leishman and Louis Oosthuizen in a four-hole aggregate playoff.

Johnson, now a two-time major champion (Masters 2007), birdied hole No. 18 in regulation to post 15-under, which looked to be the target score for a playoff. His caddy performed a birdie-dance in celebration.

That putt capped off a final-round 66 for Johnson — tied for the low-round of the day — where he rode a hot putter and predictably tactical wedge play.

Johnson continued his momentum into the playoff, where he pieced together two birdies and a bogey to beat out Oosthuizen, the 2010 Open champion at St. Andrews, by one stroke. Leishman was a non-factor in the playoff after a bogey on the first hole, and another on No. 17.

Jordan Spieth, who was chasing the third-leg of a Grand Slam, was left one shot out of the playoff.

Sweet! http://t.co/K1TcP2idL3

— Pams Golf (@pamsgolfoc) July 20, 2015

After an unlikely birdie at No. 16, it looked like Spieth’s tournament to win, but it wasn’t to be.

Spieth needed 37 putts during the final round, including a four-putt and a missed 8-footer for par at No. 17, which ultimately sealed his fate. Needing a birdie on No. 18 to join the playoff, he failed to hit the green in regulation, and couldn’t pull off a miracle putt from the Valley of Sin.

He remained classy in defeat, however, congratulating his role-model and fellow American.

All class. ?????????? #TheOpen https://t.co/OYh7zlfCLw

— TH (@onetoovisionary) July 20, 2015

Jason Day also had an opportunity on No. 18 to join the playoff, but left his 18-foot birdie putt agonizingly short.

Jason Day just left his putt to join the playoff short pic.twitter.com/kMxpazyS8n

— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) July 20, 2015

Day’s quest for his first major championship victory will have to wait another month until the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in August.

See the clubs Zach Johnson used to win The Open Championship

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Andrew Tursky

He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

21 Comments

Bert

Jul 21, 2015 at 5:33 pm

Amazing how one’s faith is so offensive to some. Great win Zach in more ways than one.

Reply Report comment
jakeanderson

Jul 21, 2015 at 1:52 am

I do not appreciate Johnson’s mentioning of God at all. This is very inappropriate. The idea that God would be bothered with helping athletes win, is incredebly flawed from a theological point of view.

Reply Report comment
- Scooter McGavin
  
  Jul 21, 2015 at 7:13 am
  
  Those are just his priorities, I guess. He has time to help multimillionaire athletes win events, but no time to help starving children.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Cliff
    
    Jul 21, 2015 at 10:44 am
    
    Can’t a guy give thanks to God for being alive and healthy? Not to mention his friends/peers and to his family?
    
    Reply Report comment
- Christosterone
  
  Jul 21, 2015 at 11:31 am
  
  One one hand we have zachs god who helps with golf tournaments….on the other hand we have a god whose “prophet” married a 6 year old….
  Don’t know about you but I prefer the one who doesn’t use a pedophile as his main spokesman…
  -Christosterone
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Pat M
    
    Jul 21, 2015 at 1:10 pm
    
    Zach beat the best players in the world. This is a golf web site not a religious web site. You Zach haters need to deal with it. I guess you would prefer him hanging out in Vegas.
    
    Reply Report comment
    - jakeanderson
      
      Jul 21, 2015 at 4:55 pm
      
      i would prefer him not make statements about God that are highly inappropriate.
      
      Reply Report comment
  - other paul
    
    Jul 21, 2015 at 2:17 pm
    
    I have no idea what prophet married a 6 year old? Talking about Mohammed?
    
    Reply Report comment
Ryan

Jul 20, 2015 at 10:38 pm

I didn’t get a chance to watch much of the tourney, but wasn’t Speith one of the ones forced back onto the course in horrendous weather? Did he drop a shot on that hole? Just looking for clarification. I hope I’m wrong because with Speith one shot out of a playoff, it makes that decision that much worse.

Reply Report comment
- Ben
  
  Jul 20, 2015 at 11:00 pm
  
  It doesn’t matter. That didn’t make him a 4-putt the 8th today.
  
  Reply Report comment
S

Jul 20, 2015 at 10:00 pm

Jason Day needs to switch to Titleist. Then he’ll win.

Reply Report comment
- Dave
  
  Jul 20, 2015 at 10:34 pm
  
  Bull!
  
  Reply Report comment
Alex T

Jul 20, 2015 at 7:07 pm

I’m heartbroken Spieth didn’t do the business today. Not because I had money on him, or because I’m a fanboy or anything, but rather because there was a very real, very possible chance that we could have witnessed genuine history today- something that has NEVER been done before. Imagine if he’d done it. Imagine if he’d gone on and won the PGA too. That would have been something that would likely never be equalled… We could have been witness to history. Oh, if only. He’s still odds on favourite to win the next one though, surely.

Reply Report comment
Pat M

Jul 20, 2015 at 6:43 pm

Great win by Zack. He is a real gentleman and has that Midwestern work ethic. The guy just grinds it out and his iron play and putting is excellent. He is a worthy champion.

Reply Report comment
- Rich
  
  Jul 20, 2015 at 6:52 pm
  
  No one is a worthy champion of anything after his childish tirade at the US Open at Merion about the flagsticks. He is a whiner and that’s all there is to it. Anyone else but him would have been great.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Paul Vert
    
    Jul 20, 2015 at 8:56 pm
    
    Who cares what you think.
    
    Reply Report comment
  - Crickets
    
    Jul 20, 2015 at 9:57 pm
    
    I was pulling for literally anyone but Zack. That dude is just a bible thumping whiner. I remember that video of him getting all aggro at some fan in the bleachers. Just something about him that strikes me as A1 Douche.
    
    Maybe he’s the nicest guy in the world deep down. I don’t care. And @Rich, I care what pat “thinks”, because I agree. If anything, who cares what you think. You added nothing to the conversation. Not everyone likes every player and they have their reasons.
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Pat M
      
      Jul 20, 2015 at 10:13 pm
      
      Zach beat the best players in the world this weekend and did it with grace. Jordan was there to congratulate Zach as he is a good friend. You haters love to hate.
      
      Reply Report comment
    - JH
      
      Jul 20, 2015 at 11:30 pm
      
      crickets and rich – you sound like f’ing idiots
      
      Reply Report comment
      - Paul Vert
        
        Jul 24, 2015 at 6:23 pm
        
        Thanks JH! These guys need to have some dignity (appreciation of the formality or gravity of an occasion or situation). Regardless of what he did in the past, he just made history. Give Zakk some space, and some credit before you start your sh–it talking, troll bit–ches…
        
        Reply Report comment
Jeff B

Jul 20, 2015 at 6:30 pm

ah poor Day. Looked crushed

Reply Report comment

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