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Golf

Stewart Cink Wins British Open in Playoff

Posted Jul 19, 2009 2:33PM By Shane Bacon (RSS feed)

Filed Under: British Open

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This isn't Hollywood, even if that is how we sometimes want it. Tom Watson winning the British Open at 59 would have been the story that was splashed on pages of a screenplay. He was the man that most had hoped would be holding the Claret Jug for the sixth time in his career. It would have been a great story, but it just wasn't meant to be.

Instead, Stewart Cink, one of the nicest guys on tour, claimed his first major championship at Turnberry, defeating Watson in a four-hole playoff with clutch putting and solid iron play that was punctuated with a wedge on the last hole he stuffed to three feet for a birdie and the victory.

Cink is one of those type of players you'd expect might break through in a major. A five time winner on the PGA Tour, the 36-year-old Cink has had his chances before. At the U.S. Open in 2001, Cink battled Retief Goosen all day, but missed a tap-in putt on the 18th green to miss out in the 18-hole playoff Goosen eventually won over Mark Brooks. Cink finished tied for third at the Masters in '08 and t-6 at this very championship in '06.

Some might say he fell into the playoff with Watson, but you can't look past the clutch birdie he rolled in on the 18th green. Needing something good on the final hole, Cink hit a great second shot to 10-feet and coolly rolled in the birdie putt with a raised fist. He knew how important that putt was. It eventually won him the British Open.

The playoff was fairly anticlimactic. Watson made bogey on the first hole, made an improbable up-and-down par on the second playoff hole but hooked his tee shot on the par-5 17th into high grass, needing two shots to find the fairway and eventually carding a double-bogey to Cink's birdie. The final playoff hole was a nice stroll for Cink, who made it seven wins for Americans at the British this decade.

The story will still go back to Watson. He had his hands wrapped around the coveted Claret Jug but a shaky par putt on the final hole of regulation went begging. Everyone was rooting for that to go in. It would have been the sports story of the year, eclipsing Jack Nicklaus' Masters win in 1986 by miles. A 59-year-old had never won the British, and that stat will stay put.

In a few years, you'll think back to Turnberry and the image of Watson hitting solid drives and waving at the crowds will pop in your head. He nearly did it. Don't hang your head though, Tom. It was fun to see it one last time.

Latest British Open Photos

    Lee Westwood of England reacts after missing a putt on the 18th green during the final round of the British Open Golf championship, at the Turnberry golf course, Scotland, Sunday, July 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

    AP

    US golfer Tom Watson (2nd R) shakes hands with Australian golfer Mathew Goggin after missing the winning shot on the 18th green, on the final day of the 138th British Open Championship at Turnberry Golf Course in south west Scotland, on July 19, 2009. A further four holes will be played to decide the winner. AFP PHOTO/Adrian Dennis (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images)

    AFP/Getty Images

    US golfer Tom Watson putts before missing the winning shot on the 18th green, on the final day of the 138th British Open Championship at Turnberry Golf Course in south west Scotland, on July 19, 2009. A further four holes will be played to decide the winner. AFP PHOTO/Adrian Dennis (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images)

    AFP/Getty Images

    US golfer Tom Watson (C) lines up his putt before missing the winning shot on the 18th green, on the final day of the 138th British Open Championship at Turnberry Golf Course in south west Scotland, on July 19, 2009. A further four holes will be played to decide the winner. AFP PHOTO/Adrian Dennis (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images)

    AFP/Getty Images

    Lee Westwood of England walks down the 18th green during the final round of the British Open Golf championship, at the Turnberry golf course, Scotland, Sunday, July 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

    AP

    Tom Watson of the US walks down the 18th fairway during the final round of the British Open Golf championship, at the Turnberry golf course, Scotland, Sunday, July 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

    AP

    Tom Watson of the US misses a putt on the 18th green during the final round of the British Open Golf championship, at the Turnberry golf course, Scotland, Sunday, July 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

    AP

    Tom Watson of the US plays to the 18th green during the final round of the British Open Golf championship, at the Turnberry golf course, Scotland, Sunday, July 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

    AP

    Lee Westwood of England hits out of a bunker on the 15th hole at the 2009 British Open Golf Championship at the Turnberry Golf Club in Scotland July 19, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Blake (BRITAIN SPORT GOLF)

    Reuters

    Stewart Cink of the U.S. reacts after his birdie putt on the 18th green during the final round of the British Open Golf Championship at the Turnberry Golf Club in Scotland, July 19, 2009. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne (BRITAIN SPORT GOLF)

    Reuters

Tags: jack+nicklaus, retief+goosen, stewart+cink, Tom+watson

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