• Open Championship

Oosthuizen admits he feared Casey shootout

Louis Oosthuizen and Paul Casey both had their moments over the four rounds © Getty Images

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Louis Oosthuizen marked Nelson Mandela's 92nd birthday with a magnificent victory at the Open Championship, and then admitted that he had been fearing a shootout with England's Paul Casey.

Oosthuizen became the fourth South African to win the Open, carding a final-round 71 to triumph by seven strokes. It was only the second time he had made a cut in a Major, after previously finishing last in the 2008 USPGA Championship.

Approaching the 12th, there were still only four shots separating Oosthuizen and Casey, a relatively small gap considering the dangers that awaited at 17. Oosthuizen had recovered from a bogey at eight by holing a brilliant eagle at nine, but he confessed he could feel Casey applying the pressure.

"The bogey at eight, I had been hitting the ball well and felt I should have been two-under... not one-over, so the eagle at nine got me going," he said. "Then what happened at 12 got my mindset right for the last few holes.

"It was actually very tight until the 12th hole. It could easily be I make bogey and Paul makes birdie, and it's a one or two-shot game. The minute he made that seven, that birdie putt to me meant a lot for momentum on the next six holes.

"My caddie played a big role then because obviously your mind is going, thinking what you're going to say in your speech, things like that. But whenever I got to the ball I was fine. I just focused on the shot that I had and even on my little putts with that big lead, I wanted to take all my time, not do anything silly and not put myself under any pressure."

Oosthuizen was a picture of calm as he completed his maiden Major victory, and he revealed the third round had been the most taxing of his weekend.

"It's a dream come true, that's all I've got to say," he smiled. "I like St Andrews. I like windy conditions and I like making putts. I felt very confident all week, especially after my first round. I was more nervous yesterday (during the third round) than I was today. I was hitting it better today in the first holes, which is difficult in that wind."

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