Momentum could change with any shot.
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Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson are locked in a memorable duel at Royal Troon. All the British Open lacked Saturday was a victor.
With his family all around, cancer survivor Matthew Southgate was in tears as he approached the 18th green at Royal Troon. They were tied with five holes to play until Stenson made an 18-foot birdie on the par-3 14th, and then buried Lefty with a putt that defined his moment as a major champion.
Stenson, who led by just one stroke at the beginning of the day, had been leading the field heading into the final round of a major for the first time. “So it should be an exciting afternoon”. I feel like he’s been with me all week and he was a keen golfer.
Links golf can deliver some odd finishes, though this has all the trappings of a two-man race today. But Mickelson, with Major titles in his locker and the edge in terms of self-belief, is likely to be snapping at the Swede’s heels throughout.
“I felt like this was going to be my turn”, said the 40-year-old Swede, abandoning his usual comic banter for a more serious tone.
Stenson, who triumphed at the BMW International in Germany late last month, would also become the first Scandinavian victor of a major, and in the home of golf to boot.
For Mickelson, it’s an 11th runner-up finish at a major in his career.
It looks like there could be some low scores before the day is done. “But either way, I shot three rounds under par”.
Stenson matched his birdie with an up-and-down from deep rough, and he was on his way. Stenson wound up with so much more Sunday. He won the PGA the last time it was played at Baltustol in 2005. It’s his highest position ever in a major, yet he was six shots off the lead.
Stenson joined Johnny Miller as the only player to shoot a 63 in the final round of a major. Mickelson spoke earlier in the week about not having as much pressure knowing he already has won a British Open.
Stenson has always been one of the better players on the PGA Tour, but he’d never been in the final group of a major before this one.
There are 14 players within five shots of third-placed Bill Haas, who typically goes into his shell in Major arenas.
Henrik Stenson can no longer be considered the best player in the world without a major.
Mickelson had led at the halfway stage and still shot a one-under-par 70 on Saturday, but bogeys at the 14th and 17th holes allowed Stenson to overtake him.
A victory today would give him six majors, same as Nick Faldo and Lee Trevino.
Stenson refused to buckle at the par-three 17th as he sent a towering iron to seven feet and stood aside to watch Mickelson block his to the left of the green, although the 46-year-old kept his slim hopes alive with a nerveless putt for par and Stenson opened the door a little further when his birdie putt lipped out. The 1861 Open was played in September.
Henrik Stenson began the final round Sunday with a one-shot lead, but gave it up with three-putt bogey at No. 1.
A frustrated Rory McIlroy snapped his three wood after hurling it to the ground as he struggled to make inroads on the leaders at Royal Troon in the third round of The Open. “I found a way to kind of settle in and hit some shots, and then find ways to make pars on the times that I hit poor shots”. “And I got beat”.
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The Claret Jug is the oldest, greatest trophy in the sport.
