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Mickelson Surges from 5 Shots Back to Win Title Mickelson Raises a Jug to Links Golf
(about 7 hours later)
GULLANE, Scotland — On a daunting, historic course that has routinely separated the great golfers from the good, greatness had to come from behind on Sunday. GULLANE, Scotland — On a hard and historic course that has routinely separated the great golfers from the good, greatness had to come from behind Sunday.
Phil Mickelson started the final round of the British Open five shots behind the leader, Lee Westwood. After nine holes, Mickelson was still three shots behind the barrel-chested Englishman with the mirrored sunglasses and so much to prove. Phil Mickelson started the final round of the British Open five shots behind the leader, Lee Westwood. After nine holes, Mickelson was still three shots behind Westwood, the barrel-chested Englishman with the mirrored sunglasses and so much to prove.
But Mickelson, at age 43, is now more than one of the very finest players of his generation. He is a great links golfer, too. But Mickelson, at 43, is now more than one of the finest players of his generation. He is a world-class links golfer, too.
Born and raised in the target golf mecca of Southern California, where loft and length and backspin rule, Mickelson has gradually acquired the skills and self-control required to become an honorary Scotsman with a club in hand.Born and raised in the target golf mecca of Southern California, where loft and length and backspin rule, Mickelson has gradually acquired the skills and self-control required to become an honorary Scotsman with a club in hand.
“Hate-love,” he said last week of his relationship with links golf. “I used to hate it, and now I love it.”“Hate-love,” he said last week of his relationship with links golf. “I used to hate it, and now I love it.”
On Sunday, Muirfield, a classic course that plays very hard to get, loved Mickelson back. On Sunday, Muirfield — a classic course that plays hard to get — loved Mickelson back.
With the many other contenders faltering or failing to ignite, including Mickelson’s longtime American rival Tiger Woods, Mickelson slowly gathered great momentum. He made birdies on all three of Muirfield’s par-5 holes for a round of five-under-par 66 and closed with a flourish that gave him a three-stroke victory over Henrik Stenson with a three-under total of 281. As the many other contenders faded or failed to ignite, including Mickelson’s longtime rival Tiger Woods, Mickelson slowly gathered great momentum. A bogey on No. 10 looked as if might stop his train, but he finished with birdies on four of the final six holes for a round of five-under-par 66 that gave him a three-stroke victory over Henrik Stenson with a three-under total of 281.
His wife, Amy, said that when he left for the course in the morning on Sunday he told her, “I’m going to go bring home a claret jug.” He ended up doing just that. It was one of the finest final rounds in British Open history, which was also equal to the lowest round shot all week on hard-running Muirfield, a lovely stretch of seaside property made considerably less inviting by deep rough, penal bunkers and a circular layout where the winds shift constantly.
“I just could not be more proud to be your champion,” said Mickelson at the awards ceremony, the claret jug in his grasp. “I never knew in my career if I’d be equipped, if I would have the shots, if I would have the opportunity to win a tournament here. And to do it, to play some of the best golf, probably the best round of my career, and break through and capture this claret jug is probably the most fulfilling moment of my career, because it was something I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to do.” “I just could not be more proud to be your champion,” Mickelson said at the awards ceremony. “I never knew in my career if I’d be equipped, if I would have the shots, if I would have the opportunity to win a tournament here. And to do it, to play some of the best golf, probably the best round of my career, and break through and capture this claret jug is probably the most fulfilling moment of my career.”
It was the fifth major championship for Mickelson, who won the Masters in 2004, 2006 and 2010 and the P.G.A. Championship in 2005.It was the fifth major championship for Mickelson, who won the Masters in 2004, 2006 and 2010 and the P.G.A. Championship in 2005.
He has won three of the four major tournaments. The only major title he lacks is the United States Open, where he has finished second a record six times. He is the second left-hander to win the British Open, joining Bob Charles, who won in 1963. Mickelson is also the oldest man to win the Open in 46 years — Roberto de Vicenzo was 44 in 1967 — but the third straight champion over 40 at an event where experience clearly counts.
He was second at the United States Open again last month at Merion Golf Cub, but instead of letting that latest and perhaps greatest disappointment send him into a downward spiral of doubt and regret, Mickelson got away from it all with his family at the Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, Montana. Darren Clarke was 42 in 2011 and Ernie Els was 42 last year. Mickelson has now won three of the four major tournaments. The only major title he lacks is the United States Open, where he has the dubious privilege of having finished second a record six times.
