PGA Rookie Wins British Open

PGA rookie Ben Curtis won the British Open on Sunday after Thomas Bjorn — two ahead with four holes to play — took three to get out of a greenside bunker.

Playing his first major, Curtis finished with a 2-under 69 for a 1-under total of 283 at Royal St. George's. Bjorn, whose blunder left the American one ahead, wound up with a 72 and a share of second place with Vijay Singh.

Tiger Woods made a charge when he birdied three out of four holes from the fourth to seventh. But he failed to keep the run going and his 71 left him tied for fourth and now 0 for 5 in majors.

Curtis, whose best was a tie for 13th at the Western Open two weeks ago, birdied six of the first 11 holes to move two ahead of overnight leader Thomas Bjorn of Denmark at 5 under.

But the Dane responded with birdies at three, four and seven to regain the lead.

Bjorn's bogey five at 15 cut his lead to one. His second shot at 16 landed in a greenside bunker and the crowd gasped as he took three to get out. He made double bogey five and handed the lead to Curtis.

The American headed for the driving range to practice in case the tournament went to a playoff. That meant he wasn't there to see Bjorn, who needed to hole a chip from just off the 18th green, turned away from the flag instead.

Vijay Singh almost joined Curtis on 1 under but his chip shot at 18 was just four feet short and he made 70 for an even par total of 284.

Three time champion Nick Faldo, whose form has slumped in the past seven years, charged into contention after an eagle 3 at the seventh. Two more birdies at 11 and 14 took him to level par but, with Curtis streaking ahead, the holes were running out for the veteran star and he bogeyed three in a row to finish with a 70.

He wasn't the only former champion reveling in the sunny conditions on the final day, however.

Former champions Greg Norman and Tom Watson finished the 132nd Open in style.

Norman, who won the last Open to be staged at Royal St. George's 10 years ago, returned a 3-under 68 for a 6-over finish of 290.

Watson, a five-time Open winner who has never triumphed here, made 69 also for 6-over. Although neither score threatened the leaders, they had plenty to smile about.

This is only Norman's third tournament of the year because of a persistent back trouble while Watson's performance soon after his first round 65 at the U.S. Open at Olympia Fields, shows he's in great form ahead of next week's British Seniors Open at Turnberry.

Els, by contrast, failed hold on to the form that earned him a five-stroke victory at last week's Scottish Open at Loch Lomond.

After erratic rounds of 78, 68 and 72, he went into the final 18 holes at 5 over — seven behind leader Thomas Bjorn of Denmark. He bogeyed the first and, although he birdied the fourth, he went bogey, birdie, bogey from the sixth.

Reaching the 15th at 6 over, Els could feel his time as British Open champion was running out and he finished with a 72.

Among other low scores among the early starters on the final round, Stewart Cink made 68, while Rich Beem, Bob Estes, South Africa's Retief Goosen and first round leader Hennie Otto, Sweden's Adam Mednik and Ireland's Padraig Harrington returned 69s on a course which has yielded few below par scores in the previous three rounds.