Monday's Birdies and Bogeys

July 19, 2015

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Photo By: Warren Little/R&A/R&A via Getty Images

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Photo By: Ross Kinnaird/R&A/R&A via Getty Images

Photo By: Alastair Grant/AP Photos

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Photo By: Ross Kinnaird/R&A/R&A via Getty Images

Photo By: Ian Walton/R&A/R&A via Getty Images

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Photo By: Stephen Szurlej

Photo By: Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Birdie: Zach Johnson

On a course dominated by a bomber named Johnson in the first two rounds, a plodder with the same last name showed elite precision on Monday to lock up his second major championship. Now Johnson enters the Hall of Fame conversation with his British Open title at St. Andrews, defeating Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman. The 12-time tour winner made eight birdies and two bogeys in regulation to shoot a 66, then birdied the first two holes in the playoff and parred 18 to lock up his Open title. No one had been more consistent at Opens the last eight years than the Iowan, making the cut each year. And Z.J. ratcheted up his precision on Monday to add to his trophy case and his now-terrific career. -- Stephen Hennessey

Photo By: Warren Little/R&A/R&A via Getty Images

Birdie: Louis Oosthuizen

At the golf course with the most history of all, Louis Oosthuizen had a chance to etch his name even sharper into St. Andrews' lore. But the South African with the beautiful swing left a couple putts out there in regulation and fell one stroke shy to Zach Johnson in the playoff. Had Oosthuizen won, he would've joined Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only players in the modern era to win two Open Championships at St. Andrews. Instead, the 2015 Open is another missed opportunity in a major for Oosthuizen. You could argue that, along with the 2013 Masters, Oosthuizen should have three majors. Instead the South African, who has now played his last eight rounds at the Old Course at 31 under, only has the 2010 Open to his name. -- S.H.

Photo By: Warren Little/R&A/R&A via Getty Images

Birdie: Marc Leishman

When is a loser a winner? Leishman entered the third round at one-under 143, nine shots behind the leaders. All Leishman did on Sunday was throw a little 64 at the field on Sunday, and followed that performance with resounding 66 in the final round to earn himself a spot in the playoff. He ultimately came up short in his claret jug pursuit, but to be in such a position was an honor in itself. -- Joel Beall

Photo By: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

Birdie: Jordan Spieth

He won the first two majors of the season but didn't win this one, so why is Jordan Spieth worthy of our praise? Because it took tremendous resolve to get as close as he did. Spieth's round was theoretically undone by a four-putt on the par-3 eighth, and another bogey on the Road Hole. But he still rallied under unrelenting pressure, rattling off birdies on the ninth and 10th, before briefly pulling into a tie for the lead on the par-4 16th. Never mind that Spieth came up short in his bid to complete the calendar Grand Slam. The last guy to be in such a position was Tiger Woods in 2002, and he wasn't a factor on the final day. -- Sam Weinman

Photo By: David Cannon/R&A/R&A via Getty Images

Bogey: Jason Day

At some point the pride in consistently throwing yourself into contention at majors is surpassed by the frustration of not completing the job. The T-3 finish for Day was his ninth top 10 in a major, which is remarkable until you consider that he's still waiting on his first win. Entering the day with a share of the lead at 12 under, Day's two-under 70 was perfectly respectable, but it could have been better had he not inexplicably left his birdie putt to get into a playoff a foot short. The good news for Day is he's headed to Whistling Straits, the site of his first career major top 10 at age 22 in 2010. -- S.W.

Photo By: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Birdie: Ivor Robson

Robson has been the Open announcer since 1975. In that time, his distinctive, unmistakable tone -- particular his high-octave inflection -- has called 18,995 names to the championship's first tee. A Scottish Tour pro in his own right, this is Robson's last appearance on the mic, and at least he got some extra work in : after sending off the final pairing of the afternoon, he was brought back in to introduce the playoff. -- J.B.

