By Matt Smith
Cameron Smith was the putting Wizard of Oz on Sunday as he put together a stunning back nine to deny Rory McIlroy and Cameron Young — winning by a stroke on the Old Course to lift the Claret Jug at the 150th Open Championship at St Andrews.

It is the Australian’s first major, and he did it in some style, with a bogey-free eight-under 64 — including a streak of five birdies in a row from the 10th hole — to sign for a 20-under total, one better than Young, while Northern Ireland’s McIlroy was forced to prolong his eight-year major drought, finishing a shot further back. Overnight co-leader Viktor Hovland of Norway had to settle for T4 alongside England’s Tommy Fleetwood.

While McIlroy did little wrong, he was powerless to stop a blistering hot Smith putter in the group just ahead of himself and Hovland. The Aussie was four shots back at the start of the final round, but closed the gap with a pair of birdies before the turn. Then came that amazing run from the 10th, which saw him vault into the lead, and he never looked back, with clutch putt after clutch putt keeping him out of reach. A final-hole birdie meant McIlroy had to eagle the last. Alas, his tee shot caught a soft bounce and he could not get it down through the Valley of Sin to force a playoff, triggering wild celebrations in the signing booth just behind the 18th.

Smith joins greats such as Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods to have won the Open at the Home of Golf, while Rory’s wait goes on.

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