That’s because Phil Mickelson, who was named earlier this year as the ambassador for the CareerBuilder event played in La Quinta in January, has held the first- and second-round leads of the Open, the third major championship of the year in men’s golf.
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U.S. golfer Phil Mickelson watches the result of his bunker shot on the 16th hole during his first round 63 on the opening day of the 2016 British Open Golf Championship at Royal Troon in Scotland.
He was at 10-under 132, one better than the 36-hole score of Darren Clarke in 1997 and Bobby Clampett in 1982 at Royal Troon.
Good golf and the good end of the draw is tough to beat in the British Open. He shot 85 without a birdie, including 46 on the back nine.
JUSTIN ROSE threw a club in frustration as the former US Open champion carded two double bogeys in a birdie-free 77. Soren Kjeldsen and Keegan Bradley each shot 68 and were three shots behind. The 15th hole changed everything.
He lost one ball.
On the 18th, Johnson’s approach shot hit the lip of the front bunker and rolled to the back of the green. When he finally tapped in, he had a quadruple-bogey 8 to fall back to even par for the tournament. It is not that he doesn’t hole his share, only that one missed sitter too often leads to another. The gusts topped out at just over 30 miles per hour (48 kph).
Jason Day went through four pairs of gloves, trying desperately to stay dry in the pounding rain.
“One of the things that I’ve really worked on over the years is getting a ball onto the ground off the tee quickly, so the ground is affecting it more so than the air”, he said.
It left the 35-year-old Englishman, who played alongside Jordan Spieth and Shane Lowry, battling to make the cut.
It was never going to be easy for Rory McIlroy today.
For Spieth, it has been a struggle all day. He made it look easy, especially with an approach from a ideal angle to 3 feet on No. 7, and a wedge that spun back toward the hole on the par-3 eighth and stopped the size of a few real postage stamps from going in for an ace. Spieth was at 3 over. The Swede has had seven top-four finishes at majors, including in the 2013 Open when he was the runner-up to Mickelson at Muirfield. Stenson made his birdies during lulls in the weather and shot 65.
It was Stenson’s best round ever at the Open in his 12th appearance. He shot 82 on Thursday.
His second round was less heavy on the fireworks than his first but his control off the tee with his two iron off gave him the launchpad for a 69. That will make him the oldest victor of the Open since Old Tom Morris took the title in 1867, when he was 46 years and 102 days old. He has now failed to break par in his last six major championship rounds.
He had reached the turn level par, but promptly bogeyed the 10th and then had a nine at the par-four 11th, which is only separated from the Glasgow to Ayr railway line by a four-foot high stone wall. Hopefully over the next two days I can get myself back into contention.
Curtis chipped onto the green and two-putted for 10. At least 84 people were killed. “I’ve played the front nine pretty well this week”, McIlroy said.
He says his girlfriend and her family are safe. He shot 4-over 75.
PHIL MICKELSON, on his second-round 69.
SHOT OF THE DAY: Mickelson almost holed out his tee shot at the 123-yard eighth hole, known as the “Postage Stamp”. A birdie putt at the 18th hole lipped out.
The French flag was at half-staff after the carnage in Nice, casting a somber mood on the second round of the British Open.
Mickelson, who is aiming to become the oldest Open victor since Old Tom Morris in 1867, believes he is improving with age and declared that there is plenty more in the locker, both this week and in future years. Alison Lee birdied the last three holes for a 66.
Stenson picked up three quick birdies before the rain showed up, and managed a few more during lulls in the weather.
Mickelson, a non-believer this week, has undergone a conversion at Troon. The oldest victor of any major is Julius Boros, who was 48 when he won the 1968 PGA Championship.
Only one other person has opened with a 63 at the British Open.
It wasn’t that long ago that McIlroy – yes, the same McIlroy who grew up in a similar climate in Northern Ireland – wasn’t especially fond of wind and rain, but he’s learned to deal with it better over the years.
Royal Troon doesn’t look anything like Phil Mickelson remembers from his near-historic opening round in the British Open. The sun was nowhere to be found.
And yes, rain was in the forecast.
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“I really enjoy the challenge that this weather and these elements provide”, Mickelson said.
