Henrik Stenson’s win at Royal Troon to etch his name on the claret jug also comes with many more mentions of his name in the history books. It gave him an 8-under 63, tying Johnny Miller at Oakmont for the greatest closing round by a major champion, and Stenson didn’t even realize it until he sat down to sign his card.
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“We both played some great golf”, Stenson said.
Like he did all day long, Stenson drained it.
Mike Gerbich was a pal of the Stenson and his wife Emma when they lived in Dubai. “I played what I feel was well enough to win this championship by a number of strokes and yet I got beat by three strokes”, said Mickelson, who at 46 was trying to become the second oldest to win the oldest championship in golf.
Stenson is coached by Yorkshireman Pete Cowen and has Gareth Lord from Coventry as his caddie. “It’s a ideal way to say thanks”.
What it means: This is Stenson’s first major title and 15 career victory across the PGA and European tours.
The 40-year-old Stenson started walking when the putt was halfway there, stopping to pump his fist, rare emotion for the Swede with ice-blue eyes.
Stenson, who led by just one stroke at the beginning of the day, had been leading the field heading into the final round of a major for the first time. “I actually thought anything in the 60s was going to be a good round today”. Mickelson made a brilliant up-and-down after missing the green with his approach, almost holing out a chip over a bunker. He finished third, 14 shots behind.
“Those guys are playing a different golf course than everyone else”, Holmes said.
Just before walking to the first tee, Mickelson and Stenson met on the practice green next to the Royal Troon clubhouse.
The pair were tied for the lead again when Stenson three-putted the 11th and Mickelson ensured he stayed on level terms by holing from 18 feet for par on the next after twice tangling with the thick rough. And his final score of 264 broke the record for overall low score in any major championship.
He had started with a 63 to equal the lowest ever round in a major, but Stenson repeated that feat on Sunday with 10 birdies on his way to lifting the Claret Jug. “I’m disappointed ultimately with the outcome, but I’m really happy for Henrik, he played flawless golf”.
Henrik Stenson is known as The Ice Man and he proved precisely why in winning the 145 Open Championship. I am delighted to come out on top. “Very proud of the way I played”. “I’m sorry that it came at my expense”.
This was a shot-for-shot showdown that mirrored Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus at Turnberry in 1977, the famed “Duel in the Sun”.
“I really like where my game is coming and how it’s coming around and the shots I’m hitting easily how I’m able to control the ball off the tee and play stress-free golf”, said Mickelson.
He got beat by arguably the best final round in 156 years of major championships. I didn’t do a good enough job. “I had to play at my best to get it over the finish line”.
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Stenson matched Mickelson blow-by-blow, carding 10 birdies of his own in a round that will go down as one of the greatest of all time.
