Darren Clarke, the 2011 British Open champion
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Darren Clarke is our new Grand Slam and Major champion! He won the 2011 British Open title with a five-under (-par) performance. The 42-year-old has never won a Major before, and he was certainly long overdue for one of them. He made his fans and his manager, Chubby Chandler, very proud today.

The runners-up were Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson, who each ended two under (par). This proves that Clarke wasn't the only winner today—Dustin Johnson got the second place prize that he thought he had nearly secured in the 2010 PGA Championship; Phil Mickelson proved that he could overcome challenges and succeed in a tournament that never treated him nicely before, and that hard work and patience pays off; and they both proved that Americans are now serious contenders in golf and may win many Majors in the near future. Rickie Fowler and Anthony Kim are also examples of this—they tied for fifth place.

I hope you enjoyed our live coverage and updates here at Bleacher Report, and, most importantly, I hope you enjoyed the British Open championships. Thank you for reading our work!

—Jeff Cohn

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Anthony Kim has closed out this championship with a bogey on the 18th and final hole to end on even par.

Phil Mickelson finished off his run at the Open with two under.

Dustin Johnson is at three under heading into the final hole. He is three strokes behind the leader, and it is going to take a miracle for him to even tie the lead.

Darren Clarke just completed the 17th hole with a bogey. It will still be difficult to see anybody but Clarke winning the Claret Jug now.

—Jeff Cohn

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Darren Clarke only has four holes left to play, and Phil Mickelson has officially lost his mojo for today.

Phil is now two under (par) for the championships, an entire five strokes behind Clarke. Lefty missed an opportunity for a birdie and missed two consecutive putts to wind up with a bogey.

Dustin Johnson is at -4 and is three behind the 42-year-old leader from Northern Ireland.

Will Darren Clarke convert a victory or deteriorate prior to the finish line?

—Jeff Cohn

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This tournament is now officially Darren Clarke's to lose. The momentum that Phil Mickelson carried quickly subsided when he missed an easy putt by over-lipping.

He proceeded to miss two more easy putts right after and lost the spark in his game. On hole 14, he went even par, which marked the first time all tournament that Phil did not hit a birdie on a par five hole.

Meanwhile, Dustin Johnson just hit a birdie to reach five under (par), two shots behind Clarke.

Clarke is on hole 13 now—I will update you on his performance shortly.

—Jeff Cohn

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Phil Mickelson has just made another tough putt on hole 10 to earn a birdie.

The American is now six under for the day, and he is just one stroke shy of sharing the lead with Darren Clarke, who is currently seven under (par).

Mickelson shot a 30 thru the front nine holes—this ties his best front nine result throughout his Major career.

Mickelson and Clarke have distanced themselves from the remainder of the field. Right now, all eyes are on them.

—Jeff Cohn

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This just in—Phil Mickelson has just made an incredibly clutch and long putt on hole seven to earn himself an eagle and share the lead for first place. He and Darren Clarke are now both at five under (par).

—Jeff Cohn

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Phil Mickelson is red hot today—he has made all of the important birdie putts and has made his way to just three under and is tied for second place.

He is -3 thru 6 holes, and if he keeps this up, he is going to win in decisive fashion.

Darren Clarke is also exhibiting his confidence at this stage and isn't fazed by expectation and pressure at all.

Dustin Johnson, on the other hand, is now sharing a co-leader position with Mickelson and appears to be slightly nervous still. 

—Jeff Cohn

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Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim are each at one under (par) now. The Americans are showing show grit on the course and are now four strokes behind the leader.

Darren Clarke and Dustin Johnson had shaky shots to start off the day. But, they each found their way out of the rough and made par on hole one.

Clarke made an amazing, lengthy putt to save himself from a bogey.

—Jeff Cohn

McIlroy and Garcia
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Sergio Garcia is making a remarkable comeback, birdieing four out of the first eight holes. He has moved from +4 to even par on the day so far and still has a chance.

Garcia is now T7, and the Spaniard is making the very last day count.

Unfortunately, the man he was grouped with, Rory McIlroy, is not doing so well and is already +2 on the day. McIlroy is now at six over (par).

—Jeff Cohn

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It looks like we have a very exciting final round shaping up for us. 

Darren Clarke will once again hold the lead over night, a very difficult thing to sleep on. Closely behind him, however, are two young American talents in Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler.

Johnson has some demons to overcome if he is to win his first major. And history tells us that the winner will come from the final group of Johnson and Clarke. 

Fowler has the game to win but lacks the experience. If he wins, it could put some much needed faith back into the American game. 

It will be a very fun final round!

Andrew Redington/Getty Images

This year we are getting a show from some of the field's oldest golfers in Tom Lehman and Davis Love III. 

