I was not lucky enough to be around when Johnny Miller won the US Open that day, so it’s hard to know if his 63 was “better” than Stenson’s.
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“I hope I can perform well, and hopefully get one of the medals, and hopefully the best one to bring home”.
Later, Stenson said: “He was one of the real good guys back in Dubai. This is different, the county was waiting on this – and the fact it was Donegal in the final”.
Grouped again for the final round, Watson shot 65 to Nicklaus’ 66 in what is considered one of the sport’s epic showdowns.
The last birdie was for the record book.
Rory McIlroy is the most recent of champions that could have beat him, scoring 17 under in his 2014 triumph, with Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo the only other men who have carded better totals than Mickelson at the Open. “I felt”, he said, “Like this was going to be my turn”. “I knew I had to keep on pushing, keep on giving myself birdie chances”. I didn’t really finish any round particularly strong. He and I have been friends for quite some time and I really like and respect him.
“Some in the media have already tried to compare today’s final round to 1977 at Turnberry”, Nicklaus writes on Facebook, “with Tom Watson and me in what they called the ‘duel in the sun.’ I thought we played great and had a wonderful match”.
Stenson and Mickelson were never separated by more than two shots for 40 consecutive holes until Stenson’s final birdie to win by three. Mickelson made six birdies against no bogeys for a 65.
Their better-ball score – remember, they were in the final group – would have been 59.
“I’m not sure how I’m going to feel about that”, Mickelson said. I’m happy that he did. “I’m disappointed that it was at my expense”.
J.B. Holmes won the B-Flight. He was 14 shots behind.
The Swede won his first major in his 42nd attempt, becoming only the ninth player to capture his first major after turning 40. Mickelson missed the green to the left and after getting to the putting surface was able somehow to drain a 20-foot par putt.
For Royal Troon, he obliterated the American Justin Leonard’s record 12-under winning total in 1997. “… I’m happy with where my game has come this year”.
That is because of the Olympics in Rio in August. Just like Watson then, Stenson came out on top on Scotland’s west coast, but both players produced world-class golf.
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Add in the loss of millions of dollars in disgraced financier Allen Stanford’s Ponzi scheme in 2009, as well as some serious health problems – including one caused by a parasite picked up on holiday – and Stenson’s recovery is all the more remarkable. Take a breath, Henrik. The PGA Championship starts a week from Thursday.
