Cameron Smith charged his way into history on the Old Course

The stage was set for McIlroy to end his eight-year drought in the majors and cap off a week of celebration

Instead, Smith stole the show by running off five straight birdies to start the back nine and delivering more clutch moments at the end

His 8-under 64 was the lowest final round by a champion in the 30 times golf's oldest championship has been played at St. Andrews

"All the names on there, every player that's been at the top of their game has won this championship," Smith said

Smith is the first Australian to win at St. Andrews since Kel Nagle in 1960, when he topped a rising American star named Arnold Palmer

Young had his chances in his Open debut. He left short a 6-foot putt with about a foot of break on the 15th

Smith made his last birdie, and the engraver went to work on that silver Claret Jug, a prize first awarded to the 1873 champion at St. Andrews