For the best part of five days, Zach Johnson played his golf in virtual anonymity. 

There were so many other juicy storylines - Jordan Spieth chasing the Grand Slam, Marc Leishman gunning for a first Major, Paul Dunne attempting to win The Open as an amateur - that there wasn't room for the 39 year-old from Iowa playing some of the best golf on the course.

He was simply Zach Johnson, golf's most consistent performer. There’s nothing flashy about his game or his personality - he doesn't smash the cover off the ball like Dustin Johnson, nor wear outlandish clothing a la John Daly. He’s reserved, his expression often hidden behind his cap and sunglasses.

The day started chock full of drama. Seemingly every player within a sniff of winning set the first nine on fire; birdie after birdie rained down as the lead chopped and changed. It wasn’t until they faced the much tougher back nine that the cream rose to the top.

Adam Scott, who was draining a putt every time the BBC cut to him for the first 13 holes, brought back memories of his collapse at Royal Lytham in 2012 by falling from the dizzy heights of 16 under par to eventually finish on 10 under, a share for tenth.

Sergio Garcia got to 14 under after ten holes by playing a wonderful blend of golf; mixing in piercing straight drivers with an inch perfect short game. If anyone ever doubted how and why such a mercurial talent can still be searching for a first major those questions were answered on the back nine as his putting deserted him once again, finally settling on 11 under par.

Then there was Jordan Spieth. Had it not been for a disastrous four-putt on the par-three eighth the tournament would have surely been his, dreams of a Grand Slam continuing on to Whistling Straits for the PGA Championship. He had worked himself back in to a tie for the lead after a miraculous putt on the 16^th but the 17^th, playing as difficult as it ever has, would be his undoing. He had to settle for bogey there and could only muster a par on the final hole, finishing an agonising one shot adrift.

As all of those fireworks were going off around him, Johnson kept his cool. Knowing he was likely to need a birdie on the last to muscle his way in to a play-off, he left himself 20 or so feet to get to 15 under. It was a gorgeous putt - starting on the left side before arcing right, finally dropping like a feather in to the hole.

In the play-off he again held his nerve as Oosthuizen and Leishman faltered. The Australian was the first to show signs that the occasion may have gotten to him, bogeying the fairly innocuous first hole with an anxious three-putt.

Surely the occasion couldn’t affect Oosthuizen? He’d won at this exact venue five years earlier after all. However, after Johnson gave him an opening on the third play-off hole – the 17^th – by bogeying, he would return the favour by missing a very makeable putt for par.

Oosthuizen worked himself in to an excellent position again on the 18^th. Johnson could only par so make this putt and he’s extended the play-off.

The South African hit a great putt; starting left before breaking to the right, kissing the left edge of the hole as it rolled idly by. Was it a tad too hard? Possibly, but given the circumstances it was a mighty fine effort.

At first Johnson barely reacted. Whether it was disbelief or as a courtesy to his fellow professional his celebration was fairly muted. His caddie Damon Green held his hand up for an age, his fingers spread wide expecting a high five. All Johnson could do was stand there, head bowed, until he finally shook it side to side like a pendulum. 

Tears would roll down his face purer than any putt he hit on Monday; the magnitude of the moment finally washing over him as he was bear hugged, first by his caddie then by his wife Kim.

It was a fitting end for one of golfs most understated individuals. Nobody gave him a shot to win.

That won’t matter to him though. It never has.

It’s the winning that counts, after all.   

What was in Zac's bag?