British Open result: Australian golfer Cameron Smith wins in one of greatest comebacks in history

For years, Australia’s best golfers carried the most unwanted tag in sport: chokers. One man has put that to bed — and he’s only just begun, Julian Linden writes.

Cam Smith has banished Aussie golf's biggest hoodoo – in a major way.

Ding dong, the witch is dead.

Australia’s curse in golf majors has been banished forever after Cameron Smith’s win for the ages.

Smith didn’t just win the biggest tournament in golfing history with his record breaking come-from-behind win at St Andrews, he also broke the evil spell that’s suffocated Australia’s golfers for decades.

For years. Australia’s best golfers have carried the most unwanted tag in sport: chokers, after so many heartbreaking near misses.

Greg Norman, the Shark, finished second in eight majors, losing in playoffs and to outrageous shots from the likes of Larry Mize and Chip Beck.

Adam Scott, Australian golf’s Mr Nice Guy, blew a four-sheet lead with four holes to play in the 2012 British Open with plenty of others having come close but not close enough.

Smith looked like another choker after throwing away a halfway lead with poor putting but when the pressure was turned on – for the last nine holes on Sunday – he rose to the occasion and now Australia has a hero for a new sporting generations.

Smith is living proof that self-belief can overcome even the most crushing of setbacks.

Time and time again Smith’s unwavering confidence has cost him the chance of winning big tournaments but he’s never lost faith in his ability to play big shots under pressure.

Just three months ago, Smith was left wondering what if after he blew his chances of winning the Masters when he got too aggressive and plonked his ball into the water at Amen Corner.

And on Saturday, while leading the British Open, his bullish strategy again backfired when he made a double bogey while trying to hack a ball from the fringe of a bunker while he was standing in the stand.

Never give up: Australia's Cameron Smith poses with the Claret Jug. Picture: AFP

His two-shot lead disappeared instantly and he went into the final round trailing by four, yet never stopped believing.

That should have been the end of his chances but Smith’s not wired that way.

“To win an Open Championship in itself is probably going to be a golfer’s highlight in their career,” he said.

“To do it around St Andrews, I think is just unbelievable. This place is so cool. I love the golf course. I love the town. “

Even when he was three behind Rory McIlroy, Smith still believed he had a chance, even when few others did.

It took a comeback for the ages that was out of this world.

He reeled off five birdies in a row then birdied the final hole to win by a single shot. His final score 20-under par matched the lowest total in any golf championship.

And it broke Tiger Woods’ record at St Andrews, the home of golf.

“I’ve definitely kicked myself a couple of times over the past few years. To do it the way I did today was pretty cool to be back and really apply pressure, keep holing putts. It was awesome,” he said.

Smith reacts on the 18th green after completing his stunning turnaround. Picture: AFP

“I don’t think I hit the ball any differently all four days, to be honest. I felt like I kept hitting quality golf shots and kept giving myself looks at birdie, even from a distance, which is sometimes what you have to do around here.

“The only difference was the putts were dropping. I spent a little bit of time on the green (Saturday night) and just really wanted to see a few putts go in.”

Smith admitted he was disappointed with the way he played in the third round, when he carded a 1-over 73.

It would have cost him his first major win had it not been for his amazing finish, but he said that in a strange way it actually helped him.

“I just really put it down to links golf. I think you really have those days on these courses where you get a bit of a weird bounce here and there and puts you in a bad spot,” he said.

“So I shrugged it off. I really didn’t dwell on it too much. I just had to go out there and really stick my head down and keep making birdies and keep making putts.”

Smith said he channelled the Origin-winning Queensland Maroons in his final round. Picture: AFP

A devoted Queensland rugby league supporter, Smith said he adopted the same approach as the Maroons in this week’s State of Origin decider.

“You’ve got to try and win. That’s what we’re all here to do,” he said.

“I started to feel really good with where my game was at last weekend at the Scottish Open. I had a really, really solid weekend. I just felt really good about my game. I’d played this golf course before, but it had been a while. It was almost like relearning the place.

“I love this type of golf. I think this type of golf suits a lot of Aussies, the firm and fast fairways. Having to hit away from pins, I think, is another one, where Aussies are brought up doing that.”

Cameron Smith’s win ended 29 years of heartache for Australians at the British Open. Picture: Getty

Smith’s only regret was that his father Des didn’t make the trip to Scotland to see him win after changing his mind and pulling out of the trip.

“Actually, I don’t have any family here. I’ve got all my team here. My dad was actually meant to come over, and he pulled out at the last minute basically,” Smith said.

“I had a quick chat with him before but he’s definitely kicking himself now. I really wish he was here, too. It would have been such a cool week, even without this, to be at the home of golf. Dad loves his golf, as well. It would have been awesome.

“I haven’t looked at my phone yet. When you win golf tournaments, you have friends that you didn’t even know were friends.”

INSIDE SMITH’S INCREDIBLE BACK 9

Trailing Rory McIlroy by three shots with nine holes to play, Australia’s Cameron Smith did what no-one else believed was possible.

Two-under for the round after his first nine holes, Smith played the back nine holes at the St Andrews Old Course in just 30 shots to finish at 20-under par and win the biggest tournament in golfing history by a single stroke.

