Stewart Cink punctures Tom Watson’s Turnberry fairytale to win 2009 British Open in playoff
Like Greg Norman last year, Tom Watson couldn’t become the oldest British Open winner ever, with the Turnberry course and Stewart Cink as the last of a host of big names on the leaderboard eventually besting him.
Greg Norman also started day four of the British Open last year in sole possession of the lead, but this time it was the 59-year-old Watson who couldn’t make it stick after he fell into a four-hole playoff with Cink when they both finished on two under par.
Watson started the 18th hole of his fourth round needing only to par to win outright, but his second shot to the par four landed in rough behind the hole and the eight-time-major-winning veteran could not get up and down for the win.
On the second hole of the play off, using the last four holes of the Turnberry course, Watson birdied to take the lead, but a fateful stray tee off on the relatively easy par five 17th was the tragedy which ruined his chances.
“I don’t know if I can get it out Ox, but I reckon I’ll give it a try,” Watson said to his caddy, Philadelphia-based polticial consultant Neil Oxman. Watson’s shot from impossibly long rough couldn’t make the fairway, though, and he three-putted to take a double bogey seven.
Watson’s tee shot on the 18th then went into the crowd, drawing a curtain on the championship and leaving Cink the deserving winner. Watson told the crowd before playing his second, “The way I’m hitting it, I might hit it into you,” showing he still had a sense of humor at least.
At times during the day there were a number of single and multiple leaders, including England’s Lee Westwood and Australian Matthew Goggin. Former major winner Westwood tailed off with three bogeys and a birdie at the 17th across the last four holes, while the lesser-ranked Goggin also dropped three shots in successive holes at 14, 15 and 16 and failed to birdie the 17th.
2009 British Open full leaderboard
| # | Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Today | Hole | Score | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stewart Cink | 66 | 72 | 71 | 69 | -1 | F | -2 | 278 |
| 2 | Tom Watson | 65 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 2 | F | -2 | 278 |
| T3 | Chris Wood | 70 | 70 | 72 | 67 | -3 | F | -1 | 279 |
| T3 | Lee Westwood | 68 | 70 | 70 | 71 | 1 | F | -1 | 279 |
| T5 | Luke Donald | 71 | 72 | 70 | 67 | -3 | F | E | 280 |
| T5 | Retief Goosen | 67 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 2 | F | E | 280 |
| T5 | Mathew Goggin | 66 | 72 | 69 | 73 | 3 | F | E | 280 |
| T8 | Soren Hansen | 68 | 72 | 74 | 67 | -3 | F | 1 | 281 |
| T8 | Ernie Els | 69 | 72 | 72 | 68 | -2 | F | 1 | 281 |
| T8 | Justin Leonard | 70 | 70 | 73 | 68 | -2 | F | 1 | 281 |
| T8 | Thomas Aiken | 71 | 72 | 69 | 69 | -1 | F | 1 | 281 |
| T8 | Richard S. Johnson | 70 | 72 | 69 | 70 | E | F | 1 | 281 |
| T13 | Jeff Overton | 70 | 69 | 76 | 67 | -3 | F | 2 | 282 |
| T13 | Andres Romero | 68 | 74 | 73 | 67 | -3 | F | 2 | 282 |
| T13 | Miguel Angel Jimenez | 64 | 73 | 76 | 69 | -1 | F | 2 | 282 |
| T13 | Matteo Manassero | 71 | 70 | 72 | 69 | -1 | F | 2 | 282 |
| T13 | Camilo Villegas | 66 | 73 | 73 | 70 | E | F | 2 | 282 |
| T13 | Justin Rose | 69 | 72 | 71 | 70 | E | F | 2 | 282 |
| T13 | Francesco Molinari | 71 | 70 | 71 | 70 | E | F | 2 | 282 |
| T13 | Henrik Stenson | 71 | 70 | 71 | 70 | E | F | 2 | 282 |
| T13 | Boo Weekley | 67 | 72 | 72 | 71 | 1 | F | 2 | 282 |
| T13 | Thongchai Jaidee | 69 | 72 | 69 | 72 | 2 | F | 2 | 282 |
| T13 | Ross Fisher | 69 | 68 | 70 | 75 | 5 | F | 2 | 282 |
| T24 | Peter Hanson | 70 | 71 | 72 | 70 | E | F | 3 | 283 |
| T24 | Oliver Wilson | 72 | 70 | 71 | 70 | E | F | 3 | 283 |
| T24 | Angel Cabrera | 69 | 70 | 72 | 72 | 2 | F | 3 | 283 |
| T27 | Davis Love III | 69 | 73 | 73 | 69 | -1 | F | 4 | 284 |
| T27 | Soren Kjeldsen | 68 | 76 | 71 | 69 | -1 | F | 4 | 284 |
| T27 | Mark Calcavecchia | 67 | 69 | 77 | 71 | 1 | F | 4 | 284 |
| T27 | Nick Watney | 71 | 72 | 71 | 70 | E | F | 4 | 284 |
| T27 | Kenichi Kuboya | 65 | 72 | 75 | 72 | 2 | F | 4 | 284 |
| T27 | James Kingston | 67 | 71 | 74 | 72 | 2 | F | 4 | 284 |
| T27 | John Daly | 68 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 2 | F | 4 | 284 |
| T34 | Richard Sterne | 67 | 73 | 75 | 70 | E | F | 5 | 285 |
| T34 | Martin Kaymer | 69 | 70 | 74 | 72 | 2 | F | 5 | 285 |
| T34 | Graeme McDowell | 68 | 73 | 71 | 73 | 3 | F | 5 | 285 |
| T34 | Jim Furyk | 67 | 72 | 70 | 76 | 6 | F | 5 | 285 |
| T38 | Sergio Garcia | 70 | 69 | 76 | 71 | 1 | F | 6 | 286 |