Both players are at even par for the tournament and find themselves only five shots back headed into the final round.

That lead is not insurmountable as both players have the experience necessary to go low on a pressure packed Sunday in a major. Will one pull a Tom Watson from 2009? 

Only tomorrow will tell.

—John Burke

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It is quickly becoming clear that this is anyone's tournament. 

No one player has shown the ability to pull away, and no one seems to want it that bad. Everyone is just playing solid golf right now. 

That is to be expected as everyone is chasing pars in the wind. They want to make birdies when possible but their main goal is avoiding the big number. 

—John Burke

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Even with the weather improving since the morning, players are simply not finding a way to score at Royal St. George's.

Thus far today, Dustin Johnson has six birdies on his round. He also has four bogeys which have kept a possible great score in check.

Johnson currently sits one stroke behind leader Darren Clarke and is the most dangerous player on the course at the moment.

—John Burke

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And just like that Darren Clarke is once again the leader of The Open Championship!

Finally finding a way to make a putt, Clarke birdied the 11th hole to once again reach five-under for the tournament. 

The cheers from the galleries leave no secret as to who they want to win. With a host of talent behind him, however, Clarke has a very tough road to secure his first major.

—John Burke

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So far today I am surprised by Miguel Angel Jimenez's play. 

I expected Jimenez to be the player to make a run today. He is a veteran with years of experience in majors. 

Unfortunately, he is two-over on his round. Like most player's struggling, his putter is simply not getting it done. If he is going to be a factor, he is going to need to make a couple of birdies coming home.

—John Burke

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I don't want to jinx things...but...six of the top nine players right now are from America.

That's right. We are dominating the top ten in a tournament we normally don't perform well in, at a time when American golf is supposedly "dead."

Oh, Dustin Johnson also just grabbed a share of the lead. But, yeah, American golf is definitely dead.

—John Burke

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Is this Rickie Fowler's tournament?

While he has not won on tour, Fowler is poised to win the 2011 British Open. 

He just wrapped up his two-under 68 on the day, the low round of the day thus far. Riding the back of a hot putter, Fowler looks ready to put himself in the mix tomorrow.

—John Burke

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Darren Clarke cannot win this championship. His putter is absolutely horrendous right now. If his putter was better, Clarke could easily be four shots clear of the field. Instead, he is only one.

On the other hand, Rickie Fowler's putter is hot. He has three birdies in the last four holes. That puts Fowler at two-under for the tournament, well within striking distance.

—John Burke

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Watch out for Dustin Johnson!

He is currently one-under on the day and three-under for the tournament. At only two shots behind Clarke, Johnson could become a force here in round three.

It also appears the weather is improving, which will only help scoring abilities.

—John Burke

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After making a lengthy putt on 13, Rory McIlroy drove his tee shot out of bounds on 14.

That shot could very well end his chances at this tournament. To win majors you have to avoid mistakes, something McIlroy has not been able to do in this tournament.

In 2003, Tiger Woods lost his opening tee shot, causing him a couple of strokes. In the end, he lost to Ben Curtis by those couple of shots, proving every shot matters in a major.

—John Burke

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Is it just me or does Sergio Garcia look like he is enjoying himself out there again?

The past few years have not been kind to Sergio. His putter has betrayed him and often looks like he would rather be anywhere but a golf course.

This tournament looks different. Sergio actually looks like he is having fun out there. He just made his first birdie of the day and looked genuinely happy. Is this the new Sergio?

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Darren Clarke is getting out to the start everyone hopes for in a major.

He just birdied his first hole, and is looking at a relatively short putt for birdie on his second. 

Also, Thomas Bjorn grabbed a birdie early so he is back to one off of the lead.

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The "final game" of the third round is under way. We have the American Lucas Glover paired with Northern Irishman Darren Clarke. 

Glover may be America's best chance to win the 2011 British Open as he is the most experienced American at the top. That is, of course, unless Lehman or Love III make a run and then either of those guys could surprise us all.

Judging by the response on the first tee, the galleries are completely behind Clarke.

—John Burke

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Rickie Fowler is having the best round of the day thus far, and he is only even on the day. 

He just narrowly missed on a couple of birdie opportunities, and if those were to fall we could easily be looking at a guy one stroke off the lead.

When the going gets tough the tough get going and so far today, Fowler is really the only player to get anything going. And yes, today shooting even is getting something going.

—John Burke

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The rain seems to be moving away, and with it some of the higher scores may as well. 

Our leader, Darren Clarke, is hoping to become the third Northern Irishman to win a major recently. Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy have both done so, leaving Clarke to play catch up with his countrymen.

One of the game's best ball strikers, Clarke has the talent to win a major. If his putter keeps dropping the putts he needs, Clarke may be holding the trophy tomorrow.

—John Burke