HATS OFF to Louis Oosthuizen, champion golfer of 2010 and the player with the most butchered name in golf. Well he certainly got his own back at St.Andrews and butchered the rest of us on the 150th anniversary of the Open Championship.

A seven-stroke victory with yours truly runner up made for a magnificent performance by the 27-year-old South African.

For those who have had trouble getting their tongues round names such as Mark Calcavecchia, Victor Ciesielski or Miguel Angel Jiminez, Louis Oosthuizen shouldn’t be too much trouble. Don’t bet on it.
The ‘s’ in Louis is silent so pronounced Lou-e... although I appreciate the surname does lend itself to all kinds of interpretation. I have heard it pronounced all manner of ways, but I believe I’m fairly close with O-est-hazen.

I know the engraver is mightily relieved he only had to put the diminutive on the silver claret jug because Louis’s full Christian names are Lodewicus Theodorus. That’s a whole load of vowels more than what me and Darren Clarke used to call him when he first came on tour – Shrek. So he’s got us to thank for that.

He certainly put a huge gap between himself and the rest of us at the home of golf... and good luck to him. I remember at the beginning of last year when I had a good spell of tournaments in the desert, finishing second or third in three consecutive weeks, watching him hit balls on the range there. He was very impressive. He flights the ball very well when it gets windy so that stood him in good stead at St.Andrews... and he’s obviously got a lot of bottle. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is probably the first time he's been in contention at a major championship and he tackled everything thrown at him like an old pro.

Louis thoroughly deserved his win so there was no real disappointment for me. If you get close and you lose, then there's disappointment, but I didn't so there isn’t.

I played steadily. I played okay all week without really doing anything too special. I didn't make enough of the opportunities that my long game presented, really. Didn't putt well enough. My short game wasn't quite sharp enough. Simple as that.

But all in all, delighted with the week. I keep putting myself into contention in these major championships and keep finishing in the top three. It's not really to be sniffed at and complained about. That's all I'm going to try and do, just try and keep going as I am, keep working out, trying to improve little bits, and hopefully one of these chances will turn into a trophy. What more can I do than continue playing well, getting into contention and seeing what happens.

A bit more rest and rehab on my right leg and I’ll be fit and ready for Akron and the PGA again.

But the toast at the moment is to Louis Oosthuizen... however anybody pronounces it!