Photo By: Ross Kinnaird/R&A/R&A via Getty Images

Bogey: Dustin Johnson

The bar was set pretty low after Sunday's 75. Even under reduced prospects, most were expecting Johnson to muster some semblance of capacity in the final round. Instead, in pristine scoring conditions, Johnson went out and posted a 75, one of the highest rounds of the day. Johnson had five bogeys and a double at the Road Hole on his card, raising further questions about his fortitude. This suspicion won't die down anytime soon, as the PGA Championship heads to Whistling Straits, the site of Johnson's infamous 2010 rules infraction. -- J.B.

Photo By: Alastair Grant/AP Photos

Birdie: Ollie Schniederjans

He never was as high on the leader board as fellow amateurs Paul Dunne, Jordan Niebrugge or Ashley Chesters, but the Georgia Tech graduate posted the best final-round score (67) among his peers. Schniederjans sat six under through 11 holes, and if not for a bumpy double-bogey 6 on the 17th, could have made his amateur swan song -- he'll play as a pro at this week's RBC Canadian Open -- even more sensational. As it was, a birdie on 18 was a fitting end for the two-time first-team All-American, who joined Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods as the only amateurs to make the cut at both Opens in the same year since 1960. -- Ryan Herrington

Photo By: Jan Kruger/Getty Images

Bogey: Phil Mickelson

God bless him, Phil can't help himself. After mounting a charge on Monday with six birdies through 16 holes, Mickelson stepped up to the 17th tee and proceeded to hit a tad of a hook. "Tad" in the sense that Mickelson's ball came to rest on a hotel balcony. For the St. Andrews uninitiated, that's way the hell out of bounds. Mickelson took a triple bogey on the hole, dousing the flames on his comeback bid. -- J.B.

Photo By: Ross Kinnaird/R&A/R&A via Getty Images

Bogey: Paul Dunne

Opening jitters are expected out of a 22-year-old amateur at a major, let alone from one who finds himself in the last pairing on the final day of play. Still, Dunne succumbed to the moment, chunking his second shot of the day and firing his tee shot WAY right on No. 2 on the way to a bogey-bogey start. Though he was able to right the ship, the damage was done, as the stumble made Dunne a non-factor the rest of the afternoon. -- J.B.

Photo By: Ian Walton/R&A/R&A via Getty Images

Bogey: Adam Scott

Through his first 10 holes on Monday, Adam Scott looked like he'd be a factor down the stretch. Five birdies and no bogeys had the Aussie jockeying for the lead. Then a bogey at the par-5 14th hole started a downward spiral for the 2013 Masters champion. Scott made three bogeys and a double bogey over his final five holes to finish at 10 under, T-10 . The long putter will be out of Scott's arsenal by the next Open Championship. And so in a tournament that Scott's been close in over the years, this was yet another chance squandered. -- S.H.

Photo By: Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Bogey: PGA Championship

The season's final major always suffers from a bit of an identity crisis, but it could have been the center of the sports world had Jordan Spieth followed through with a win at St. Andrews. A player going for the calendar Grand Slam would have meant unprecedented attention on the PGA at Whistling Straits, but we'll have to settle for a still compelling major championship on a visually stunning golf course. It might not lead the evening news, but it'll be plenty entertaining nonetheless. -- S.W.

Photo By: Stephen Szurlej

Biride: St. Andrews

So let's see: Picturesque venue oozing with history. Strategy required on every shot. A leader board featuring many of the premier players in golf. And the problem is ... what exactly? Whatever rumbling you may have heard questioning St. Andrews' merits as a modern day championship test seemed somewhat ludicruous given the show it produced this week. And if the scores were lower than usual, so what? It sure beats watching players hack and chop their way to scores over par. -- S.W.

Photo By: Andrew Redington/Getty Images

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Monday's Birdies and Bogeys

Shop This Look

Birdie: Zach Johnson

Birdie: Louis Oosthuizen

Birdie: Marc Leishman

Birdie: Jordan Spieth

Bogey: Jason Day

Birdie: Ivor Robson

Bogey: Dustin Johnson

Birdie: Ollie Schniederjans

Bogey: Phil Mickelson

Bogey: Paul Dunne

Bogey: Adam Scott

Bogey: PGA Championship

Biride: St. Andrews

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