| T38 | Thomas Levet | 71 | 73 | 71 | 71 | 1 | F | 6 | 286 |
| T38 | Nick Dougherty | 70 | 70 | 73 | 73 | 3 | F | 6 | 286 |
| T38 | Vijay Singh | 67 | 70 | 75 | 74 | 4 | F | 6 | 286 |
| T38 | Steve Marino | 67 | 68 | 76 | 75 | 5 | F | 6 | 286 |
| T43 | Anthony Wall | 68 | 72 | 75 | 72 | 2 | F | 7 | 287 |
| T43 | Branden Grace | 67 | 72 | 73 | 75 | 5 | F | 7 | 287 |
| T43 | Paul McGinley | 71 | 71 | 70 | 75 | 5 | F | 7 | 287 |
| T43 | Bryce Molder | 70 | 73 | 67 | 77 | 7 | F | 7 | 287 |
| T47 | Paul Lawrie | 71 | 73 | 76 | 68 | -2 | F | 8 | 288 |
| T47 | Zach Johnson | 70 | 71 | 77 | 70 | E | F | 8 | 288 |
| T47 | Paul Casey | 68 | 76 | 74 | 70 | E | F | 8 | 288 |
| T47 | Rory McIlroy | 69 | 74 | 74 | 71 | 1 | F | 8 | 288 |
| T47 | Gonzalo Fernandez-Casta | 69 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 4 | F | 8 | 288 |
| T52 | Darren Clarke | 71 | 71 | 78 | 69 | -1 | F | 9 | 289 |
| T52 | Kenny Perry | 71 | 72 | 75 | 71 | 1 | F | 9 | 289 |
| T52 | Graeme Storm | 72 | 72 | 74 | 71 | 1 | F | 9 | 289 |
| T52 | Robert Allenby | 70 | 74 | 73 | 72 | 2 | F | 9 | 289 |
| T52 | Johan Edfors | 71 | 73 | 72 | 73 | 3 | F | 9 | 289 |
| T52 | Billy Mayfair | 69 | 73 | 73 | 74 | 4 | F | 9 | 289 |
| T52 | David Howell | 68 | 73 | 72 | 76 | 6 | F | 9 | 289 |
| T52 | Steve Stricker | 66 | 77 | 70 | 76 | 6 | F | 9 | 289 |
| T60 | David Drysdale | 69 | 73 | 75 | 73 | 3 | F | 10 | 290 |
| T60 | Tom Lehman | 68 | 74 | 74 | 74 | 4 | F | 10 | 290 |
| T60 | Paul Broadhurst | 70 | 72 | 74 | 74 | 4 | F | 10 | 290 |
| T60 | Kevin Sutherland | 69 | 73 | 73 | 75 | 5 | F | 10 | 290 |
| 64 | Ryuji Imada | 74 | 69 | 79 | 69 | -1 | F | 11 | 291 |
| T65 | Fredrik Andersson Hed | 71 | 70 | 78 | 73 | 3 | F | 12 | 292 |
| T65 | Padraig Harrington | 69 | 74 | 76 | 73 | 3 | F | 12 | 292 |
| T65 | Stuart Appleby | 71 | 72 | 76 | 73 | 3 | F | 12 | 292 |
| T65 | Sean O’Hair | 68 | 75 | 75 | 74 | 4 | F | 12 | 292 |
| 69 | J.B. Holmes | 68 | 70 | 75 | 80 | 10 | F | 13 | 293 |
| T70 | Mark O’Meara | 67 | 77 | 77 | 74 | 4 | F | 15 | 295 |
| T70 | Fredrik Jacobson | 70 | 72 | 77 | 76 | 6 | F | 15 | 295 |
| 72 | Paul Goydos | 72 | 72 | 77 | 82 | 12 | F | 23 | 303 |
| 73 | Daniel Gaunt | 76 | 67 | 79 | 82 | 12 | F | 24 | 304 |
| T74 | Ben Curtis | 65 | 80 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 145 |
| T74 | Josh Geary | 70 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 145 |
| T74 | Todd Hamilton | 75 | 70 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 145 |
| T74 | Anders Hansen | 68 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 145 |
| T74 | Peter Hedblom | 71 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 145 |
| T74 | Charley Hoffman | 71 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 145 |
| T74 | Colin Montgomerie | 71 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 145 |
| T74 | Adam Scott | 71 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 145 |
| T74 | D.J. Trahan | 68 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 145 |
| T74 | Mike Weir | 67 | 78 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 145 |
| T74 | Tiger Woods | 71 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 145 |
| T85 | Briny Baird | 72 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 146 |
| T85 | Peter Baker | 74 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 146 |
| T85 | K.J. Choi | 74 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 146 |
| T85 | Tim Clark | 71 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 146 |
| T85 | Ben Crane | 71 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 146 |
| T85 | Ryo Ishikawa | 68 | 78 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 146 |
| T85 | Anthony Kim | 73 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 146 |
| T85 | Matt Kuchar | 70 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 146 |
| T85 | Martin Laird | 74 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 146 |
| T85 | Louis Oosthuizen | 70 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 146 |
| T85 | Elliot Saltman | 70 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 146 |
| T85 | John Senden | 66 | 80 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 146 |
