This article is part of our Weekly PGA Recap series.
As Jordan Spieth hit a putt on the par-3 8th hole at St. Andrews on Monday, and then another, and then another, and then still another, you figured his bid for the Grand Slam ended right there.
Granted, the first putt was from upwards of 100 feet, but golfers simply don't four-jack and win major championships. Spieth almost did. He rebounded with consecutive birdies, though ultimately a final, fatal bogey on the Road Hole did him in, leaving him a shot shy of the playoff and a continued chance at golf's holy grail.
Instead, Zach Johnson, Louis Oosthuizen and surprising Marc Leishman totaled 15-under 273 to reach the four-hole, aggregate playoff to determine the Champion Golfer of Year.
While the playoff lacked the drama that the fifth day at the Old Course did -- eight golfers had a part of the lead at some point -- Johnson will take it, as he defeated Oosthuizen by one stroke and Leishman by three to secure his first Claret Jug and second major championship, along with the 2007 Masters.
Johnson, whom Paul Azinger called the best "wind player" in the world, has a good history at the Open -- top-10s in 2012-13 -- so this win is not completely out of the blue. The fact that he hasn't been at his sharpest the last few years does make this more surprising.
Oh, and as far as Spieth's critics who said he should've skipped the John Deere, not only did he quiet those folks,
As Jordan Spieth hit a putt on the par-3 8th hole at St. Andrews on Monday, and then another, and then another, and then still another, you figured his bid for the Grand Slam ended right there.
Granted, the first putt was from upwards of 100 feet, but golfers simply don't four-jack and win major championships. Spieth almost did. He rebounded with consecutive birdies, though ultimately a final, fatal bogey on the Road Hole did him in, leaving him a shot shy of the playoff and a continued chance at golf's holy grail.
Instead, Zach Johnson, Louis Oosthuizen and surprising Marc Leishman totaled 15-under 273 to reach the four-hole, aggregate playoff to determine the Champion Golfer of Year.
While the playoff lacked the drama that the fifth day at the Old Course did -- eight golfers had a part of the lead at some point -- Johnson will take it, as he defeated Oosthuizen by one stroke and Leishman by three to secure his first Claret Jug and second major championship, along with the 2007 Masters.
Johnson, whom Paul Azinger called the best "wind player" in the world, has a good history at the Open -- top-10s in 2012-13 -- so this win is not completely out of the blue. The fact that he hasn't been at his sharpest the last few years does make this more surprising.
Oh, and as far as Spieth's critics who said he should've skipped the John Deere, not only did he quiet those folks, but Johnson also plays the Deere every year and suffers no worse for wear.
Johnson showed incredible fortitude. After bogeying the Road Hole, No. 17, he needed a birdie to tie Leishman, already in the clubhouse. And from 30 feet on the 72nd hole, he did just that, one of the clutchest putts in recent memory.
As someone who looked a lot like a one-and-done major winner for a number of years, Johnson now joins Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy as the only golfers in the last decade with at least 10 wins and two majors. And with that, Hall of Fame consideration enters into the conversation for Johnson.
For Spieth, he's still the golfer of the year, though not the Champion Golfer of the Year, and he'll head to Whistling Straits next month as the favorite to win the PGA Championship. And by then, he could overtake the injured McIlroy as No. 1 in the world.
Pretty dang good but, no, it's not a Grand Slam.
MONDAY TAKEAWAY
Louis Oosthuizen
Oosthuizen is considered among the best links golfers in the world, as he has shown with runner-up showings at the last two majors, both played on links. And Whistling Straits is also links-like, so consider Oosty a favorite there, as well. And while his game is good enough to compete on other types of courses, he's a different player on links. Consider that in your DraftKings and other lineups.
Marc Leishman
Three months ago, Leishman considered quitting golf, his wife near death from a rare respiratory illness. Now she is fine, and Leishman is again a force in big tournaments. This was his third top-5 in 16 career majors. He tied for fifth at The Open last year. Putting is his weakness -- it cost him with a short bogey putt on 16 on Monday -- so he's much better in events in which putting is not at a premium. There aren't many of those events, but the Open Championship is one of them.
Jason Day
Still looking for his first major, this looked like it could be the week. Day was at 14-under after only six holes on Monday, but that's where he finished -- unable to find another birdie and parring out the final 12 holes to miss the playoff by a shot. There are some guys who come close to majors who you really don't think can win one. Day is not one of the those guys, and will be on the short list for Whistling Straits.
Sergio Garcia
Stop me if you've heard this before: Garcia birdied five of the first 10 holes, getting to 14-under. Then Bad Sergio bogeyed three holes coming home to end his chances. That left Garcia tied for sixth -- another great showing in a major, but far from victory, and it appears that major will never happen for one of the great golfers of the last two decades.
Adam Scott
He has his old friend, Stevie Williams, on the bag, and for those who don't think caddies make a difference, look no further. Scott was lost until Williams rejoined him, and Scott shined at the U.S. Open. He also was in the mix on Monday, tied for the lead on the back nine. But he played the final five holes in 5-over, missing a two-footer for par on 15, and Scott's elusive quest for the Claret Jug continues. Before starting Scott, keep a close eye to see whether Williams is with him that week. Yes, it makes that much of a difference.
Ollie Schniederjans
The amateur tweeted after tying for 12th in the Open that he is turning pro. He wasn't the low amateur -- that was Jordan Niebrugge -- but the two of them notched the two lowest scores for amateurs ever at the Open. And so the former Georgia Tech All-American heads to the Canadian Open this week as a pro. Cha-ching? We'll have to wait and see.
Luke Donald
Like Garcia, Donald will probably never win a major. But he had a strong showing at St. Andrews, tying for 12th. Add that to a T7 at the Travelers his previous time out, and Donald may be having a bit of a renaissance. Someone to keep an eye on.
Phil Mickelson
Mickelson already has a bunch of majors, which is a good thing, because it doesn't appear he can win another. He was in the mix for about 20 minutes on Thursday, but he's still unable to sustain his greatness over four rounds anymore, sometimes not for three or even two. Mickelson tied for 20th at St. Andrews, which, quite frankly, is a very good finish for him these days.
Rickie Fowler
Fowler was coming off a big win at the Scottish Open, putting him on the short list of favorites for the Claret Jug. But he tied for 30th, with only one round in the 60s. Yes, he has a big win at The Players, and now the Scottish Open, but it's still been an inconsistent year for Fowler. He has great moments followed by horrible ones, such as missing the cut at the U.S. Open last month. That said, he surely could contend at the WGC-Bridgestone or the PGA next month, though probably not both.
Dustin Johnson
Johnson won the Open Championship! Um, wrong Johnson. DJ continued to showcase all the talent in the world but also not the greatest mental fortitude in the world. He took the 36-hole lead -- which, by the way, is where the winner of the previous seven majors stood -- and turned it into a 75-75 weekend, good for 49th place. Simply maddening.
