He may have played his last ever Open Championship, but Mark O'Meara was all smiles after carding a second-round 70 - not enough to secure a place for the weekend at Royal Birkdale.
Mark O’Meara said farewell to The Open for the final time, shooting a level par 70, which was not enough to make the weekend after Thursday’s disastrous 81.
However, he did make amends for yesterday's disappointment, and the 1998 Open champion was still in good spirits as he left the course.
And he wasn’t about to let one bad round ruin his experience of what he called “the greatest championship”.
O’Meara took 11 fewer strokes than on Thursday, when he carded an eight on the tough opening hole. And despite making bogey on 18 for the second consecutive day, he was on fine form as he left the 18th.
The two-time Major winner, joked: “I had 175 to the front, I hit 7-iron. I’m pretty old. I’m not supposed to hit it 215 yards.”
O'Meara's final round at The Open contained three birdies and three bogeys, but a score in the low 60s was never likely in blustery conditions.
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As well as winning The Open at Royal Birkdale in 1998, O'Meara also won the US Masters. This is the year most golf fans will remember the American for, not for posting a 'snowman' after being given the honour to get the 146th Open Championship underway.
The 60-year-old leaves The Open stage with wind and rain battering the famous links, on an all together different day in Southport.
With the weather conditions changing rapidly, there was a temporary suspension in play. Sadly, it won't be enough to help O'Meara at eleven over par.
