Oosthuizen romps to Open Championship victory

By The Open 2010

Tour News

18 July 2010 17:50

Louis Oosthuizen has won the 150th anniversary Open Championship at St Andrews by a stunning margin of seven shots.

The South African played in the final group on both days over the weekend but didn't show any signs of pressure as he only dropped two shots in the final two rounds.

His 15-under-par total of 272 came courtesy of rounds of 65, 67, 69 and 71.

His nearest competitor was Lee Westwood, who finished on -9 with a birdie on the 72nd hole.

This lifted the Englishman, who has finished in the top three in four of the last five Majors, above Rory McIlroy, Paul Casey and Henrik Stenson in a tie for third on -8.

Retief Goosen finished alone on -7 and Robert Rock, Sean O'Hair and Nick Watney completed the top 10 on -6.

Oosthuizen attended the Ernie Els Foundation in South Africa for three years before turning pro in 2002, and Els has been quick to praise the 27 year old.

"This is absolutely unbelievable," he said. "It would be difficult to find anybody in the world who is more proud of him right now. I could not be happier.

"Louis is simply a wonderful kid. You can not find a better one and I am so pleased for him.

"I thought long before anybody had heard of him that he was going to be an exceptional player, He has shot an absoutely stunning 57 at Mossel Bay which will neither be equalled nor bettered. You have something special when you do that."

Els also revealed that Oosthuizen had already started his own Foundation to help needy kids.

"Louis is the Open champion now. His life will change. He won't."