He completed a bogey-free round with a 5-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole and then waited to claim the tournament's Claret Jug trophy as other contenders faltered at the end. After shooting 71 on Saturday to start the final round eight strokes off the lead, Pepperell said he was “so frustrated” and had “too much to drink last night.”

The No. 72-ranked English golfer hadn’t been hopeful ahead of Sunday’s round, saying “today was, really, I wouldn’t say a write-off, but I didn’t feel I was in the golf tournament.”

Pepperell teed off at 11.40 a.m. local time with Phil Mickelson. Playing his final eight holes in 2 over par, Woods carded an even-par 71 on the windswept links and finished at 5-under 279, three strokes behind his playing partner, champion Francesco Molinari. Before the hiccups on the 11th and 12th holes, where wayward swings led to a double bogey and bogey, respectively, that extinguished his bid for a nearly unparalleled comeback in history, Woods seemed in command and on his way to an historic accomplishment. “Welp, it was fun while it lasted.” And now after the British, there’s an air of inevitability about Tiger Woods and major No. The 35-year-old tallied eight-under 276 (70-72-65-69) over the four days to finish two strokes ahead of England’s Justin Rose (72-73-64-69), Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy (69-69-70-70) and Americans Kevin Kisner (66-70-68-74) and Xander Schauffele (71-66-67-74).
Francesco Molinari wins the British Open at Carnoustie for his first major title by two strokes over a group including past major winners Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose. Tiger Woods, Molinari's playing partner for the final round, finishes one shot further back in a tie for sixth.