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Mickelson Surges from 5 Shots Back to Win Title Mickelson Surges from 5 Shots Back to Win Title
(35 minutes later)
As Phil Mickelson watched his final putt curl into the hole on Sunday, the colorful combination of joy and relief and amazement washed over his face in plain view and everything else in a wildly unpredictable British Open melted away. As it turned out, Mickelson didn’t even need that final birdie to win his first British Open, but what a punctuation mark it put on what may be the crowning moment of his incredible career. As Phil Mickelson watched his final putt curl into the hole on Sunday, the colorful combination of joy and relief and amazement washed over his face in plain view, and everything else in a wildly unpredictable British Open melted away. As it turned out, Mickelson didn’t even need that final birdie to win his first British Open, but what a punctuation mark it put on what may be the crowning moment of his incredible career.
With it, Mickelson put the final touch on the major he thought he would never win, his go-for-broke game so unsuited to links golf, particularly at a place like Muirfield, where menacing rough and golfer-swallowing bunkers snare unwise shots without forgiveness. It took 20 years of trying, but Mickelson finally imagined himself around an Open course successfully and etched his name on a Claret Jug.With it, Mickelson put the final touch on the major he thought he would never win, his go-for-broke game so unsuited to links golf, particularly at a place like Muirfield, where menacing rough and golfer-swallowing bunkers snare unwise shots without forgiveness. It took 20 years of trying, but Mickelson finally imagined himself around an Open course successfully and etched his name on a Claret Jug.
“That was one of the best rounds I have ever played,” Mickelson said after his final round 66, which included six birdies and only one bogey. “This is just an incredible feeling. I didn’t know if I would ever develop the game to win this championship. I can’t explain the feeling of satisfaction to finally win this tournament.”“That was one of the best rounds I have ever played,” Mickelson said after his final round 66, which included six birdies and only one bogey. “This is just an incredible feeling. I didn’t know if I would ever develop the game to win this championship. I can’t explain the feeling of satisfaction to finally win this tournament.”
It certainly helped Mickelson’s cause that his closest competitors on Sunday all came with psychological baggage heavier than Mickelson’s. After all, Mickelson, despite his travails at both the British and United States Opens, had won four other major titles. Lee Westwood, who brought a two-shot lead into the final round, hadn’t won a single major at age 40 despite years near the top of the world rankings. And Adam Scott, despite his victory in the Masters earlier this year breaking his major drought, had botched a four-stroke lead in the final four holes of last year’s Open at Royal Lytham for his own memorable heartache. It certainly helped Mickelson’s cause that his closest competitors on Sunday all came with psychological baggage heavier than Mickelson’s. After all, Mickelson, despite his travails at both the British and United States Opens, had won four other major titles. The 40-year-old Lee Westwood, who brought a two-shot lead into the final round, hadn’t won a single major despite years near the top of the world rankings. And Adam Scott, despite his victory in the Masters earlier this year breaking his major drought, had botched a four-stroke lead in the final four holes of last year’s Open at Royal Lytham for his own memorable heartache.
Westwood seemed to be crusing along early in his round, and had a three-stroke lead heading into Nos. 7 and 8, where back-to-back bogeys suddenly sent him reeling backward. On No. 7, he needed two shots to get out of one of Muirfield’s diabolical bunkers and his momentum had hit an insurmountable bump. Westwood seemed to be crusing along early in his round and had a three-stroke lead heading into Nos. 7 and 8, where back-to-back bogeys suddenly sent him reeling backward. On No. 7, he needed two shots to get out of one of Muirfield’s diabolical bunkers and his momentum hit an insurmountable bump.
Scott seemed to take advantage with three straight birdies on Nos. 7, 8 and 9 and had a one-shot lead to himself for a bit, but then he sprayed his tee shot wildly on No. 13 and started a string of four straight bogeys that dropped him from the scene. Scott seemed to take advantage with three straight birdies on Nos. 7, 8 and 9 and had a one-shot lead for a bit, but then he sprayed his tee shot wildly on No. 13 and started a string of four straight bogeys that dropped him from the scene.
Henrik Stenson made a bit of a run, as did Ian Poulter, but neither could keep a head of steam through the punishing back nine. Stenson finished at even par, three behind Mickelson, and Poulter was one over, tied with Scott and Westwood.Henrik Stenson made a bit of a run, as did Ian Poulter, but neither could keep a head of steam through the punishing back nine. Stenson finished at even par, three behind Mickelson, and Poulter was one over, tied with Scott and Westwood.
Tiger Woods, trying to snap his five-year major drought, seemed to have a chance despite a leaky driver, but bogeys kept creeping in at the worst possible times and he settled in to finish at two over.Tiger Woods, trying to snap his five-year major drought, seemed to have a chance despite a leaky driver, but bogeys kept creeping in at the worst possible times and he settled in to finish at two over.
That left the stage to Mickelson, who started the day five shots behind Westwood’s lead, but then managed to avoid the kind of huge mistakes that often mark his Open rounds. He also took advantage of nearly every good scoring chance he had. That left the stage to Mickelson, who started the day five shots behind Westwood’s lead but managed to avoid the kind of huge mistakes that often mark his Open rounds. He also took advantage of nearly every good scoring chance he had.
He got himself 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 to the lead, although he followed with a poor tee shot on No. 10 for his first bogey of the day. He got himself rolling with a great approach shot out of the rough to the left of the fairway on No. 5 that gave him a short birdie putt. Another birdie on the par-5 No. 9 moved him closer to the lead, although he followed with a poor tee shot on No. 10 for his only bogey of the day.
Picture-perfect approaches and consecutive birdies on Nos. 13 and 14 pulled him to one under, and suddenly he started looking like the man to beat. 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.Picture-perfect approaches and consecutive birdies on Nos. 13 and 14 pulled him to one under, and suddenly he started looking like the man to beat. 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.
The relief he showed after saving par on 16, a hole that has tormented him all week including with a four-putt double bogey on Friday, indicated this just might be his day.The relief he showed after saving par on 16, a hole that has tormented him all week including with a four-putt double bogey on Friday, indicated this just might be his day.
On No. 18, finally in position to win, 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. That’s when the emotions took over. She shared a long embrace with his longtime caddie Jim Mackay and then with his family. There was much golf to be played behind him, but he seemed to know he had hogged all the magic on Sunday. On No. 18, finally in position to win, 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. That’s when the emotions took over. He shared a long embrace with his longtime caddie Jim Mackay and then with his family. There was much golf to be played behind him, but he seemed to know he had hogged all the magic on Sunday.
“It was such a great feeling,” Mickelson said of his finish. “I can’t even explain what that was like.”“It was such a great feeling,” Mickelson said of his finish. “I can’t even explain what that was like.”