British open update 2012

He also became just the eighth golfer ever to win two majors before the age of The phenom finished 15 under for the tournament, besting second-place finisher Jordan Spieth and third-place finishers Jon Rahm and Louis Oosthuizen Morikawa ended up atop of a star-studded leaderboard in come-from-behind fashion as he parlayed a one-stroke deficit at the hole turn into a two-stroke win, touching off his week with a bogey-free 4-under 66 in Round 4.

Spieth and Rahm matched him with 66s in a wild final round that left us with a tremendous finish. It gives me chills. Paired with Open Championship winner and hole leader Louis Oosthuizen, who won the same championship 11 years ago to the day Sunday, Morikawa and Oosty exchanged pars in the first three holes of the final round from Royal St.

But as Oosthuizen -- who led after every round this week -- faded with bogeys at Nos. He went out in 32 and came in at 34, finishing his week with 31 consecutive bogey-free holes to earn the Claret Jug. Spieth, a three-time major champion and the Open Champion, made his own run on Sunday to push Morikawa down the stretch in Round 4. After overcoming bogeys on Nos.

Yet Morikawa, playing one hole behind him, had an answer at every turn with a clutch birdie on the par-4 14th and a pair of par saves on 15 and 16 as he brought it home in steady fashion.

And only three golfers in the history of the sport -- Gene Sarazen, Bobby Jones and now Morikawa -- have won multiple majors in eight or fewer starts at such events. That was the goal of every day so far, and I had to stick to it. I put myself in a good position with nine holes left, but there were still nine holes, and I still had to hit shot after shot to try and pull it off.

Oosthuizen, after leading all week, wound up with his third consecutive top-three finish at a major after second-place efforts at the PGA Championship and U.

Rahm, who won the U. Open last month at Torrey Pines, birdied four of his last six holes but was unable to battle back from a rough start at Royal St.

George's, while Spieth registered his second top-three finish in a major this year. The Open Championship was the only of golf's four majors to have been canceled in because of the pandemic and is the last major on the PGA Tour schedule until next April, making the title of Champion Golfer of the Year for Morikawa all the more sweet.

He takes the mantle carried by reigning champion and winner, Shane Lowry, who finished at 6 under on the week and T12, tying for his second-best finish at the event. While there's a nine-month break between majors for Morikawa, he is one of a few Americans who will be playing later this month at another important tournament: the Tokyo Olympics. Collin Morikawa : Two major victories in eight career outings and five wins on tour in 49 starts puts Morikawa in golf's elite company at his age.

He was sublime this week in Sandwich. One of the best iron players in the world, he paired that success with a hot putter -- and clutch putting late on Sunday -- to take home the Claret Jug. What other golfers are in contention for the Claret Jug. While many golfers are still playing in their second rounds at the British Open, it seems unlikely that any golfer will immediately make up the ground that Brandt Snedeker has put between himself and the rest of the field.

Day 1 of the British Open wrapped up with Adam Scott in the lead. His 64 tied a course record in British Open play. With a strong front nine on Thursday, Tiger Woods is near the top of the leaderboard at the British Open. Bubba Watson is trying to rebound at a major after missing the cut at the U.

Can a more conservative strategy off the tee help Watson be in serious contention for the Claret Jug? Many golfers took advantage of their early draw, including Tiger Woods and current tournament leader Adam Scott. Scott, the Australian native, came close to an opening round major championship scoring record before finishing with a 6-under 64, tying the lowest score shot ever at Royal Lytham.

It's what I haven't done the first rounds of the majors this year, and that was my goal here, really, starting the week was to play today like it was Sunday and there was no tomorrow. As for Tiger Woods, he came out of the gate red hot, firing four birdies in his first seven holes on the day. He would eventually finish with a 3-under 67, three shots behind Scott. Woods was on point off the tee and with his iron play, missing just one fairway while hitting 15 of 18 greens.

But like it's been this season, Tiger needed 30 putts on the day.