How golf star blew $1 million in British Open horror show
JB Holmes’ final round at the British Open was forgettable for a number of reasons.
Heading into Sunday’s fourth round in third place, Holmes was in line for a million-dollar payday if he could hang on.
However what transpired was nothing short of a horror show.
After rounds of 66, 68 and 69, the American finished up with an 87 as the wild conditions wreaked havoc.
Holmes managed just one birdie as he endured six bogeys, four double bogeys and a triple bogey to plummet 64 spots down the leaderboard.
It represented the worst final round at the British Open in 50 years and cost him the $1,019,000 (AU) prize that third-place finisher Tony Finau collected.
Shane Lowry collected $2.7m for winning, while Tommy Fleetwood got $1.6m for second.
To make matters worse, Holmes drew the ire of World No.1 Brooks Koepka with his slow play.
The 37-year-old is known as one of the more leisurely players on the PGA Tour and Koepka, who adopts a no-nonsense attitude, appeared unhappy with Holmes' approach – even pretending to point to a watch when walking off the 12th green.
"I wasn't wearing a watch, I mean he had a rough day but J.B. is a slow player. I know it's difficult with the wind, but I didn't think he was that bad today. I thought he was all right," he said.
"There were times where I thought it was slow. There's a lot of slow guys out here. It's not the first time I've done it, especially when you've got a walking official with you.
"We were on pace for 13 holes. But I mean, if I'm in a group, we're going to be on pace no matter what. I'm usually ready to go, as soon as the guy's ball is coming down.
"I'm ready to go most of the time. That's what I don't understand when it's your turn to hit, your glove is not on, then you start thinking about it, that's where the problem lies.
"It's not that he takes that long. He doesn't do anything until his turn. That's the frustrating part. But he's not the only one that does it out here."
Shane Lowry makes history
A year after missing the halfway cut for the fourth straight time and then losing his US PGA Tour card, Irishman Shane Lowry can barely believe he's the new British Open champion.
Lowry fought back tears and paid a heartfelt tribute to his family after turning The Open into a Sunday procession and sending fans into a frenzy with an emotion-charged six-stroke victory at Royal Portrush.
"I didn't even know going out this morning if I was good enough to win a major," Lowry said after closing with a one-over-par 72 in miserable conditions to finish at 15 under for the championship, comfortably clear of English runner-up Tommy Fleetwood (74).
"I knew I was able to put a few days together. I knew I was able to play the golf course. I just went out there and tried to give my best and, look, I'm here now, a major champion.”
In the first Open staged in Northern Ireland since 1951, Lowry joins Padraig Harrington (2007 and 2008) as only the second man from south of the border to claim the Claret Jug, or win any of golf's four majors.
He also follows in the famous footsteps of fellow Irishmen Fred Daly (1947), Darren Clarke (2011) and Rory McIlroy (2012 and 2014), all from the north, to win The Open.
with agencies