Stenson’s 20-under-par total of 264 was a record low score in The Open, beating Tiger Woods and his 19-under effort at St Andrews in 2000.
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Golf’s top four players have withdrawn from the Olympics, but the Rio Games will have at least two of this year’s major champions – Stenson and Masters victor Danny Willett of England.
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. “I got beat by 10 birdies”.
Records didn’t matter. This was about winning his first major. It was a little hard, I thought starting out, but the back nine had really calmed down right as we made the turn, and we were able to make some birdies coming in.
“I felt and I believed like it was my time to do this”, Stenson said after the win.
Mickelson was a runner-up for the 11th time in a major, but never like this.
“Those guys are playing a different golf course than everyone else”, Holmes said.
Stenson would drop a shot on the 11th, to slide even with Phil at -16. Usually, that’s good enough to do it, and I got beat. 10 and 11, Stenson staked his claim to the claret jug with three straight birdies on Nos.
“I played poorly the first three days”, he said, referring to rounds of 71 73 73.
The last birdie was for the record book.
Mickelson’s final round of 65 was quite possibly the finest round to ever lose a major championship.
“I knew he wasn’t going to back down at any point, and in a way that makes it easier for myself”, Stenson said.
“I didn’t have my best stuff”, Mickelson said in his press conference after the round. It will give me a chance to go to Baltusrol for a few days prior and get ready this coming week as opposed to waiting until next week. “I just had to stay focused on the moment, and I did not waver doing that”.
The pair were tied for the lead again when Stenson three-putted the 11th, but f or the third time this week Stenson birdied the par-three 14th and then struck the crucial blow on the next, holing from 50 feet from across the green to move two clear. In the final round, they combined to make 14 birdies and an eagle.
“He golfed his ball better than he did in the first round”, Mackay said.
Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson put on a show for the ages in Sunday’s final round of the British Open. “I knew he would ultimately come through and win”. As much as I’m disappointed with the outcome, I’m really happy for him. “I’m disappointed that it was at my expense”.
But until Sunday, no Swedish male had won a major, although Annika Sorenstam won 10 LPGA majors and Jesper Parnevik was in position to win the 1994 and 1997 British Opens. But on this Sunday, it was Stenson’s time.
Six of those made the cut which, for some, was a good week in itself but for the likes of Day, Adam Scott and Marc Leishman in particular, it was not the week they were hoping for. Stenson’s final round also had echoes of Greg Norman’s own final-round 64 to win The Open at Royal St George’s in 1993.
“I’ve known him for many, many years and he was a very keen golfer and a great man”. In the end, on this day, Henrik Stenson was just a little bit grittier than Phil Mickelson.
Henrik Stenson is closing in on his first major title. “He’s been one of the best to play the game, and certainly in the last 20 years”. Take a breath, Henrik.
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Martin Flores won the Lincoln Land Charity Championship for his first Web.com Tour title to wrap up a PGA Tour card.
