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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)
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 daunting, historic course that has routinely separated the great golfers from the good, greatness had to come from behind on 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 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 age 43, is now more than one of the very finest players of his generation. He is a great 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 very 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.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.
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.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.
“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,” 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.”
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 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 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.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.
There was fly fishing. There was trap shooting, white-water rafting and zip-lining.There was fly fishing. There was trap shooting, white-water rafting and zip-lining.
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.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.
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.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.
“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.”“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.”
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.
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.
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.
Westwood has now finished in the top five at eight major tournaments.
“I’m a philosophical person,” said Westwood after his latest disappointment. “It just doesn’t wind me up or get to me anymore.”
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.
On the first hole, he missed a five-foot putt for par.
“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.”
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.
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.
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.)
Although Westwood, Woods, Mahan and Scott certainly did not rise to the occasion, Mickelson undeniably did, making six birdies and just one bogey.
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.
“I just made some great putts coming in,” Mickelson said.
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.
His caddie, Jim MacKay, better known as Bones, was in tears as they embraced, and Mickelson was soon embracing Amy and his children.
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.
As improbable as it might have once seemed to a man who hated links golf, Mickelson now fits right in.
And when it was all over on Sunday night, he was asked if the name “Mickelson” had any Scottish roots.
“I dooon’t know,” Mickelson said in respectable Scottish burr. “Maybe a wee bit.”