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Results Based News

Cink secures Open glory

Author: Craig Williams
Date: 21/07/2009

American Stewart Cink secured his first Major title by beating compatriot Tom Watson in a dramatic finale to The Open at Turnberry.

Five-time Open champion Watson had a great chance to win the 138th staging of the Championship, but missed a putt on the 18th hole before disintegrating in the play-off.

Watson and Cink finished on two-under overall, but the younger man ended the four-hole play-off on two-under while the older man imploded with wayward drives contributing to his four-over score.

Lee Westwood blew his chance to join the two Americans in the play-off when he bogeyed the last. Chris Wood also finished on one-under after firing an impressive final-round 67.

Cink had an up and down round. He birdied four of the back nine, but also bogeyed three to drop valuable shots, but the other leaders also made mistakes as Matt Goggin dropped out of contention.

Westwood led by two shots at one stage, but dropped shots at the 15th and 16th. He picked up a birdie at the 17th, but his drive at the 18th ended up in a left-hand bunker and, when he three-putted, his chance of glory was gone.

Watson had birdied the 17th to go one shot up but his second shot at the 18th rolled off the green.

He ended up recording a bogey which meant a play-off time and ultimately heartbreak for the veteran who won the last of his five Opens in 1983.

A superb unbeaten 185-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin helped Australia reach 313-5 at the close of the fourth day of the second Test at Lord's.

Chasing an unlikely 521 runs to win the match, the tourists lost wickets at regular intervals in the first two sessions of the day before Clarke, unbeaten on 125, and Haddin (80 not out) frustrated England.

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England captain Andrew Strauss declared on the overnight total of 311-6 and Andrew Flintoff soon tempted Simon Katich (6) to play a rash shot into the gully where he was caught by Kevin Pietersen.

It got even better for England when Phillip Hughes (17) was caught in the slips by Strauss off Flintoff.

Wickets continued to tumble after lunch with Ricky Ponting (38) playing a Stuart Broad ball onto his stumps before Mike Hussey (27) was caught by Paul Collingwood in the slips off Graeme Swann.

When Marcus North was bowled by Swann, Australia were on 128-5 and in danger of losing the match on the fourth day, but Clarke and Haddin ensured that the tourists will not give up without a fight.

In-form Wigan Warriors moved up to fifth in the Super League table after beating Bradford 20-14, while the Bulls remain in the bottom three.

Meanwhile, Leroy Cudjoe grabbed a brace of tries as Huddersfield Giants beat Warrington Wolves 28-10 to stay third.

Later on on Sunday, Catalans Dragons secured a comfortable 38-16 at home to Harlequins.

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