Rookie wins British Open

By

Posted 8:56PM on Sunday, July 20, 2003

(Sandwich, England-AP) -- A little-known rookie on the P-G-A Tour has become a very well known golfer. Ben Curtis out of Kent University in Ohio is the winner of the British Open. It's his first top ten finish since he joined the P-G-A Tour. Curtis shot a 2-under-par 69 in today's final round to become the most unlikely winner of the British Open since John Daly's surprise victory in 1995. Vijay Singh was one shot back at even par after a closing 70. Thomas Bjorn saw the championship slip away on his 16th and 17th holes. He lost a two-stroke lead when a sand trap foiled him, forcing him to use three shots to get free. He double-bogeyed that hole to fall into a tie with Curtis, then bogeyed 17 to fall a shot behind. Bjorn finished with a 72 and tied Singh for second place. Davis Love the Third and Tiger Woods tied for third place at 1-over-par, two strokes behind Curtis. Ben Curtis out of Kent University in Ohio is the winner of the British Open. It's his first top ten finish since he joined the P-G-A Tour. Curtis shot a 2-under-par 69 in today's final round to become the most unlikely winner of the British Open since John Daly's surprise victory in 1995. Vijay Singh was one shot back at even par after a closing 70. Thomas Bjorn saw the championship slip away on his 16th and 17th holes. He lost a two-stroke lead when a sand trap foiled him, forcing him to use three shots to get free. He double-bogeyed that hole to fall into a tie with Curtis, then bogeyed 17 to fall a shot behind. Bjorn finished with a 72 and tied Singh for second place. Davis Love the Third and Tiger Woods tied for third place at 1-over-par, two strokes behind Curtis.