This was a master-class in links golf. In fact, it may well come to be regarded as one of the best final rounds in major championship history – yes it was that good.
Golf is regarded by many as sport’s most stringent test of character. Winning the battle of the back-nine in a major is its ultimate test. Some six weeks back, at the US Open in Merion, the still-winless Mickelson couldn’t get the job done, finishing runner-up for the 6th time. That result, coming after he had held the 54-hole lead, hurt more than any other. Now this, a Claret Jug after two decades of trying, is redemption indeed.
Starting the day five shots behind leader Lee Westwood, Mickelson shot a 5-under par 66 to finish on 3-under – the only player in red figures. Runner-up Henrik Stenson shot a 1-under par round of 70 to finish even par. All others were over par. Mickelson’s winning margin, taking into account his starting position, confirmed just how good his closing round had been.
Make no mistake; Muirfield had most of the world’s best golfers intimidated. Overnight leader Lee Westwood managed just one fairway hit on his front nine, despite hitting irons off the tee. In the preceding group, Tiger Woods and Adam Scott also appeared to be too mindful of Muirfield’s threats, especially Woods. Further up, Stenson and Ian Poulter, in particular, were mounting some sort of charge, but Poulter’s starting position of 5-over par proved too much.
Then there was Phil.
On that course, in those conditions, competing against a star-studded leader board for a trophy he has coveted for 20 years, the fearlessness with which he executed his shots was staggering. His back-nine score of 32 may come to be regarded as one of the best in Open Championship history.
Mickelson has often been criticised for his gung-ho attitude in shot selection when contesting major championships in the past. But as he said on Sunday at Muirfield, “I wanted to go out and win it. I didn’t want someone to gift it to me.” And that is exactly what happened. No one took to the course like Mickelson did in that last round. His 4-under par stretch over the closing six holes was outrageous in its audacity as well as its execution.
After so many years trying to master links golf, Mickelson must feel some pride in what he has achieved. “I did enjoy links golf when I first played at the Walker Cup in ’91 at Portmarnock,” he said. “It was a wonderful test. But the conditions and the penalty for missed shots in the Open are much more severe than when we played then. And it took me a while to figure it out, I would say. It’s been the last eight or nine years I’ve started to play it more effectively.”
“I’m playing some of the best golf of my career,” he went on to say. “This is the best I have ever putted. Today would be one of the most memorable rounds I have ever played. It’s probably the greatest and most difficult win of my career. It is great to be part of any Open Championship and to win at Muirfield feels amazing.”
Where then does this win place Phil Mickelson amongst the golfing greats?
With five majors to his name, Mickelson now joins the likes of Seve Ballesteros, Peter Thompson and Byron Nelson. This Open win gives Mickelson the third leg of a career Grand Slam. That leaves just the US Open to clinch for him to become only the sixth player in history to win all four major titles. At 43 years of age time is against him, but Pinehurst GC, the site of next year’s US Open waits.
That Muirfield’s Roll of Honour includes the best golfers to have played the game is well known – it only allows in the greats. “Lefty’s” performance during the last round of the 142nd Open demands his inclusion into Muirfield’s most august list of golf’s super-stars.
Happy golfing!
Golfnutter
