Stan BadzSOUTHPORT, England — Cameron McCormick politely excused himself from the gaggle of well-wishers trying to shake his hand beside the 18th green on Sunday at Royal Birkdale. You see his prized pupil, Jordan Spieth, was ushering him over to take his first picture with a certain iconic trophy, and well, you know, that’s kind of a big thing. So big that McCormick pulled out his cellphone and turned on his Facetime app so that friends back in the United States could see him huddle with the new British Open champion for a couple of thrilling moments.
To claim the claret jug and his third career major title, Spieth had to hole a series of momentous putts on the back nine at Birkdale, a succession that will be replayed for years to come. It began with a six-footer for a clutch bogey save on nearly apocalyptic 13th. Followed by a four-foot birdie on the 14th (after nearly holing his tee shot), a 40-foot eagle on the 15th, a 25-foot birdie on the 16th and a six-foot birdie on the 17th. I..

Dan Mullan(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)Unless you're a masochist, most of the Open Championship's final round was watched with your hands covering your eyes. But, following one of the most bizarre scenes in golf history, viewers' patience was rewarded with a closing stretch for the history books, capped off by one of the game's best reclaiming his throne. Here are the the winners & losers of Day 4 at Royal Birkdale.
Winner: Jordan Spieth
If Saturday was a smooth weekend drive through the countryside, most of Sunday was a battle to keep the car on the road with two flat tires and killer bees coming through the dashboard. But tournaments are not scored by style points; they are decided by will, guts, temerity. Say what you will about his opening nerves, the three-putt on the ninth, his adventures on the 13th, but that finish (birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie) was fortitude incarnate. Spieth became the second-youngest winner to grab three major titles, and the youngest ..