British Open: Ranking the 25 most dominant performances of all time
By Bill Felber
2. Louis Oosthuizen, 2010, -3.501
The famously capricious St. Andrews weather may have dictated the 2010 British Open champion.
Entering play, young Rory McIlroy was a popular pick, a status he confirmed with a 9-under 63 on Thursday. McIlroy’s score tied the course record, and would have broken it but for a missed 5-footer on the Road Hole.
He carried a two-stroke lead over unheralded South African Louis Oosthuizen into the second round. Then the fates intervened.
Playing during benign morning conditions, Oosthuizen posted a 67. Then he retreated to the clubhouse and watched as wind and driving rain destroyed the chances of all those in the afternoon wave. McIlroy was foremost among the casualties. From that first day 63, he soared to an 80 that left him 11 shots behind Oosthuizen, whose closest challenger, Mark Calcavecchia, was five back.
Although never having contended in a major, Oosthuizen was unfazed by the weekend pressure. He retained a four-stroke lead entering the final round, holed a 45-foot putt for an eagle at nine, and joined Bobby Locke, Gary Player and Ernie Els as the fourth South African to win the tournament.
Lee Westwood finished second, a full seven strokes off the lead, while McIlroy, Paul Casey and Henrik Stenson tied for third, eight behind.