Stenson carded a final round eight-under-par 63 that featured 10 birdies, many of them converted with long putts, to defeat American Phil Mickelson by three shots.
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Their worst-ball score would have been 69.
Following their round, Nicklaus and Watson walked off the green with their arms around each other’s shoulders, just as Mickelson and Stenson did Sunday.
Jack Nicklaus has enough memories from his years as a professional golfer to fill thousands of Claret Jugs, the trophy Henrik Stenson smooched after winning the British Open on Sunday at Royal Troon.
The pair were well clear of the rest of the field with third-placed JB Holmes finishing some 11 strokes back on six under.
Whether or not he would look back on it with fondness or as the one that got away, he was not sure.
Eight years later, Woods remains at 14 and hasn’t played in almost a year.
The 40-year-old birdied four of the last five holes, including holing a 45-foot putt on the 15th, to clinch his first major title. Is it easier to stomach knowing he played bogey-free than if he couldn’t hit a par 3 with a pitching wedge? His 20-under par matched Jason Day’s record for lowest under par at last year’s PGA Championship. But that was before Stenson sunk his 10 birdie putts and took a late lead, one that he did not relinquish. Stenson matched his birdie with an up-and-down from deep rough, and he was on his way.
“I threw as much at him as I could, and he didn’t make any mistakes”, Mickelson said of Stenson on the NBC broadcast.
I was not lucky enough to be around when Johnny Miller won the US Open that day, so it’s hard to know if his 63 was “better” than Stenson’s.
Willett, who claimed a shock victory at the Masters in April, told Omnisport: “He’ll be feeling very good today”.
Asked what he put that down to, Stenson replied: “The experience and the way links golf plays”. “So it kind of goes both ways. I’m really proud to have done that”.
“You never know once you open the floodgates what might happen”. The soft bogeys he made on the 13th and 15th holes at Merion cost him a shot at the 2013 U.S. Open.
Mickelson gave it his best shot in his bid at 46 to become the fourth-oldest major victor in history.
The Swede won his first major in his 42nd attempt, becoming only the eighth player to capture his first major after turning 40. He finished alone in third.
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The Swede won The Open for the first time at Royal Troon by carding a score of -20, two ahead of nearest challenger Mickelson. But four birdies at the last five holes, and it should have been five if you include [a makeable chance at] 17, was quite phenomenal golf around a very, very tough course.