| T97 | Mark Brown | 71 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T97 | Rhys Davies | 73 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T97 | James Driscoll | 76 | 71 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T97 | David Duval | 71 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T97 | Richard Green | 71 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T97 | Yuta Ikeda | 76 | 71 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T97 | Rod Pampling | 74 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T97 | Rory Sabbatini | 74 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T97 | Charl Schwartzel | 71 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T97 | David Toms | 72 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T107 | Gaganjeet Bhullar | 71 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T107 | Markus Brier | 71 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T107 | David Higgins | 73 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T107 | Charles Howell III | 73 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T107 | Raphael Jacquelin | 75 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T107 | Sandy Lyle | 75 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T107 | Prayad Marksaeng | 73 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T107 | Gary Orr | 73 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T107 | Alvaro Quiros | 71 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T107 | Robert Rock | 73 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T107 | Bubba Watson | 73 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T118 | Stephen Ames | 72 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T118 | Rafa Echenique | 72 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T118 | Brian Gay | 73 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T118 | Lucas Glover | 72 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T118 | Stephan Gross Jr. | 74 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T118 | W.C. Liang | 77 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T118 | Richie Ramsay | 77 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T118 | David Smail | 70 | 79 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T118 | Brandt Snedeker | 72 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T118 | Azuma Yano | 75 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T128 | Chad Campbell | 73 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T128 | Ken Duke | 71 | 79 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T128 | Tomohiro Kondo | 71 | 79 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T128 | Terry Pilkadaris | 68 | 82 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T128 | Steve Surry | 69 | 81 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T128 | Tim Wood | 73 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T134 | Marc Cayeux | 75 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
| T134 | Nick Faldo | 78 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
| T134 | Richard Finch | 73 | 78 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
| T134 | Jeremy Kavanagh | 74 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
| T134 | Hunter Mahan | 72 | 79 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
| T134 | Carl Pettersson | 74 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
| T134 | Lloyd Saltman | 75 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
| T134 | Tim Stewart | 74 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
| T142 | Thomas Haylock | 74 | 78 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
| T142 | Damien McGrane | 78 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
| T142 | Greg Norman | 77 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
| T145 | Geoff Ogilvy | 75 | 78 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 153 |
| T145 | Bruce Vaughan | 78 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 153 |
| T147 | Dustin Johnson | 78 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 154 |
| T147 | Koumei Oda | 76 | 78 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 154 |
| T147 | Ian Poulter | 75 | 79 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 154 |
| 150 | Daniel Wardrop | 75 | 80 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 155 |
| 151 | Michael Wright | 77 | 79 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 156 |
| 152 | Oliver Fisher | 79 | 78 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 157 |
| 153 | Pablo Larrazabal | 79 | 81 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 160 |
| 154 | Peter Ellebye | 77 | 84 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 161 |
| 155 | Jaco Ahlers | 83 | 79 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 162 |
| 156 | Michael Campbell | 78 | 59 | WD | WD | – | – | – | 137 |