There was fly fishing. There was trap shooting, white-water rafting and zip-lining. He was second again last month at Merion Golf Cub, but instead of letting that latest and perhaps greatest United States Open disappointment send him into a downward spiral, Mickelson got away from it all with his family at the Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, Mont.
That was clearly the right way to heal in a hurry, and when Mickelson arrived in Scotland two weeks ago, he was quickly back on target: winning the first links tournament of his long career at the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart in Inverness. There was fly fishing, trap shooting, white-water rafting and zip-lining.
He has won two links tournaments in eight days and become the first man in history to win the Scottish Open and the British Open in consecutive weeks. That was clearly the right way to heal in a hurry, and by the time Mickelson arrived in Scotland, he was back on target, winning the first links tournament of his career at the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart in Inverness.
“Well, certainly the range of emotions I feel are as far apart as possible in the last month,” Mickelson said. “But you have to be resilient in this game. You have to accept losses and use it as motivation as opposed to letting it defeat you. You’ve got to use it as motivation to work harder and come back strong, and these last couple of weeks, these last couple of months, I’ve played some of the best golf of my career.” He has now won two links tournaments in eight days.
Even the range of emotions at Muirfield was vast. On Friday, he shot a three-over-par 74 in the second round after a disastrous visit to the 16th green where Mickelson, whom many consider one of the game’s finest putters, required four putts from inside 30 feet to finish off a double bogey. “Well, certainly the range of emotions I feel are as far apart as possible in the last month,” Mickelson said. “But you have to be resilient in this game. You have to accept losses and use it as motivation, as opposed to letting it defeat you. You’ve got to use it as motivation to work harder and come back strong, and these last couple of weeks, these last couple of months, I’ve played some of the best golf of my career.”
But Muirfield took a toll on so many players this year, and Mickelson, as it turned out, was the only one to finish under par. Even the range of emotions at Muirfield was vast. On Thursday, after an opening 69, Mickelson was critical of the tournament pin positions. On Friday, he backed off those statements but shot a three-over 74 after a disastrous visit to the 16th green, where Mickelson, one of the game’s finest putters, required four putts from inside 30 feet to finish off a double bogey.
Stenson, trying to become the first Swedish man to win a major title, held a share of the lead briefly on Sunday but ended up at even par with a final-round 70. Westwood, the dry-witted 40-year-old trying to win his first major, struggled to find rhythm or fairways for most of the round on Sunday, slumping to a 75 and finishing in a three-way tie for third place at one over with Adam Scott and Ian Poulter, the fiery Englishman who surged into contention with a 67 on Sunday. But then Muirfield took a toll on so many players, and Mickelson, as it turned out, was the only one to finish under par. Stenson, trying to become the first Swedish man to win a major title, held a share of the lead briefly Sunday but ended up at even par with a final-round 70.
Westwood has now finished in the top five at eight major tournaments. Westwood, 40, trying to win his first major, struggled to find rhythm or fairways for most of the round, slumping to a 75 and finishing in a three-way tie for third at one over with Adam Scott and Ian Poulter, who shot a 67.
“I’m a philosophical person,” said Westwood after his latest disappointment. “It just doesn’t wind me up or get to me anymore.” Westwood has now finished second or third or in a tie for those spots at eight major tournaments since 2008.
That certainly does not hold true for Woods, the world No. 1 and signature player of this generation. He has made millions upon millions of dollars, but it has been more than five years since he won the most recent of his 14 major championships. And he, too, struggled early and often on Sunday, berating himself and cursing on occasion. “I’m a philosophical person,” Westwood said after his latest disappointment. “It just doesn’t wind me up or get to me anymore.”
On the first hole, he missed a five-foot putt for par. That certainly does not hold true for Woods.
“That was a shocker,” said Mark James, the former European Ryder Cup captain who is now an analyst for BBC. “Wow, he was feeling it.” “I want every one; are you kidding me?” he said Sunday.
After starting the round at one under, just two shots off the lead, Woods bogeyed three of the first six holes and never mustered anything resembling a genuine charge. He finished with a 74 and in a three-way tie for sixth at two over par with Zach Johnson and Hideki Matsuyama of Japan. He is back at No. 1 and has won four tournaments this year, but it has been more than five years since he won the most recent of his 14 major championships.
