Zach Johnson mentally ready and 'excited' to defend Open title

The Claret Jug was not returned before the Champion Golfer of the Year used it one last time

Zach Johnson returned the Open Championship's Claret Jug to the R&A on Monday with bittersweet feelings but the American promised he was “100 per cent positive” about his title defence at Royal Troon this week, writes Simon Lewis.

Johnson, 40, returned one of sport's oldest and most iconic trophies to R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers after arriving back in Scotland a year after becoming Open champion with a play-off victory at St Andrews in 2015.