British Open to Cameron Smith. Silver Medal to Celli: he is the best amateur

It is Cameron Smith, 28-year-old Australian, the winner of the British Open 2022 who celebrated his 150th edition in style on the Old Course in St. Andrews. Smith finished at – 20 (268 hits: 67, 64, 73, 64) which is also the all-time record in this field, overtaking Tiger Woods who had made -19 in 2000. Behind Smith the American Cameron Young (-19) and Rory McIlroy, the big disappointment of the day. The Northern Irishman who hasn’t won a Major since 2014 had started in the lead together with Norwegian Viktor Hovland (who only finished fourth with a lap of 74), but despite a lap without errors, only two birdies were not enough to keep the top of the standings . Smith, in fact, put together 8 of them and took away the Claret Jug that everyone here hoped to be true in the hands of McIlroy who finished only third. Cameron Smith this year had already won ThePlayers, considered the fifth Major in the world, and in his career he already boasted 5 successes on the Pga Tour and 2 on the European Tour.

SUPER CELLI

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But the British Open also gave great satisfaction to Italian golf. In fact, there was a fabulous debut in a Major for Filippo Celli who won the Silver Medal reserved for the best amateur of the tournament. The only Italian to succeed was Matteo Manassero (it was 2009), but the list of Filippo’s predecessors is impressive: among others Tiger Woods (1996), Justin Rose (1998), Rory McIlroy (2007) and Matthew Fitzpatrick (2013). Celli, 21, from Rome, had won the chance to play The Open after winning the European Amateur Championship in Spain. And at the Old Course in St. Andrews he finished the tournament with a total of 283 (-5) strokes, beating other amateurs like Aaron Jarvis, Barclay Brown and Sam Bairstow. In Scotland, another positive test for Francesco Molinari. Winner in 2018 in Carnoustie, the Turin-born this year closed the competition in 15th place with a score of 278 (73 71 66 68, -10).