(BRITISH) OPEN AND SHUT CASE

An extraordinary title won in a dramatic way went to a golfer who is often described as simply an average guy.
 
Zach Johnson, 39, birdied the first two playoff holes at the delayed British Open on Monday and won that tournament on the hallowed ground of St. Andrew’s. His 28-foot birdie putt on the 72^nd hole of regulation got him into the playoff against Marc Leishman and Louis Oosthuizen (the 2010 winner).

Johnson, who is from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, now lives in St. Simon’s Island, Ga., with his wife Kim and their three children. He continues to enjoy small-town living and family life above almost all else. He’s not the biggest hitter in golf, nor the best putter, but he’s devoted and bulldog-tough.

“I feel like God gave me the ability to play a game. I try to take it very seriously. I realize it’s just a game,” he said after hoisting the Claret Jug as the winner of the 144^th British Open. “But this isn’t going to define me or my career. At least I hope it doesn’t. It’s not my legacy. Granted, as a professional athlete and as a golfer I’m going to relish this. I’m going to savor this. I’m humbled by this. But my legacy should be my kids, my family.”
 
Jordan Spieth, who had won the Masters and the U.S. Open in pursuit of golf’s Grand Slam, didn’t make it to the playoff. His double-bogey on the eighth hole came back to bite him on Monday, as he missed joining Johnson, Leishman and Oosthuizen by one stroke.

“I won’t beat myself up too much,” said Spieth, who finished in a tie for fourth with Jason Day. “It was a great week.”
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .