Louis second best again

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina: While Jordan Spieth failed in his bid to become the youngest player to win all four Majors, South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen completed a somewhat unwelcome career Grand Slam of his own on Sunday with his second-place finish at the PGA Championship.

Oosthuizen, who finished tied for second behind Justin Thomas alongside Francesco Molinari and Patrick Reed, lost a playoff to Bubba Watson at the 2012 Masters, another playoff to Zach Johnson at the British Open in 2015 and tied for second behind Dustin Johnson at that year’s US Open, too.

Oosthuizen had flashed into contention late in the final round on Sunday when he pitched in for eagle from 20 yards at the par-five 15th at Quail Hollow, but a long threeputt bogey from nearly 100 feet at the 16th ended his hopes.

“I gave it everything I had coming in,” he said. “I left myself with an impossible first putt on 16. I mean, I didn’t really make any putts the whole round.

“The only putt I made was on the last hole (for birdie).”

That five-footer gave Oosthuizen a round of 70 and a six-under 278 total, two strokes behind Thomas.

Oosthuizen’s victory at the 2010 British Open, when he finished seven strokes clear, suggested the floodgates were about to open for the sweetswinging South African but the 34-year-old has not kicked on in the Majors the way many had expected.

Oosthuizen is in fine company with his runner-up slam, joining the likes of Greg Norman, who lost playoffs in all four Majors.

Thomas, meanwhile, capped off a major season that belonged to an aggressive new breed of fearless young Americans when he stormed to victory.

At 24, he followed in the footsteps of then-23-year-old Spieth’s British Open triumph and the US Open victory by 27-year-old Brooks Koepka, suggesting a bright future for American golf.

Thomas, one of the longest drivers on tour, started the final Major of the year ranked 14th in the world.

“I just had an unbelievable calmness throughout the week, throughout the day,” Thomas said after lifting the Wanamaker Trophy. “I really truly felt I was going to win. I was just very confident. I didn’t get flustered.

“I was a lot more calm than I thought I would be. I thought I would be very shaky. At one point I looked at my hand it was a little shaky but that’s why you play.” – Reuters