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British Open Final Round: Pivotal Title Up for Grabs British Open Final Round: Pivotal Title Up for Grabs
(35 minutes later)
As a compelling pack of leaders chased the British Open title on Sunday, the psychological battle seemed as steep a challenge as Muirfield’s unforgiving course.As a compelling pack of leaders chased the British Open title on Sunday, the psychological battle seemed as steep a challenge as Muirfield’s unforgiving course.
That is what happens when among those fighting for the lead is Lee Westwood, a 40-year-old Englishman who has never won a major in 62 tries, having littered courses with heartbreak along the way. He had a three-shot lead at one point early in the round, but when he began to falter, he found himself battling a crowd of accomplished competitors, all with a bit of psychological baggage of their own. That is what happens when your late-round contenders are a supremely talented player who generally makes a hash out of any major with Open in the title, a 40-year-old Englishman who has never won a major in 62 tries, and the guy who botched a four-shot lead in the final holes of last year’s Open.
Through 13 holes, Westwood was one shot behind leaders Adam Scott and Phil Mickelson at one-under par. In this unpredictable mix, Phil Mickelson surged into the lead with four birdies on the back nine and some jittery par saves on the course’s most difficult holes. He had a chance at eagle on the par-5 No. 17, but settled for a tap-in birdie and another birdie on No. 18 gave him a five-under 66 and a three shot lead over his nearest pursuers.
Scott, who has his own tales of woe in his British Open history, having famously squandered a four-shot lead in the final four holes last year at Royal Lytham, had grabbed the lead with a string of four birdies in five holes mid-round, dropped it when he sent atee shot wildly right on the par-3 No. 13 and missed a par-saving putt. Among those were Lee Westwood, the major-free major talent who had a three-shot lead early in the round only to squander it with a string of bogeys to sit back at even par, and Adam Scott, who famously squandered his chance for a breakthrough victory last year at Royal Lytham. Scott had grabbed the lead with a string of four birdies in five holes mid-round, but dropped it when he sent a tee shot wildly right on the par-3 No. 13 that started a streak of four straight bogeys.
Scott did break through his major drought at this year’s Masters and last year’s Open collapse seems to have been relegated to long-term memory. He seemed to be going entirely the wrong direction early in his round with two bogeys, but got hot with three straight birdies to close the front nine . Scott did end his major drought at this year’s Masters and last year’s Open collapse seems to have been relegated to long-term memory. He seemed to be going entirely the wrong direction early in his round with two bogeys, but got hot with three straight birdies to close the front nine before stumbling again.
Westwood ran into the first test of his nerves on No. 3, when his drive went into the right rough, his next shot went even wider left, scattering fans to the left of the green. The resulting bogey didn’t seem to derail him, because he got the stroke back with a dramatic birdie on the par-5 No. 5, despite driving into a fairway bunker.Westwood ran into the first test of his nerves on No. 3, when his drive went into the right rough, his next shot went even wider left, scattering fans to the left of the green. The resulting bogey didn’t seem to derail him, because he got the stroke back with a dramatic birdie on the par-5 No. 5, despite driving into a fairway bunker.
His lead disappeared, though,when he staggered to bogeys on Nos. 7 and 8, the one on No. 7 coming when he needed two shots to get out of one of Muirfield’s golfer-swallowing greenside bunkers. He sank a wobbling putt for a disaster-avoiding bogey, but his next bogey dropped him i back and another bogey on No. 13 had him looking up at the lead.His lead disappeared, though,when he staggered to bogeys on Nos. 7 and 8, the one on No. 7 coming when he needed two shots to get out of one of Muirfield’s golfer-swallowing greenside bunkers. He sank a wobbling putt for a disaster-avoiding bogey, but his next bogey dropped him i back and another bogey on No. 13 had him looking up at the lead.
Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson, who started five shots off Westwood’s lead, was surging into contention for his first Open title. He had a birdie on No. 5 with a great approach shot hit out of the rough to the left of the fairway that gave him a short birdie putt. Another birdie on the par-5 No. 9 moved him up closer, although he followed with a poor tee shot on No. 10 for his first bogey of the day. Picture-perfect approaches and consecutive birdies on Nos. 12 and 13 pulled him to one under. He made great par-saving putts on Nos. 15 and 16 to keep himself tied for the lead. Mickelson, who started five shots off Westwood’s lead, got rolling with a birdie on No. 5 with a great approach shot hit out of the rough to the left of the fairway that gave him a short birdie putt. Another birdie on the par-5 No. 9 moved him up closer, although he followed with a poor tee shot on No. 10 for his first bogey of the day. Picture-perfect approaches and consecutive birdies on Nos. 12 and 13 pulled him to one under. He made great par-saving putts on Nos. 15 and 16 to keep himself tied for the lead before moving ahead with the birdie on 17.
On No. 18, he hit a great tee shot, but his approach flirted with landing in a greenside bunker. It rolled safely toward the hole and he sank the eight-foot putt for birdie for a dramatic finish.
The hottest player early on was Ian Poulter, who put together a scintillating run mid-round with an eagle on No. 9 followed by birdies on No. 10 and 11. He is five under for the round to reach even par. He barely missed a birdie on No. 12 after a great approach shot on the par-3, and his momentum seemed to stall there. He had a bogey on No. 16 and settled for a four-under 67 to settle in at one over.The hottest player early on was Ian Poulter, who put together a scintillating run mid-round with an eagle on No. 9 followed by birdies on No. 10 and 11. He is five under for the round to reach even par. He barely missed a birdie on No. 12 after a great approach shot on the par-3, and his momentum seemed to stall there. He had a bogey on No. 16 and settled for a four-under 67 to settle in at one over.
Among those struggling early was Tiger Woods, who is trying to snap a five-year drought in majors at age 37, his once dominant career hitting an extended rough patch. Woods started off poorly despite a great tee shot on No. 1, he walked off that hole with a bogey after a poor approach. Bogeys on Nos. 4 and 6 dropped him back further. A birdie on No. 9lifted him back to one over, but he followed immediately by missing the next two fairways for two more bogeys. Among those struggling early was Tiger Woods, who is trying to snap a five-year drought in majors at age 37, his once dominant career hitting an extended rough patch. Woods started off poorly despite a great tee shot on No. 1, he walked off that hole with a bogey after a poor approach. Bogeys on Nos. 4 and 6 dropped him back further. A birdie on No. 9lifted him back to one over, but he followed immediately by missing the next two fairways for two more bogeys. Still, through 15 holes, he was hanging close to the lead at two over.