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A14 sports
Monday 18 July 2022
Smith rallies to beat McIlroy at British Open for 1st major

By DOUG FERGUSON man was asked not to re-
AP Golf Writer turn this year — there was
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (AP) no indication he was com-
— Cameron Smith charged ing — because of his Saudi-
his way into history on the funded LIV Golf that has
Old Course, a Sunday stun- offered millions to attract
ner at St. Andrews that sent players like Dustin Johnson
the Australian to his first ma- and Bryson DeChambeau,
jor by overcoming Rory Mc- major champions who fin-
Ilroy to win the British Open. ished in the top 10. But this
The stage was set for Mc- day belonged to Smith and
Ilroy to end his eight-year that magical putter.
drought in the majors and He started the final round
cap off a week of celebra- four shots behind and was
tion at the home of golf in still three behind when he
the 150th Open. made the turn. McIlroy was
Instead, Smith stole the playing controlled golf, his
show by running off five only birdie a two-putt from
straight birdies to start the 18 feet on the par-5 fifth.
back nine and delivering Viktor Hovland, who start-
more clutch moments at ed the final round tied with
the end. His 8-under 64 was McIlroy, was never a factor.
the lowest final round by a He didn't make his first bird-
champion in the 30 times Cameron Smith, of Australia, holds the claret jug trophy as he poses for photographers on the ie until the 12th hole and
golf's oldest championship 18th green after winning the British Open golf Championship on the Old Course at St. Andrews, closed with a 74.
has been played at St. An- Scotland, Sunday July 17, 2022. Associated Press That run by Smith on the
drews. back nine is now part of
Smith won by one shot the slope and toward the That's what McIlroy is now, Championship at St. An- Open lore.
over Cameron Young, who cup was close to perfect, and all day there was an drews is a hell of a showing. He hit a nifty pitch to 5 feet
holed a 15-foot eagle putt leaving him a tap-in birdie energy along the humps Hats off to Cam." for birdie on the short 10th.
on the final hole to ever-so- to finish at 20-under 268. and hollows of the Old Under that hat is a mul- He was bold to a back pin
briefly tie for the lead. Smith matched the major Course, all of them waiting let the 28-year-old Aussie on the par-3 11th and holed
It wasn't enough, and nei- championship record to to celebrate McIlroy as an has been growing for the a 15-foot birdie, and he
ther was anything McIlroy par, last reached by Dustin Open champion at St. An- last few years, and now birdied the next two holes
could muster. Johnson in the 2020 Masters drews. he has a far greater iden- from about that length.
McIlroy couldn't make a held in November. He gave them little to cheer tity: champion golfer of the His fifth in a row was a putt
putt early. He couldn't hit it McIlroy needed eagle — two birdies, 16 pars, more year — at St. Andrews, no from 90 feet on the par-5
close enough late. His last to tie him, and his chip disappointment. less. 14th, over a huge mound
good chance was a 15- through the Valley of Sin "The putter went cold on He won for the third time and down the slope to tap-
foot birdie attempt on the had no chance. He missed me," McIlroy said. "When this year — most recently in range that gave him the
scary Road Hole at No. 17, the birdie and wound up both Camerons — espe- The Players Championship lead for the first time.
and it narrowly missed to with a 70 to finish third. cially Smith — went on that — and moves to No. 2 in McIlroy couldn't catch up.
the left. Smith is the first Australian run on the back nine, I had the world behind Masters His lag putting was ter-
Smith, who saved par on to win at St. Andrews since to dig deep to make bird- champion Scottie Schef- rific. That wasn't what he
the 17th with a 10-foot putt, Kel Nagle in 1960, when he ies. And I just couldn't. I got fler. Smith is the first Austra- needed. And he got no
was at the front of the 18th topped a rising American beaten by the better play- lian to win the Open since help from Smith, whose one
green with his tee shot. From star named Arnold Palmer, er this week. To go out and Greg Norman in 1993 at missed shot set up his big-
80 feet away, his pace up the people's choice. shoot 64 to win the Open Royal St. George's. Nor- gest challenge. q

Hendriks, Romano, Williams, France

added to All-Star rosters

be active for the All-Star July 6 and 8. baseman Nolan Arenado,
Game, along with the Los Angeles Dodgers left- Miami second baseman
Angels’ Mike Trout, after hander Tyler Anderson, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Milwau-
weekend starts. Miami first baseman Gar- kee closer Josh Hader,
Relievers Liam Hendriks of rett Cooper, San Diego in- Philadelphia DH Bryce
the Chicago White Sox, fielder Jake Cronenworth, Harper, Rodón and Toronto
Jordan Romano of To- San Francisco left-hander outfielder George Springer
ronto and Devin Williams Carlos Rodón, Toronto in- were among those who
of Milwaukee and Seattle fielder Santiago Espinal, dropped out, most of them
first baseman Ty France re- Boston designated hitter because of injuries.
placed them on the active J.D. Martinez, Atlanta third Altuve was replaced in the
Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Liam Hendriks reacts after
striking out Cleveland Guardians’ Nolan Jones during the rosters for Tuesday’s game baseman Austin Riley and starting lineup by Cleve-
ninth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 13, 2022, in at Dodger Stadium, Major Texas shortstop Corey Sea- land’s Andrés Giménez,
Cleveland. League Baseball said Sun- ger were among previous Chisholm by the New York
Associated Press day. additions. Mets’ Jeff McNeil, Harper
About a dozen players Houston second baseman by Atlanta’s William Con-
NEW YORK (AP) — Hous- Yankees’ Gerrit Cole and have changed from the Jose Altuve, Astros DH Yor- treras and Trout by Minne-
ton’s Justin Verlander, the Atlanta’s Max Fried won’t original rosters announced dan Álvarez, St. Louis third sota’s Byron Buxton.q