Zach Johnson Claims Open Title: Iowa Time Machine July 20, 2015

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On July 20, 2015, Iowa native Zach Johnson etched his name into golf history by capturing the 144th Open Championship at St Andrews, the revered “Home of Golf.”

Born in Iowa City and raised in Cedar Rapids, Johnson began playing golf at the age of 10 at Elmcrest Country Club. He played number two on the Regis High School golf team and helped lead them to an Iowa 3A State Championship in 1992 during his sophomore season. After high school, Johnson continued his career at Drake University, where he helped lead the Bulldogs to three NCAA regional meets and two Missouri Valley championships. Johnson turned pro in 1998 and eventually worked his way up to the PGA Tour in 2004. Three years later, Johnson won the 2007 Master’s Tournament. 

Ten years into this PGA career, he found himself in the hunt for another major, this time at St. Andrews. Entering the final round a few shots off the lead, Johnson delivered a stunning 6-under-par 66, capped by a dramatic 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th green to post a clubhouse lead at 15-under-par. As the afternoon unfolded, only South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen and Australia’s Marc Leishman matched Johnson’s total, setting the stage for a tense three-person playoff.

In the four-hole aggregate playoff, Johnson seized control immediately, opening with back-to-back birdies while Leishman faltered with a bogey. Oosthuizen kept the pressure on, but Johnson’s steady nerves and precise putting proved decisive. On the final playoff hole, Johnson’s par forced Oosthuizen to make a 12-foot birdie to extend the contest. The putt slid past, and Johnson, overcome with emotion, took the Open Championship. The victory made Johnson only the sixth player in history to win major championships at both Augusta National and St Andrews, joining the ranks of legends like Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar