Cink Finds Redemption With British Open Victory

As 59-year-old Tom Watson's amazing run at the 2009 British Open collapsed into heartache during a disastrous four-hole playoff at Turnberry, the windy Scottish evening took on an air of solemnity in respect for Watson’s astonishing accomplishment at falling just short of a ninth major 34 years after he won his first.But for Stewart Cink, Watson's disappointment made for the crowning moment of a long, distinguished career that has seen more than its own share of major disappointments. And though Watson's exhilarating stab at another Claret Jug was without the question the story on this blustery Sunday at Turnberry, Cink's story was nearly as amazing, and today at least, a much happier tale.To fully grasp what kind of inner redemption Cink achieved with his victory Sunday, one must travel back eight years to the 2001 U.S. Open, where he missed an 18-inch putt on the 72nd hole at Southern Hills in Tulsa, bungling his way out of a playoff for the title ultimately ...