Tiger Woods Wins One For Earl

It's hard to muster up too much sarcasm after Tiger's victory at Royal Liverpool this morning. He tapped in for par on the 18th to secure his 11th professional major, gave a primal fist pump, and then broke down crying in his caddie's arms, thinking surely of how his father wouldn't be there to give him the customary post-major-victory hug. It was a rare display from the normally reserved and measured Tiger.

And we'll probably not see anything like it again. Just minutes after he left the green, he did a television interview with barely any hints that he had just cried as hard as you'll ever see anyone cry. It was amazing. No puffy eyes, red nose, wet cheeks. Just a couple of hard swallows, and other than that, all calm smiles.

As for the tournament itself, the challenge that was expected from Sergio Garcia, Ernie Els, and Chris DiMarco materialized only briefly. Sergio Garcia wasted little time in making it known that he wouldn't be challenging anyone. His front nine was disastrous, and his duck remains firmly intact. Ernie Els never made a big push. Chris DiMarco, who also just lost a parent, came the closest, threatening briefly before Tiger strung together three consecutive birdies to put things away.

In fact, the two biggest threats to Tiger Woods today were cell phone cameras, and people protesting something on the 18th green. Some British nutjobs threw little exploding purple things on the 18th green before Tiger hit his approach shot, discoloring the putting surface. And at a few points throughout the day, Tiger had to have his mean caddie yell at people to stop taking cell phone pictures of him during his swing. But Tiger, as he always does, kept things under control.

Emotional Woods wins third Open [BBC Sport]