British Open winners are expected to throw back a few celebratory beverages. Heck, the trophy is a freaking wine jug. But while the drinking is supposed to come after the completion of the final round, one man’s choice to booze the night before nearly resulted in a first Major title.
Eddie Pepperell wound up finishing tied for sixth at the 147th British Open, but for a while, his five-under-par total looked pretty good with just about everyone other than Francesco Molinari struggling at Carnoustie on Sunday. So how did the Brit explain his final-round 67 to climb into claret jug contention?
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“I was a little hungover,” said Pepperell, who still wound up with the best Major championship finish of his career. “I won’t lie. I had too much to drink last night. And I was so frustrated yesterday, that today was really, I wouldn’t say a write-off, but I didn’t feel I was in the golf tournament. Whether I shot 69 or 73 today, it wouldn’t have been heartbreaking. But as it happens, I shot 67. So, you know, it’s a funny game.”
Funny, indeed. This would have been surpassed David Wells’ perfect game in 1998 as the most heroic hungover sports performance in recent history.
The 27-year-old Pepperell later clarified, “I didn’t really have that much to drink, just I’m a lightweight, yeah.”
In any event, weekend hackers everywhere have even less of an excuse for playing poorly.
