Made a fine defence of his Senior Open Championship crown, finishing tied eighth after being in contention at Sunningdale. Completed one of the biggest shocks in the history of The Senior Open Championship when he held off challengers including Bernhard Langer and Greg Norman to win the title at Royal Troon in 2008, defeating compatriot John Cook in a play-off. That was his first career win and was all the more remarkable given that it came after six knee operations in the previous two years and just weeks after his mother died in a car accident returning from watching him play in Iowa. In becoming champion he succeeded fellow Kansas player and three time winner Tom Watson, whom he looked up to as an aspiring professional.