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Four key putts on back side kept heat on Parnevik

Posted: Sun July 20, 1997 at 7:34 PM ET

TROON, Scotland --Justin Leornard birdied the 16th and 17th holes to clinch the British Open, but he says two earlier putts to save par probably turned the tournament his way.

At the 11th, he holed a 10-footer. At the 15th, he sank one from 15 feet. Each putt allowed him to remain just one stroke behind Swede Jesper Parnevik.

"Being able to make the putt at 11 and then again at 15, obviously that was the tournament right there, because I didn't allow Jesper breathing room," he said following his three-stroke win.

The win guarantees the 25-year-old Leonard a place on the U.S. Ryder Cup team to play Europe later this year. Team captain Tom Kite, who had completed his round earlier in the afternoon, returned from the airport to congratulate him.

"We had dinner earlier in the week and he said, 'You know you are 10th on the list, why don't you go ahead and take care of the Ryder Cup this week?,' " Leonard said.

"And that's the first thing he said to me. He said 'Welcome to the team.' That's been a big goal of mine for the last two years."

The foundation of Leonard's win was brilliant play on the front nine, during which he had six birdies and just one bogey. He had overtaken Northern Irishman Darren Clarke, who was second entering Sunday, by the fourth hole and his 6-foot putt for a birdie 3 on the ninth moved him one stroke behind Parnevik.

Leonard overtook the leader with his birdie at the 16th. "I hit a bad pitch. I left it, like, 15 feet short. I was mad at myself for leaving that shot that far short," Leonard said.

"I got over the putt and looking at it, it was real similar to the putt I just hit on 15, maybe a hair shorter. I didn't think I hit it hard enough. I thought it was going to die out to the right and the ball just hung in there beautifully."

At the next hole, Leonard hit a 3-iron to the back of the green, 30 feet from the pin.

"I saw a spot outside the right edge of the hole, that's where I was trying to hit it. About 3 feet from the hole, it was just dead center. As soon as it went in, everybody behind me went nuts. The hair on the back of my neck stood up."

At that moment, Leonard's hands were practically on the silver claret jug.

Leonard has played in three previous British Opens, two of them after having to qualify. Winning means never having to qualify for the prestigious tournament again.

Reuters contributed to this report.