The Hindu : Sport / Golf : Cink defeats Watson in playoff to win British Open

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Cink defeats Watson in playoff to win British Open

TURNBERRY: Tom Watson’s remarkable bid for a British Open victory at the age of 59 fell agonisingly short on Sunday when he lost to fellow American Stewart Cink in a four-hole playoff.

Watson, bidding for a record-tying sixth Claret Jug, squandered the chance to become golf’s oldest major champion when he missed an eight-foot par putt on the 72nd hole.

Cink, who had earlier rolled in a 15-footer there for a birdie three to take the clubhouse lead on two-under 278 at Turnberry’s Ailsa Course, took advantage to seal his maiden major title.

He won the first extra hole, the fifth, with a par when Watson collected a bogey five after hitting his approach into a greenside bunker.

They each parred the second extra hole, the par-three sixth, before Cink effectively sealed the win at the par-five 17th with a two-putt birdie.

Watson double-bogeyed the hole after driving into thick rough on the right and taking two more shots to reach the fairway.

One of the most remarkable major championships of all time finally ended with Watson having to settle for second place in pursuit of a ninth major title.

He had been aiming to shatter golf’s previous record for the oldest major winner, compatriot Julius Boros having clinched the 1968 U.S. PGA Championship at the age of 48.

The duo finished the regulation 72 holes on two under, Watson bogeying the last for a 72 and Cink closing with a 69.

Lee Westwood, who eagled the par-five seventh for a brief two-stroke lead, faltered after the turn on the way to a 71 and a tie for third with fellow Briton Chris Wood (67).

Double U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen of South Africa eagled the 17th for a 72 to share fifth place with Britain’s Luke Donald (67) and Australian Mathew Goggin (73).

Earlier, Tom Watson missed an eight-foot par putt on the 18th green to send one of the most remarkable British Opens in memory into a play-off here on Sunday.

The 59-year-old, bidding to become the oldest major winner in history at the age of 59, was to face compatriot Stewart Cink in a four-hole battle to decide the 138th Open after his final hole bogey completed a closing round of 72.

Cink, who had started the day three shots behind Watson, had birdied the same hole to complete a 69 and earn a shot at his first major.

Westwood blows it

Regardless of the outcome, this will go down as the Open that Lee Westwood lost, the Englishman having bogeyed three of the last four holes on his way to a 71 that left him in a tie for third place with young compatriot Chris Wood (67). — Agencies

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