Cink full of admiration for Watson

Stewart Cink admitted he had "mixed feelings" about being the man who prevented Tom Watson from creating history in the Open Championship.

Cink won an anti-climactic four-hole play-off by six shots, playing the fifth, sixth, 17th and 18th in two under as Watson stumbled to four over - a double bogey on the 17th ending his chances.

"I'm filled with pride and honour, there's too many words to use to describe the way I feel to even start the list," said the 36-year-old after claiming his first major title. "And I have to be honest, playing against Tom in the play-off, it's mixed feelings because I've watched him with such admiration all week. "

He added: "Before the play-off I think I said something like 'Great playing this week, let's play great in this play-off'. Then at the end, once I hit my shot on the green on 18, I was able to sit back and not only enjoy myself walking up to the green but also reflect a little bit about what Tom Watson just did in front of all of us.

"I would never have dreamed that I would go head to head against Tom Watson in a play-off for a major championship. But after playing with him in a practice round this year at the Masters, I would have told you that I don't really ever want to go up against him head to head because of the way he hits it.

"He's so solid, and he hits the right shot. He just plays under control. The same Tom Watson that won this tournament in 1977 showed up here this week. And he just about did it. He beat everybody but one guy and it was really special."