Henrik Stenson kept hitting the best shots of his life, one after another, because there was no other way to beat Phil Mickelson in a British Open duel that ranked among the best in golf. The finish of the 145th Open Championship supplied all of the above, in a memorable finale that sparked images of Tom Watson & Jack Nicklaus’ famed Duel In The Sun at Turnberry in 1977.
Advertisement
Mickelson, who had beaten Stenson into second place to lift the Claret Jug at Muirfield in 2013, had to settle for second place on 17 under despite a flawless final round of 65, with American JB Holmes an wonderful 11 shots further adrift in third.
The story of the day wasn’t just Stenson’s round of 63.
As for the rest of the field, JB Holmes was the nearest contender back on -6, some 14 shots behind the victor and 11 behind Mickleson.
Mickelson finished three shots ahead of Stenson three years ago at Muirfield when Lefty closed with a 66 in one of the best final rounds of a major.
As driving rain began to fall on the inward half and winds started to gust up to 15mph, Mickelson mixed two bogeys with a solitary birdie to make sure he claimed the clubhouse lead. Mickelson managed to save par, and Stenson missed the birdie and tapped in for par to take a two-shot lead to 18.
Seemingly undeterred, Mickelson rallied by coaxing in a 7-foot birdie putt at the 16th before the pendulum swung again a hole later when his playing partner knocked in a 20-footer for birdie to reclaim the lead. Stenson bogeyed the first hole, before rebounding with five birdies for a 4-under 32 on the front nine. The two then traded birdies on the 16th, with Mickelson’s eagle attempt skimming the lip.
The 40-year-old birdied four of his last four holds to shoot an eight-under-par 63. I’ve always thought he is one of the best ball-strikers in the game and that major championships are perfectly suited for him.
He has the chance to make up for Muirfield and finally be a victor after seven top-four finishes in majors.
Jordan Spieth was on target to post the first sub-par score after an eagle on the fourth and birdies on the 10th and 11th helped the two-time major victor reach three under for the day with four holes remaining.
As a result, the American handed his rival the initiative and gave himself work to do as he attempts to become the oldest victor of the Claret Jug since Tom Morris Senior down the road at Prestwick back in 1867.
World No19 Mickelson, who would join Lee Trevino and Nick Faldo with six major titles with victory on Sunday, said: “It’s a great opportunity and a great challenge”.
ROUND OF THE DAY: Stenson and Steve Stricker each shot 68.
“I’m happy with my score but it means the leaders have got to come back – and there are a lot of good guys in between me and them”. That had also been the major championship record until Day broke it in 2015. I saw that ball rolling right in the center.
The Swede took his one-shot lead to the turn, but fell back to join Mickelson with a bogey at the tough 11th before the scrap became more desperate with neither player willing to cede an inch. “I’m disappointed that it was at my expense”.
Advertisement
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.
