Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson thrilled a Royal Troon crowd with a superb golf clinic overnight, with Stenson winning the 145th Open at Royal Troon.
In his previous 41 majors, Stenson folded under pressure, but not this morning in carding an eight-under 63 to win by three shots over a never-say-die Mickelson who shot 65.
Great golf.
For the second day in a row, Stenson and Mickelson were in the final pairing in a virtual match-play situation, but today it was a super start for the leftie with a birdie at the first to the Swede’s bogey.
The two-shot swing gave Mickelson the lead 12-under to 11-under and set up a gladitorial head-to-head that was to last the whole gripping journey as befitting the oldest golf tournament in the world.
They both turned in 32 at four-under, with Stenson 16-under, Mickelson at 15.
Both birdied the 10th, but Stenson bogeyed 11, and they were locked at 16-under with seven holes to play. At that stage next best JB Holmes was nine shots off the pace.
Stenson regained the lead 17-under to 16 with a birdie at 14.
Just four holes to play in mostly sunny conditions in a cool 16 degrees, but the golf was hot.
Stenson had one hand on his first major trophy when he birdied 15 to lead by two with three to play.
Both birdied 16 for Stenson to still lead by two with two to play, it didn’t get any better than this on a tough course. Will there be a twist in the tail?
No twist, Stenson slammed the door shut with a birdie at 18 to win by three, and deservely so – the monkey was off the Swede’s back.
While Stenson and Mickelson dominated the final day, a special salute to Steve Stricker who will captain the USA President Cup squad next year.
The 49-year-old finished fourth, 15 shots off the pace, with a weekend return of 68 69 – 5-under for the tournament.
There was no justice in Stricker’s double at 17 today that denied him third place that went to JB Holmes.
How the world’s top ten fared.
(1) Jason Day – PGA champion – 73 70 71 71 (1-over) with 13 birdies and 14 bogeys.
(2) Dustin Johnson – US Open champion – 71 69 72 70 (2-under) with 13 birdies, four bogeys, a triple, and two doubles.
(3) Jordan Spieth – 71 75 72 68 (2-over) with an eagle, 12 birdies, 12 bogeys, and two doubles.
(4) Rory McIlroy – 69 71 73 67 (4-under) with 17 birdies, 11 bogeys, and a double.
(5) Bubba Watson – 70 76 72 70 (4-over) with an eagle, 17 birdies, 15 bogeys, two triples, and a double.
(6) Henrik Stenson – The Open champion – 68 65 68 63 with an eagle, 25 birdies, and seven bogeys.
(7) Rickie Fowler – 69 72 76 73 (6-over) with 10 birdies, 10 bogeys, a double, and a quadruple bogey.
(8) Adam Scott – 69 70 76 71 (5-over) with 10 birdies, nine bogeys, and three doubles.
(9) Danny Willett – US Masters champion – 71 75 74 71 (7-over) with 12 birdies, 17 bogeys, and a double.
(10) Branden Grace – 70 74 76 77 (13-over) with eight birdies, 15 bogeys, and three doubles.
Leaderboard
20-under – Henrik Stenson
17-under – Phil Mickelson.
6-under – JB Holmes
5-under – Steve Stricker.
4-under – Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia, Tyrell Hatton.
3-under – Andrew Johnstone.
2-under – Dustin Johnson, Soren Kjeldsen, Bill Haas.
Australians
1-over – Jason Day.
4-over – Matt Jones.
5-over – Adam Scott.
13-over – Scott Hend.
21-over – Greg Chalmers.
Missed cut at 4-over
5-over – Marcus Fraser, Rod Pampling.
6-over – Nathan Holman.
8-over – Nick Cullen.
15-over – Steve Bowditch.
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