Henrik Stenson kept hitting the best shots of his life, one after another, because there was no other way to beat Phil Mickelson in a British Open duel that ranked among the best in golf.
Advertisement
Henrik Stenson created Open, and major, history with his phenomenal performance in winning The 145th Open with a final-round 63 at Royal Troon.
Stenson and Mickelson both played exceptional golf, making for an exciting final round that produced an eagle, 14 birdies and two bogeys between the final pairing.
After seven top-five finishes in majors, including two ties for third and a sole runner-up to Mickelson at Muirfield in 2013, this was a long-awaited affirmation of Stenson’s enormous talent and ball-striking genius – he never had to chip, all day – and to finally, in his words “get one across the finish line” at Troon. Even Mickelson’s birdie on the par-3 17th couldn’t close the gap, thanks to a dart-perfect approach from Stenson. “I’ve worked hard these first three days to put myself in this situation and, once again, going to try my hardest tomorrow to finish the job”.
“We’ve played a lot of golf together this year, and I’ve known him for many years”, Stenson said.
Stenson’s final score broke Greg Norman’s record for the lowest four-day total in an Open and tied Jason Day’s mark for the lowest score in relation to par in a major championship.
He also would be the third-oldest major champion behind Julius Boros (48) and Morris, with whom Mickelson shares a birthday (June 16) 109 years apart.
Mickelson finished third the last time The Open was staged at Royal Troon in 2004. “I’m happy about how I played and how my game is coming around…”
“It’s probably the best I’ve played and not won”, said Mickelson, who at 46 was looking to become the fourth oldest major champion in history. Stenson answered with a 5-iron to 6 feet for birdie, and Mickelson three-putted for bogey. It’s his highest position ever in a major, yet he was six shots off the lead.
Stenson took out his three-wood at 18 and almost hit his tee shot into a bunker, which would have added some drama to the final hole.
The 40-year-old Swede has a two-shot lead over Phil Mickelson with one hole to play in regulation at the British Open.
Stenson didn’t get the lead for good until the 14th hole, then he seized the Claret Jug emphatically with three straight birdies.
Through the 10th hole, Stenson leads at 17-under-par while Mickelson is at 16-under-par.
“He wasn’t going to give it to me”, Stenson said, “so I had to pull away”.
After an epic duel at the British Open, Henrik Stenson has claimed his first major title.
An historic 62 was even on the cards after a superb tee shot on the 17th, but after missing the birdie attempt there, Stenson made no such mistake on the 18th to bring a fitting end to an astonishing day.
He’d been asked so many times over the years, as was Jesper Parnevik before him, when a Swede would ever win a major.
Advertisement
Mickelson fell behind when he missed the green to the left, and failed to hole a par putt from 18 feet. Stenson’s troubles came with the putter, three-putting on both the first and 11th to surrender the outright lead.
