Smith: Open win will be highlight of my career | Major win 'wasn't going to be too long'

Cameron Smith admitted he will struggle to better the feeling of winning The 150th Open at St Andrews after claiming a stunning success on the Old Course.

The 28-year-old Australian, who had led at the halfway stage, stormed back to the top of the leaderboard with an eight-under 64 to finish on 20 under and one ahead of Cameron Young, with Rory McIlroy a further shot back in third.

Smith made his move with five successive birdies from the 10th and then held his nerve over the closing holes as he claimed his maiden major victory.

"To win an Open Championship in itself is probably going to be a golfer's highlight in their career. To do it around St Andrews, I think is just unbelievable," he said.

"This place is so cool. I love the golf course. I love the town.

"These last four or five holes aren't easy around here, especially with the wind up off the left. I just stuck to what I was doing and I'm just really proud of how I kind of knuckled down today and managed to get it done."

Smith started the final round four shots behind McIlroy and Viktor Hovland but felt being away from the main spotlight had been to his benefit.

He said: "I sometimes think that being behind on certain golf courses and in certain situations is maybe a good thing. I think it's very easy to get defensive out there and keep hitting it to 60, 70 feet, and you can make pars all day, but you're not going to make birdies.

"I think it was a good thing that I was definitely behind. I think my mindset would have been a touch different coming in, especially on that back nine, if I was ahead.

"I think my second shot into 13 was really when I thought that we can win this thing. I think I had three birdies in a row before that, and then to hit that shot in