J.B. Holmes finished third.
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“It was just, I let one go right on the previous hole, the 3-iron, and I did the exact same thing there”. It seemed like it was going to be a two-horse race, and it was all the way to the end. “I know (Mickelson is) not going to back down, and I’m certainly going to try to not back down, either”.
The Swede then birdied three and four for good measure to take the lead on the American, who started solidly with just the one birdie after almost driving the third green.
“To come out on top after such a fight with him over the four days makes it even more special”.
It wasn’t the 2013 U.S. Open, where he misjudged two wedge shots late on the back nine. Stenson’s second shot rolled off the right side of the green, leaving him with a 50-foot putt up the ridge.
Second to Phil Mickelson at the Open Championship three years ago, third in 2010 and 2008, out on his own at Royal Troon 2016.
The Swede birdied both the par three 14th and 17th holes while Mickelson’s rare mistakes at the same holes cost him bogeys. “He’s really a great champion”.
“At this point I’m running on adrenaline, but it’ll get to the stage where I’ll struggle to make it up the stairs when I get back to the house!”
There [have] been … windy and tricky conditions, [but] I’ve had a lot of good results and played a lot of good tournaments … I’m happy that he did. “I’m sorry that it came at my expense”.
This one followed much the same script. Stenson began the day with a one-stroke lead, a deficit Mickelson erased with a birdie at the very first hole. They went back and forth from there, pouring in birdie after birdie – and even an eagle from Lefty at No. 4. The lie was OK, he chipped out sideways and nearly matched the birdie of Stenson, which dropped Mickelson out of the lead for the first time since his 14th hole on Thursday.
“But it’s one of the traditions of the Open and I respect that”. Mickelson said it was the best golf he ever played without winning. “I can’t believe that”. It’s a dream come true as a young kid – well, not that young.
Rickie Fowler started well until an 8 on the 11th hole.
“He’s been a strong man in Ryder Cup teams as well”.
“So to sit there and hold this trophy is really awesome”. Henrik Stenson is going for his first major.
“It would be a great tournament without them”, said Zach Johnson, who finished 1 under and just 19 back of Stenson. “Jesper (Parnevik) in particular twice. So he sent me a message, ‘Go out and finish what I didn’t manage to finish, ‘ and I’m really proud to have done that, and it’s going to be massive for golf in Sweden with this win”.
Four Swedish golfers have won female major titles, led by Annika Sorenstam with 10 championships.
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Stenson knew then that two more good swings, off the tees at the short 17th and the 18th would see him home, albeit the second of them was nearly too good as he drove perilously close to the bunker a similarly adrenaline-fuelled Greg Norman had seen his Open bid end in 1989. “What an wonderful performance”. He has been close several times and it was just a matter of time before he won a major. He is a very hard worker and it’s nice to see his commitment pay off. You’ve got that prevailing wind coming hard in at you, and it’s very tough to keep the flight down and that’s the key. “My weather gear is totally soaked now, and I’ve got to somehow dry it out before tomorrow”.
