teed off

And it began before the leaders teed off.

But Hardy, who teed off five hours before the final group, was there to greet him after his final 6-foot par putt.

He teed off into an awkward lie in a bunker to the left of the fairway, but punched a 4-iron out to the first cut of rough near the green.

Another included a bizarre first — Rory McIlroy joining the twosome ahead of him, with players having to stand to the side as he teed off on the 18th hole.

However, by the time he teed off on the short 12th, it was his tournament to lose.