Cameron Smith shoots final-round 64 at St Andrews to deny Rory McIlroy in 150th Open Championship

McIlroy held a two-shot lead midway through the final round at St Andrews and carded a bogey-free closing 70, but that was not enough to end his eight-year drought in the game’s biggest tournaments.

Smith, our headline tip at 28/1, fired eight birdies – including five in a row from the 10th – to card his second 64 of the week and finish 20-under par, beating the previous best of 19-under on the Old Course set by Tiger Woods in 2000.

American Cameron Young made a brilliant eagle on the 18th in his closing 65 to force Smith to hole from two feet for his final birdie, leaving McIlroy needing his own eagle to force a four-hole play-off.

However, the 33-year-old was unable to produce a moment of magic and had to settle for a par that meant Smith could celebrate an extraordinary victory at the Home of Golf.

"I'm gonna fall apart here, I know it," said an emotional Smith as he accepted the Claret Jug. "All the hard work we've done over the last couple of years has really started to pay off, and this one definitely makes it worth it.

"I thought was exactly how an Open Championship should be played: firm and fast, tough pins, it was just unreal.

"Lastly to you guys, the fans. I had a lot of support out there, especially the Aussie guys, you guys really kept me going out there. This one's for Oz."

Speaking with Sky Sports, he added: "It's just unreal. This place is so cool - to have the 150th Open here and to walk away with the win is something I've dreamt of. I didn't even know I was going to get this far. It's just awesome.

"To look at these names on the trophy and then addd mine, it's unreal. I'm lost for words."

McIlroy unable to find fireworks

McIlroy and Ryder Cup team-mate Viktor Hovland began the day four shots clear of the chasing pack after matching third rounds of 66, with Hovland the first to stumble as he three-putted the fourth from long range.

An errant drive then meant Hovland was unable to reach the par-five fifth in two, but McIlroy easily found the putting surface with a towering iron shot and two-putted for his first birdie of the day to move two ahead.

Smith, who had covered the front nine in 34, birdied the 10th and 11th to briefly close within one of McIlroy, only for the Northern Irishman to respond immediately.

Although he had driven the green on the 10th, McIlroy was closer to the flag on the eighth on the massive shared green, but coolly two-putted from 125 feet.

Smith made it three birdies in a row after driving the green on the par-four 12th and when he also holed from 18 feet on the 13th, McIlroy had company again at the top of the leaderboard.

An inspired Smith then took the outright lead by extending his birdie streak to five by two-putting from the back of the green on the par-five 14th, something which proved beyond McIlroy in the group behind.

Smith looked in danger of falling victim to the notorious 17th when his approach came up short and left his path to the flag blocked by the Road Hole bunker, but the world number six calmly putted up to 12 feet and holed for a vital par.

McIlroy was unable to convert his long birdie putt on the 17th as Smith putted up from short of the 18th green to set up a tap-in birdie, before playing partner Young holed from 15 feet for an eagle.

Smith calmly converted his birdie putt and looked on as McIlroy was unable to deny him and claim an overdue fifth major.

McIlroy rues missed opportunity

This time there was no fading from contention for McIlroy, but he simply had no answer to an incredible performance from Smith, who adds a major title to his Players Championship victory earlier this year.

A gracious McIlroy said: “I got beaten by the better man this week; 20-under par round here is really impressive, especially shooting 64 to get it done.

“I can’t be too despondent because of how this year went. I’m playing some of the best golf I have done in a long time. It’s just a case of keep knocking on the door.

“I will be OK, it’s not life and death and I will have other chances. It’s one I feel like I let slip away but there will be other opportunities. The putter just went a little cold today compared to the last three days.

“My (hotel) room is directly opposite the big yellow leaderboard behind the 18th and I was trying to envision my name on the top. It was on the top today but it won’t be tomorrow.”