Cameron Smith with the Claret Jug
Cameron Smith with the Claret Jug

How Cameron Smith denied Cameron Young and Rory McIlroy in the 150th Open Championship


Cameron Smith won the 150th Open Championship at St Andrews after superb eight-under-par final-round 64.

The Australian finished on 20-under, one shot ahead of American Cameron Young and two clear of Rory McIlroy.

The day had begun with McIlroy and Viktor Hovland sharing a four-stroke lead on 16-under, only for halfway leader Smith to bounce back and capture the Claret Jug.

Here's how the drama unfolded on the Old Course...

1438 – Playing in the same group, Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana and Mexico’s Abraham Ancer complete rounds of 65 to set the early clubhouse target on 11-under par.

1459 – Following tee shots separated by just five yards, leaders McIlroy and Hovland both make par on the opening hole.

1502 – Smith, who had led at the halfway stage, birdies the second to get within three of the lead.

1539 – Hovland three-putts the fourth from almost 80ft for bogey, leaving McIlroy in the outright lead on 16-under.

1546 – Smith gains another stroke and moves to 14-under with a birdie on the fifth.

1555 – McIlroy almost eagles the fifth but settles for a birdie to move to 17-under and two strokes clear.

1615 – Young makes birdie for the fourth time in five holes to move within two of the lead.

1641 – Young bogeys the ninth after finding a bush and being forced to drop out.

1654 – Young and Smith both birdie the 10th to move to 15-under.

1700 – Smith holes a 15ft birdie putt at the 11th to go to 16-under and within one of the lead.

1702 – McIlroy lags a putt from 126ft to tap-in range for a birdie at the 10th that takes him to 18-under and two shots clear.

1712 – Smith makes his third successive birdie to move back within one of McIlroy.

1722 – Hovland chips up to the 351-yard par-four 12th to get back to 16-under.

1726 – Smith’s hot streak continues as he holes his fourth birdie putt in a row, this time from 18ft, to tie McIlroy at the top on 18-under.

1737 – Hovland bogeys after driving into a bunker at the 13th to fall back to 15-under.

1741 – Smith moves into the outright lead after a well-judged lag putt at at the 14th leaves him a tap-in for a fifth successive birdie.

1742 – Young also birdies the 14th to move up to 17-under.

1752 – McIlroy, on the green in two at the par-five 14th, cannot follow suit as he knocks a 12-foot birdie putt past the hole.

1823 – Smith escapes with a par on the 17th, remaining at 19-under after initially firing way to the left and finding rough from the tee.

1831 – McIlroy narrowly misses with his birdie putt at 17 and remains 18-under heading to the 18th.

1832 – Young holes an eagle putt on the last to move level with Smith on 19-under.

1833 – Smith birdies the 18th from two feet to move to 20-under and all but seal victory.

1840 – McIlroy, needing to eagle the par-four 18th to force a play-off, sees his chances end as he chips past the flag with his second shot.

1842 – McIlroy sinks a short par putt to finish in third place on 18-under.