Jordan Spieth’s pursuit of a third straight major golf trophy ended in disappointment Monday when he fell one stroke short of making it into a four-hole playoff for the British Open championship in St. Andrews, Scotland.
2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson, who sank a birdie putt on the 18th hole to tie for the lead, prevailed over Marc Leishman and Louis Oosthuizen in the playoff to win the coveted Claret Jug awarded to the Open winner.
Spieth made a 50-foot putt for birdie on the 16th hole to tie for the lead at 15-under par but bogeyed the 17th to fall a stroke behind the leaders. At the 18th, a long putt for birdie and a place in the playoff rolled left of the hole as the 21-year-old Dallas phenom saw his chance to add another major to his Masters and U.S. Open titles evaporate in the Scottish mist of St. Andrews’ legendary Old Course.
Spieth carded a final round score of 69 for a four-round total of 274.