Ice cool Morikawa wins British Open
American debutant Collin Morikawa produced an ice-cool final round to win the British Open by two strokes on a blazing hot afternoon at Royal St George’s yesterday.
The 24-year-old began the day a stroke behind Louis Oosthuizen but played picture-perfect golf in a fourunder round of 66 to overhaul the South African and resist resurgent fellow American Jordan Spieth.
Morikawa barely missed a fairway all day as he made four birdies and showed incredible composure late on as Spieth applied pressure down the stretch.
He never looked like cracking though and his fourth sub-par round of the week saw him finish on 15-under 265 — his remarkable consistency born out by the astonishing statistic of only four bogeys all week.
Spieth, who was bidding to win his fourth major and first since the 2017 Open, started his final round badly with two bogeys in his first six holes but an eagle at the seventh launched a gallant chase of Morikawa.
The packed galleries, enjoying a memorable finale after last year’s tournament was cancelled because of the pandemic, roared on Spieth but despite a return to his best form he was unable to catch Morikawa, finishing 13 under. “This is by far one of the best moments of my life. Look at all these fans, let’s hear it for you guys,” Morikawa said after receiving the Claret Jug.
“To see some of the best crowds I have ever seen I’m looking forward to making my trip every year to the British Open.”