His 20 under par total was the lowest Open Championship score in relation to par, eclipsing Tiger Woods’ 19-under-par record set at St Andrews in 2000.
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Forty “is the new 30”, he told Sky, and there was certainly something about the week for the older guard, with Mickelson, at 46, coming so close to being the oldest Open victor in almost 150 years. That was the extra self-belief that made me go all the way this week.
But Stenson recorded the 29th 63 in Major championship history on Sunday, in the final pairing. They had a better-ball score of 59.
Nicklaus rates the show which Stenson and Mickelson put on as even better than his contest with Watson, who won by just one shot all those years ago. After the first hole in the final round, Mickelson had a one shot lead. That was the first of four lead changes, plus eight ties, to use basketball vernacular, which seemed fitting Sunday. Early in Sunday’s round he said: “it was pretty obvious that it was just us”. “And I got beat”, Mickelson said to the press after the round. Do you agree with Jack Nicklaus? And yet I got beat.
A Sunday singles match-up would be mouth-watering after the titanic Troon tussle, although Stenson is not so sure. Meanwhile, Mickelson made an eagle, two birdies and no bogeys. “What a great match today”.
“I was thinking about that”, Mickelson said with a slight smile.
That’s when I knew how obviously up for it he was, how much he fancied himself.
Time for some perspective I think. “Yeah, it was quite an old leader board for a change, I guess”.
Grouped again for the final round, Watson shot 65 to Nicklaus’ 66 in what is considered one of the sport’s epic showdowns.
Mickelson paid tribute to Stenson, whose triumph was his first in a major championship. A bet Stenson kept Lord apprised of during the Open’s final round.
The 40-year-old Stenson’s round equalled the lowest in any major championship and his winning total was also a record for any of the “Big Four” tournaments.
“This is what it’s all about, isn’t it”, Watson said to Nicklaus on the 16th hole when they were tied.
Stenson ended the drama there and stomped out the flickering flame as he rolled in yet another birdie on 18 to seal his victory and first Major win by 3-strokes.
That “97 Open was here in Troon”.
Stenson had seven times finished in the top five of a major without managing to break through.
“And of course I’m going to be out there trying my hardest in a week’s time at the PGA”. “… I’m happy with where my game has come this year”.
Being the Runner-up Golfer of the Year, maybe the decade, was of little solace to Mickelson, who knows what it feels like to be Nicklaus in another respect.
The 46-year-old, a five-time major victor, said: “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”. Stenson finished the third round at 12-under and Mickelson was chomping at his heels at 11-under.
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Small wonder that Mickelson calls it the “best I’ve played and not won”.