Hunter Mahan, who started the round two shots off the lead and played in the final pairing with Westwood, finished at three over after shooting a 75. Once an intimidating closer, Woods has gone shaky on major weekends. After starting the round at one under, two shots off the lead, Woods bogeyed three of the first six holes — missing a 5-foot putt for par on the first — and never mustered a genuine charge. He berated himself and cursed at times, finishing with a 74 and in a three-way tie for sixth at two over with Zach Johnson and Hideki Matsuyama of Japan.
But it would not be right to dwell on human frailty on a day when a left-hander summoned such terrific golf under pressure, all without a driver in his bag. (He relied on his 3-wood instead.) Woods said he struggled to read the speed of the greens, which were often slower than he expected.
Although Westwood, Woods, Mahan and Scott certainly did not rise to the occasion, Mickelson undeniably did, making six birdies and just one bogey. “It’s not like I’ve lost my card and am not playing out there,” Woods said of his drought in majors. “I’ve won some tournaments in that stretch and I’ve been in probably about half the majors on the back nine on Sunday with a chance to win during that stretch.”
There were many clutch shots, many flourishes, but perhaps the most decisive stroke came on the brutally tough 14th hole, where Mickelson sank a 20-foot putt for birdie to go to one under par and move into a tie for second place with Westwood. Hunter Mahan, who started the round two shots off the lead, finished at three over after shooting a 75.
“I just made some great putts coming in,” Mickelson said. But it would not be right to dwell on human frailty on a day when a left-hander summoned such terrific golf under pressure, all without a driver in his bag. (Mickelson relied on his 3-wood instead.)
He birdied the par-5 17th after reaching the green in two shots, shouting “Go, baby!” after his second. He then birdied the 18th from 12 feet to give himself room to breathe and serious cause to start celebrating. Although Westwood, Woods, Mahan and Scott certainly did not rise to the occasion, Mickelson undeniably did, making six birdies — including on all three of the par 5s — and just one bogey.
His caddie, Jim MacKay, better known as Bones, was in tears as they embraced, and Mickelson was soon embracing Amy and his children. “I’ve always tried to go out and get it,” Mickelson said. “I don’t want anybody to hand it to me.”
Muirfield simply does not tolerate one-Slam wonders. The most recent champions here have been Ernie Els, Nick Faldo, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. They are all in the Hall of Fame, and Mickelson is already there himself after being inducted last year. There were many clutch shots, many flourishes, but Mickelson felt the key stroke came on the par-3 No. 13, where he started his back-nine surge. Mickelson hit a 5-iron off the tee within 10 feet of the hole.
As improbable as it might have once seemed to a man who hated links golf, Mickelson now fits right in. “It was a putt that was going to make the rest of the round go one way or another,” he said. “Because I just thought if I made it, it would give me some momentum, get me to even par for the championship, a score I thought had a good chance of being enough.”
And when it was all over on Sunday night, he was asked if the name “Mickelson” had any Scottish roots. In went the birdie putt and there was another birdie from 20 feet at the tough 14th.
“I dooon’t know,” Mickelson said in a respectable Scottish burr. “Maybe a wee bit.” “Links greens have actually been, I think, the reason why I have not been in contention very often here,” Mickelson said of the Open. “More so than some of the ball-striking, and I putted these greens phenomenal. Some of the best I’ve ever putted.”
He birdied the par-5 17th after reaching the green in two shots with two 3-woods that he called his “two best shots of the week.” He then birdied the 18th from 12 feet to give himself room to breathe.
His caddie, Jim Mackay, better known as Bones, was in tears as they embraced, and Mickelson was soon embracing his wife, Amy, and their three children, and his coach, Butch Harmon.
Muirfield simply does not tolerate one-Slam wonders. Its most recent champions have been Els, Nick Faldo, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. They are all in the Hall of Fame, and Mickelson is there, too, inducted last year.
As improbable as it might have once seemed to a man who hated links golf, Mickelson now fits right in: from his low ball flight to his controlled appetite for risk. And when it was all over Sunday night, he was asked if the name Mickelson had any Scottish roots.
“I dooon’t know,” Mickelson said in a respectable Scottish burr, the claret jug in hand. “Maybe a wee bit.”