It was a case of deja vu when Louis Oosthuizen, just like Graeme McDowell at the US Open, said on Monday he was feeling a sense of relief that he was about to hand back his British Open trophy.

Briton McDowell explained he felt like a weight was about to be lifted from his shoulders ahead of his title defence at Congressional last month and Oosthuizen was of a similar mind.

"It's sad and it's a relief in the same sentence," the South African said at the Royal St George's course on the south-east corner of England. "It's a great honor but from here on you are not the Open champion any more.