ESNY

Zach Johnson is the last man standing in the final round to win the 2015 British Open Championship at the Old Course in St. Andrews.

After five days, 76 holes and hectic weather conditions, the 144th British Open Championship came to an end on Monday.

Zach Johnson became only the sixth person to win the Open at St. Andrews and The Masters at Augusta National: two of the most historic and iconic symbols in the sport of golf.

Also, he becomes the first golfer to make both locations his first two Major wins.

Johnson started the day a couple of shots off the lead. Knowing he had to shoot a low number, Johnson carded five birdies through his first nine holes. At the turn, he finished with a score of 31. After playing (-2) through his first three holes on the back nine, he ran into a little bit of a stumble.

Johnson gave back those two shots by making bogey on the 13th and 17th holes. As he stepped on the 18th tee, he was still in a good position to at (-14). However, he needed to make a birdie to give him a chance against Australian Marc Leishman, who cardied his own (-6) final round to put his name at the top of the leaderboard.

After hitting his second shot past the hole, his ball stopped at least 15 feet for a birdie try. He seized the moment, by draining the long putt and giving him a chance at a playoff with Leishman.

At the time, it looked to be a two-man playoff between the two. That was until South Africa’s Louis Oosthaizen had a say. After saving par at the Road Hole, he scored birdie on the last hole to get into the playoff with Johnson and Leishman.

The playoff was a four-hole match, which involved holes 1, 2, 17, and 18. Johnson and Oosthuizen birdied the first playoff hole, while Leishman bogeyed, despite out-driving both players. On the second hole, Johnson got his second birdie of the playoff, giving him a one-shot lead over Oosthuizen, who made par.

On the 17th, Johnson ran into trouble when his third shot found the right rough, near the green. After missing his putt, he gave a shot back. Unfortunately, Oosthuizen was unable to take advantage of the miscue and ended up bogeying himself. Johnson still maintained a one-shot lead heading into the 18th hole.

Johnson pulled his drive left towards the first fairway. Oosthuizen had a good chance of making the green in two, after driving his tee shot down the middle. Johnson flew his second shot over the hole, but spun back to within 15 feet. He was left with a putt, that he made birdie at in the final round to get him into the playoff. He missed the putt, but lagged it for an easy par.

It was up to Oosthuizen to keep the playoff alive. He hit his second shot to within eight feet, a great look at birdie. He stroked his putt and looked to be tracking. However, his ball never broke right and hung out to the left edge of the cup. He would settle for par and second place.

Zach Johnson was left stoic with his eyes closed through his Oakleys, when he realized he had won the Open Championship.

It was a fitting end to one of the most memorable and eventful Open Championships at St. Andrews, if not all of golf history.

There were so many storylines from Tom Watson and sir Nick Faldo’s final walks over the Swilkin Bridge to a possible feat in Jordan Spieth’s run at golfing lore, on his journey towards the calendar Grand slam.

They gave us so many memories and made the 144th Open Championship one that will not soon be forgotten.

Congratulations to Zach Johnson, 2015 Open Champion!

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