Watson's dream sunk by Cink

Cink: first major triumph

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Stewart Cink claimed his first major title as he beat Tom Watson in a four-hole play-off at Turnberry to win the 138th Open Championship.

Watson had looked poised to become the oldest-ever major champion as he headed down the 18th hole with a one-shot lead over the field.

But after his approach had run through the back of the green, he left himself a six-foot putt for par and victory and was unable to hole it.

Sadly for the 59-year-old American it was then that his dream of a sixth Open title all but died as his game rather fell apart in the play-off with Cink triumphing by an emphatic six-shot margin.

Indeed, Watson cut a rather disconsolate figure by the end as his memorable performance over the week came to a miserable and anti-climactic end.

But Cink ensured he closed out victory in the grand style with a splendid birdie down the 18th to join the major winners' club and secure the Claret Jug.

The American had looked to have blown his chances when he missed a birdie-putt at the 17th during a dramatic finish to the regulation 72 holes.

Having failed to take the chance at 17, he was left at one-under-par going down the 18th with Watson, three groups behind, pulling two shots clear when he himself achieved birdie at 17.

Crucial birdie

However, Cink went on to hole a crucial birdie putt at 18 to move to two-under, with it's true worth only revealed when first Lee Westwood, then Watson made bogeys down the last.

Westwood was also on two-under when he headed down the 18th, but in trying to secure the birdie he thought he would need to tie Watson, succeeded only in racking up a three-putt bogey that put paid to his hopes.

In the end Westwood finished in joint third on one-under, alongside fellow Englishman Chris Wood who produced a superb final round of 67.

It was another excellent Open campaign from the 21-year-old who finished fifth at Royal Birkdale last year as an amateur on his debut in the event.

Luke Donald also carded a final round of 67 to push himself up into a share of fifth with Retief Goosen (72) and Matthew Goggin (73).

As the final round reached its climax, Goggin was very much in the hunt until consecutive bogeys at 14, 15 and 16 put the skids under his bid.

It was Westwood's playing partner Ross Fisher who set the early pace, after picking up a shot at the first he chipped in at the second for another birdie which lifted him two clear of the field on five-under.

Quadruple-bogey

But his hopes were cruelly undermined by a quadruple-bogey eight at the fifth when he found rough on both sides of the fairway before being forced to take a penalty drop.

The 28-year-old then surrendered further shots at seven and eight and could have been forgiven for claiming the call from his pregnant wife had arrived at that point.

But he stuck to his task and closed with ten straight pars to sign for a 75 and a share of 13th at two-over.

But it was the story of Watson that really captivated and it certainly appeared at one point that possibly the most remarkable sporting achievement of all time was set to become a reality.

Legendary

Some 32 years after he got the better of Jack Nicklaus over the same course to win the legendary 'Duel in the Sun', the American veteran appeared set to write a new chapter in golfing history by becoming its oldest major champion.

That it didn't was down in no small part to Watson's close-range putting with his Achilles heel coming back to haunt him at the most important of times.

His putt for victory at 18 did not threaten the hole and the miss seemed to sap his energy with Watson looking all of his 59 years during the play-off for the first time during an incredible week.

Having found a bunker protecting the green at the first play-off hole, the fifth, and made a bogey to fall one behind, Watson's game became increasingly erratic and his fate was all but sealed after a double-bogey seven at the 17th handed Cink a four shot lead going down 18 for a second time.

To his credit Cink maintained his composure and focus impeccably despite the occasion undoubtedly falling flat due to Watson's travails.

His triumph also erased the memory of the 2001 US Open when he missed an 18-inch putt that would have put him in a play-off with Retief Goosen and Mark Brooks.

But while Cink ended as champion, the story remained Watson despite the fairytale turning sour in the final chapter.