Stenson’s superb 68 in windy conditions has given him the narrow advantage as the Swede strives to win his first Major after repeatedly coming close.
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“It’s probably the best I’ve played and not won”, Mickelson said.
A spectacular par save at the 12th, for the second day in succession, kept Mickelson on level terms, yet Stenson was soon back ahead, a mid-range putt on the short 14th securing his seventh birdie of the day. His 20-under par matched Jason Day’s record for lowest under par at last year’s PGA Championship.
“Thank you very much for a great fight”, Stenson told Mickelson as he accepted the Claret Jug.
Stenson realizes winning a major championship at the home of golf in Scotland would be a thrill of a lifetime. “He was a keen golfer, Mike this one is for you”.
But then Stenson landed a significant blow when he drained a long one across the green on the 14th and he dropped another bomb out of nowhere on 15 to rock his rival. Gerbich and Henrik Stenson used to play golf together.
“This will take a while to sink in, I am still getting my bearings”, the victor told the BBC afterwards. “It’s a ideal way to say thanks”.
Five-time major victor Phil Mickelson began Saturday at 10 under, one shot better than Henrik Stenson, but the Swede got off to the hot start, going three under for the first four holes.
Stenson made 10 birdies, including a 50-foot putt across the 15th green that had him pumping his fist in a rare show of emotion Sunday.
Mickelson regained the lead with a pitch to four feet for birdie on the par-5 16th, only for the Swede to answer again, this time with an all-out 3-iron into the wind on the 220-yard 17th hole to 20 feet.
“I knew he would ultimately come through and win”. “I knew I had to keep on pushing, keep on giving myself birdie chances”.
“It was a day when I tried to force it a little bit on the front nine”.
Lefty had made only three bogeys in his last 103 holes at Royal Troon dating to 1997, and a 25-foot birdie putt on the 13th hole gave him a two-shot lead. On Sunday, J.B. Holmes finished third, 11 shots behind the runner-up. Most of the guys that play professional golf have all the shots.
With the drama building as each hole passed, Stenson broke away on the 14th and 15th holes, continuing one of the most wonderful putting displays in a long time in a major championship.
Jordan Spieth, after making the cut on the number, got off to a hot start Saturday morning with four birdies in the first seven holes.
“I got lucky that that ball didn’t go into the gorse, even though I didn’t have a back swing”, Mickelson said.
“It’s disappointing to come in second but I’m happy for Henrik, he’s really a great champion”, said the left-hander. Stenson shattered Norman’s 267 total set a Royal St. George’s in 1993 with a four-day score of 264. “I played a bogey-free round of 65 on the final round of a major, usually that’s good enough to do it, and I got beat”.
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“Yeah, he’s always been there as a big supporter of mine, in good days and bad days, sending me messages and support”, Stenson in his post-Open press conference.
