Senior moment for Cochran

American Russ Cochran fired a closing round of 67 to win the Senior Open Championship at Walton Heath.

American claims maiden major crown at Walton Heath

American Russ Cochran fired a closing round of 67 to win the Senior Open Championship at Walton Heath. The success was Cochran's third on the Champions Tour, but his first major crown. The 52-year-old left-hander finished 12-under-par, two ahead of fellow overnight leader Mark Calcavecchia. Former Ryder Cup captains Tom Watson and Corey Pavin shared third place a shot further back after rounds of 67 and 69 respectively, with England's Barry Lane fifth another stroke adrift. "It feels great," Cochran said afterwards. "I had my son (Reed) on the bag, I told him I was going to work hard and come away with something good and I think he was the lucky charm." Cochran carded six birdies during his final round, all of them arriving in the first ten holes as he established a commanding five-shot lead. With that cushion he was able to drop one at the 14th but remain in control of proccedings and he finished the job with a run of solid pars. Victory for Calcavecchia would have made him only the fourth man to win the Senior Open having won the Open Championship itself, with Bob Charles, Gary Player and Watson the men to have done it to date. But the 1989 Open champion was left to rue a four-putt from 15 feet which saw him take a double-bogey five at the ninth hole.