TROON, Scotland — The roar could be heard for hundreds of yards on the grounds at Royal Troon. When Andrew Johnston holed a birdie putt on the first green of the British Open on Sunday, the gallery was stirred into a frenzy.

“Beef” was off to a roaring start, and there was a glimmer of hope that he might be the Open's next “Champion Golfer of the Year.”

It wasn't to be, as Johnston struggled in shooting a 2-over-par 73 that dropped him into eighth place at 3-under.

Still, in the last 200 yards of his walk up the 18th, Johnston heard a rousing ovation and the chants of “Beef! Beef! Beef!” He took off his hat and raised his arms triumphantly.

“I'll remember it forever,” said the 27-year-old former mini-tour player from North London.

Johnston birdied three of his first four holes, but couldn't make another after that, and scored 38 on the back nine.

“It was probably slightly disappointing the way I played,” Johnston said. “I started off pretty good, but I don't think my short game was good enough today. I didn't putt that well. There was a better score to be hand, but I gave it my best and that's what I come off with — no regrets.”

Stenson dedicates win: In his remarks at the awards ceremony, Henrik Stenson said he was dedicating his win to an American friend, Mike Gerbich, who died of cancer at age 74 on Wednesday in Scottsdale, Ariz. Stenson posted a picture on Instagram of himself, looking very young, posed with Gerbich at a golf outing.

The two met in Dubai years ago.

“He was a very keen golfer and a great man,” Stenson said at his news conference. “He's always been there as a big supporter of mine, and in good days and bad days he always sent me messages and been out at some events.”

Stricker rocks at 49:Steve Stricker may be playing a limited schedule at the age of 49, but he's showing no signs of letting up competitively. He shot 69 in the final round — with a double-bogey on the par-3 17th — and finished alone in fourth place at 5-under.

As a top-10 finisher, Stricker will be invited back to the British Open next year. It also ensures his return to the Masters.

“It's a lot of spinoffs,” Stricker said. “That's the great thing about playing golf out here professionally. There are a lot of carrots dangling. When you're playing well, you're rewarded and you get to do some pretty cool things.”

Stricker tied for second in June in the FedEx St. Jude Classic. His best finish in a major is second in the 1998 PGA Championship.

Monty's quick round: Troon member Colin Montgomerie had a strange final round. Last in the field after Saturday, Montgomerie was the first off the tee Sunday and played with a marker, Troon's head pro. He had been honored to be the first player off the tee Thursday morning.

On Sunday, he played in 2 hours, 50 minutes, shot 76 and finished at 17-over.

“Everyone in the scorer's tent and even our own scorer said that was refreshing, and it's the way to play golf,” Montgomerie said.

“I'm tired now, very tired,” the 53-year-old said. “I've been the leader in the clubhouse again — second time this week.”

Cancer survivor Southgate finishes in tears: With his family watching, cancer survivor Matthew Southgate was in tears as he approached the 18th green. A traumatic 12 months for the Englishman was ending on a high.

Southgate was about to complete a final round of 2-under 69 that saw him finish tied for 12th, a year to the week that he underwent surgery after being diagnosed with testicular cancer. At that point, he thought his golfing career was over.

“Words cannot describe how that felt walking down that last hole,” the 27-year-old Southgate said. “Sixty-nine is a hell of a score for me on a day which meant so much.”

Within weeks of the operation, Southgate was back playing — against his doctor's advice — and initially using his girlfriend's lighter clubs. He got through tour school to keep his place on the European Tour, had a fourth-place finish at the Irish Open in May for the biggest pay check of his career, and then qualified for the Open last month.

With a 1-under 283, he finished higher than players such as top-ranked Jason Day and Jordan Spieth. It nearly earned him an exemption into next year's British Open at Birkdale. Southgate missed out by one stroke.

“It's been a roller-coaster year for me,” said Southgate, who was told recently that doctors were happy with his recovery and that he doesn't have to go to see them as regularly.

“I always had the belief inside I'd get over the health issues and be back in an Open Championship, but to do it within the year and to have my family here it is a big achievement for me. If you had asked me last year, I'd have said it was possible for me to qualify. But to finish up there comfortably in the top 20, no one would have had a one-pound bet on that.”

This week, Southgate has been wearing a wristband with the words “Hattie's Heroes” on it. His 3-year-old niece, Hattie, was diagnosed with leukemia in 2014 and is coming to the end of her chemotherapy. Southgate left Troon with a message: “For any youngsters out there who want to do it, just go for it and stick with your dreams.”

Top players not in contention; “Postage Stamp” not so scary: Among the top four ranked players in the world, Rory McIlroy fared the best. He closed with a 67 and tied for fifth at 4 under. A year after coming within one shot of a playoff in the Open, Spieth tied for 30th. He shot his best score of the week on Sunday with 68. Day (71) tied for 22nd at 1 over. … The “Postage Stamp” par-3 eighth hole wasn't such a beast. It ranked as only the 11th-hardest hole for the week. There were 11 double-bogeys and 10 “others” scored in four rounds. Matt Kuchar's 7 on Sunday tied for the second-highest score at the eighth since 1997.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.