Jason Day and Adam Scott got Australian hearts and hopes pumping for a while on the final day of the British Open -- but blustery Royal Troon eventually snuffed out their promising challenges. Scott was, not for the first time, the leading Australian over the four days, finishing in joint-10th place - his sixth top-10 finish at the Open - while Day, last year's runner-up, had to settle for joint-13th, a shot further behind on Sunday. Day, who had been among the earlier starters in slightly friendlier conditions, recorded four birdies on his spectacular outward nine, the best performance among the Sunday morning advance guard, pushing back to level par at the turn.
When he holed an outrageous 60ft putt from off the front of the ninth green for an outlandish birdie, the 36-year-old former world No.1 found himself just four shots off the pace before the leaders had even begun to go out - and with the weather due to get worse. It was time to dream a little.
Once again, though, on the home stretch, just as on Saturday, a couple of wayward drives, at the 10th and the 14th holes, with the wind getting up, led to bogeys and proved enough to derail any realistic hopes of him making a charge. Day did, however, enjoy a wonderful farewell to the tournament at the 18th, when he splashed out of a greenside bunker into the hole to finish with a three-under 68, one of the best rounds of the day, and a one-over par total 285. "Oh, it was beautiful," he said of his splash-in.
"I mean, it's nic.