Here’s how he did it.

SMITH’S MIRACLE COMEBACK SEALS ‘UNREAL’ OPEN WIN

Australia’s Cameron Smith has won the 150th British Open at St Andrews after a stunning last day turnaround.

Completing one of the greatest comebacks in Australia’s cursed golfing history, Smith reeled off five birdies in a row to overturn a four-shot deficit and leapfrog his stunned rivals to win the Claret Jug by a single stroke.

“It’s just unreal,” Smith said.

“This place is so cool, to have the 150th Open here at St Andrews and to walk away with the win is something I’ve dreamt of. I never thought I’d get this far. It’s awesome.”

Just when he looked down for the count, Smith picked himself up and went on one of the hottest run in major golfing history to shoot a final round 8-under 64 and finish at 20-under at the famous Old Course regarded as the spiritual home of golf.

Australia's Cameron Smith lines up a putt during his final round on day 4 of The 150th British Open Golf Championship. Picture: AFP

His playing partner, American Cameron Young, eagled the last to finish second at 19-under to finish outright second while Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy finished third at 18-under after parring the last eight holes.

Smith became just the fifth Australian to capture the golf world’s oldest and most prestigious major, joining Peter Thomson (5 wins), Kel Nagle (1), Greg Norman (2) and Ian-Baker Finch (1).

Norman was the last Australian to win the coveted Claret Jug, in 1993, while Nagle (1960) was the last Aussie to win at St Andrews.

“It’s unreal to look at the names on this trophy and then see mine … I’m lost for words,” Smith said,

“The course was exactly how an Open championship should be played.

“I had a lot of support out there, especially the Aussie guys. You guys really kept me going out there. Seemed like there was a lot of you guys and you kept me plugging away.

“This one’s for Oz.”

Australia's Cameron Smith celebrates after holing his final putt to make a birdie on the 18th green during his final round 64 on day 4 of The 150th British Open Golf Championship. Picture: AFP

Australians have a long history of squandering chances in the majors with Smith himself finishing third at this year’s Masters when he put his tee shot at the picturesque 12th hole into the water to fall out of contention.

The Queenslander looked to have blown his chance again when he tumbled down the leaderboard after his poor third round then made a slow start Sunday, playing the front nine in 2-under to trail McIlroy by three shots at the turn.

But then he got red hot – and proceeded to birdie the 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th holes to rip up the record books at the Scottish links layout – and leapfrog McIlroy, playing in the final group with Norway’s Viktor Hovland.

Under almost unbearable pressure, Smith somehow held his nerve to par the next three holes – including the iconic 17th Road Hole – then birdied the last to seal a win for the ages.

Australia's Cameron Smith watches his drive from the 15th tee during his final round on day 4 of The 150th British Open Golf Championship. Picture: AFP

McIlroy, who has heavily favoured to win after leading by three at the turn, said he’d let it slip from his grasp but he gave credit to Smith.

“I felt like I didn’t do much wrong but I didn’t do much right either,” McIlroy said.

“I got beaten by a better player this week. 20-under par for four rounds of golf around here is really, really impressive playing, especially to go out and shoot 64 today to get it done.

“I’ll be okay. At the end of the day, it’s not life or death. I’ll have other chances to win the Open Championship and other chances to win majors.

“It’s one that I feel like I let slip away, but there will be other opportunities.”

Young was also full of praise for Smith after the pair played the last two rounds together.

“To watch Cameron shoot what he did, it was pretty amazing,” Young said.

“I had a front-row seat to I’m sure one of the better rounds that’s been played this year.

“I know Cameron Smith’s ranked very highly in the world and today kind of just is more proof that he is that good and he is one of the very, very best players in the world.”

Australia's Cameron Smith poses with the Claret Jug, the trophy for the Champion golfer of the year after winning the 150th British Open Golf Championship. Picture: AFP

Leaderboard after the final round of the 150th British Open

268- Cameron Smith (Australia) – 67-64-73-64

269 – Cameron Young (US) – 64-69-71-65

270 – Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) – 66-68-66-70

274- Tommy Fleetwood (England) – 72-69-66-67

274 – Viktor Hovland (Norway) – 68-66-66-74

275 – Brian Harman (US) 73-68-68-66

275 – Dustin Johnson (US) – 68-67-71-69

Other Australians

278 – Adam Scott (Australia) – 72-65-70-71

278 – Lucas Herbert (Australia) – 70-68-73-67

278 – Anthony Quayle (Australia) – 74-69-68-67

269 – Min Woo Lee (Australia) – 69-69-73-68

284 – Brad Kennedy (Australia) – 68-72-72-72

284 – Jason Scrivener (Australia) – 72-71-71-70

Australians winners of the men’s British Open

1954 – Peter Thomson – Royal Birkdale

1955 – Peter Thomson – St Andrews

1956 – Peter Thomson – Royal Liverpool

1958 – Peter Thomson – Royal Lytham & St Annes

1960 – Kel Nagle – St Andrews

1965 – Peter Thomson – Royal Birkdale

1986 – Greg Norman – Turnberry

1991 – Ian Baker-Finch – Royal Birkdale

1993 – Greg Norman – Royal St George’s

2022 – Cameron Smith – St Andrews