West Chester's O'Hair ties for seventh at British Open

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland - Unless you're the guy taking home the trophy, it could always be better.

Before yesterday, Sean O'Hair's best finish in a major had been a tie for 10th at the 2009 Masters. Time to update the old bio page.

The man who now calls West Chester his home carded a 1-under-par 71 at the Old Course, which was pretty good considering that he took a double-bogey 6 at the 13th after hitting into a pot bunker off the tee and another one by the green. Both times, he was forced to come out backward. It happens over here.

But he still finished in a tie for seventh with Nick Whatney, England's Robert Rock and Germany's Martin Kaymer. Being co-low American can never be a bad thing.

He'd tied for 15th here in 2005, in his first major, after he qualified by winning his first PGA Tour event the week before.

"It's another great week at this place for me," O'Hair said. "I'm pretty happy with that. I love it. We don't get a chance to play courses like this very often. I feel real comfortable."

Five years ago, when he faced passport issues to just make it, he was accompanied by his father-in-law and then-caddie Steve Lucas. This time, he brought his wife, Jackie, who had caddied for him here at the 2007 Dunhill Cup in October, and both her parents. So it was a different kind of week. They left their three young children at home and savored every moment. Jackie is scheduled to deliver again in late January.

"It was great having her here, having all of them with me," O'Hair said. "We were able to share it. She had a good time, which is nice, and it made it special for both of us. It's been a memorable trip."

The way he performed had something to do with that.

"I played really good," said O'Hair, who had finished 11th or 12th (with a missed cut) in four of his previous five starts, which included a 12th at the U.S. Open. "I got a little bit unfortunate at 13, but, overall, I have to be satisfied. I wasted a few shots [on Saturday], but other than that I don't think there's a whole lot more I could have done.

"Obviously, you always want to finish better. But I'll take this."

And his back, which forced him to skip last week's John Deere Classic, didn't give him any problems.

"Actually, as the week went on, it actually felt better," he acknowledged.

He'll play in the Canadian Open in Toronto, starting today. Then it's a week off, before heading to the World Golf Championships Bridgestone Invitational (Akron, Ohio) and the PGA, where his best finish was a tie for 12th in 2006.