“One thing I’ve learned over the years is the weather can have a big impact”, he said.
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Stenson had been locked in a titanic tussle with Mickelson and he surged over the line with four birdies on his last five holes to prevail in one of golf’s greatest battles.
No losers here, but only one victor.
When it was all over, Henrik Stenson pumped both of his fists, hugged his caddie and waved his hat to the crowd at Royal Troon.
The win was Stenson’s first major, and he also is the first Swedish male to win a major title.
Right on his heels, nearly to the very end, was Mickelson.
The 46-year-old, who has not won a tournament since lifting the Claret Jug three years ago, would be the fourth oldest victor of any major and the oldest in the Open since 1867, while 40-year-old Stenson was looking to become Sweden’s first male major champion.
The 40-year-old was looking to become Sweden’s first male major champion, while the 46-year-old Mickelson – who has not won a tournament since beating Stenson into second place at Muirfield three years ago – would be the fourth oldest victor of any major and the oldest in the Open since 1867.
“I’d like to thank Phil for a fantastic battle, we played some great golf and I am delighted to come out on top but thank you very much for a great fight”. “I’m sorry that it came at my expense”.
After all, there has been an American champion in each of the last six Opens played at Troon, from Arnold Palmer in 1962 up to the unheralded Todd Hamilton in 2004.
His final score of 20- under broke Tiger Woods’s British Open scoring record of 19-under, set in 2000, and equals Jason Day’s all-time major record set at the 2015 U.S. PGA.
“I knew I had to keep on pushing and keep on giving myself birdie chances”.
For Mickelson, there was no second-guessing the way he played. Stenson’s final birdie on the 18th provided the final margin.
For Mickelson, it’s an 11th runner-up finish at a major in his career.
Mickelson knew there wasn’t much more he could do.
The story of the day wasn’t just Stenson’s round of 63. “I’m disappointed ultimately with the outcome, but I’m really happy for Henrik, he played flawless golf”.
“Wow, this will take a little while to sink in”, said Stenson. Usually that’s good enough to do it. That was the extra self-belief that made me go all the way this week.
He would’ve been the oldest victor of the Open since 1867.
No one older than 48 has ever captured a major.
“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”, he said.
The Swede won his first major with precision. And I put in my best performance today. And I got beat. Many times, in fact. Stenson, as the 145th Open’s championship, gets it. The next closest golfer was six strokes back.
Stenson, after dropping a shot on 11, pulled away with birdies on No. 14, 15 and 16, before clinching the tournament with a birdie on No. 18. “Our final round was really good, but theirs was even better. What a great match”.
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. Stenson’s second shot rolled off the right side of the green, leaving him with a 50-foot putt up the ridge. Mickelson and Stenson are paired in the third round and they will start at 10:20 AM ET.
That was the decisive blow.
Maybe Hollywood needed the footage for whenever they decide to make Phil The Thrill, starring Chris Hemsworth and directed by Quentin Tarantino. “I’ve always thought that he is one of the best ball strikers in the game and that major championships are perfectly suited for him”.
Spieth hopes to build on that momentum at the PGA Championship in two weeks.
Stenson, full of adrenaline on the 18th tee, hammered his tee shot 310 yards down the fairway and was mightily relieved to see it stop 12 inches short of one of Royal Troon’s fiendish pot bunkers.
“We’re only just getting started aren’t we”, he said with a smile. “You never know what might happen once you open the floodgates”.
Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson teed off Sunday in the final group at Royal Troon, the sun breaking through the clouds just as they hit their opening shots along the Irish Sea.
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Now the 53-year-old says he hopes to qualify again for golf’s oldest major championship.
