The 2022 Open Championship was one of the most close-knit competitions in its history. The match truly went down to the final hole of the final round, where Rory McIlroy missed an eagle chip and came up short against Australia's Cameron Smith, who topped the leaderboard. Smith posted a -20 in the tournament, propelled by his near-flawless final round.
In his final round at the Open Championship, Smith's -20 is actually the best score to par at a single major in PGA history, tying the likes of Dustin Johnson (2020 Masters), Henrik Stenson (2016 Open), and Jason Day (2015 PGA). That's far from the only incredible achievement Smith pulled off over the four-day tournament, firmly etching his place in history:
Cameron Smith has matched the best score to par in a single major all-time. He joins:
Dustin Johnson (-20 at 2020 Masters)
Henrik Stenson (-20 at 2016 Open)
Jason Day (-20 at 2015 PGA)— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 17, 2022
Smith shot -8 in the final round at St. Andrews, which puts him tied with some legends for the best score in the final round of a major championship. The only players to do this were Stenson (2016 Open) and Gary Player (1978 Masters).
Cameron Smith was also just the first player in 20 years to record a birdie in each of the first five holes on the back nine in the final round of any major, per ESPN Stats and Info, adding yet another incredible accomplishment under his belt after what was nothing short of a historic performance at St. Andrews.
Golf fans were treated to quite the spectacle at the 2022 Open Championship, largely in part thanks to the showcase put on by Smith. The scoreboard remained tight throughout, with the likes of McIlroy, Cameron Young, Tommy Fleetwood, and Viktor Hovland finishing close behind. Still, on a day where just about everyone was forced to two-putt the green, Smith found a way to get the job done.
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