My love affair with Golf started while watching the 1997 Ryder Cup (Valderrama, Spain) where Seve Ballesteros’ Europeans just about managed to hold off the challenge of Tom Kite’s Americans. Though I have watched a lot of golf over the next two decades, nothing would prepare me for the famous duel between Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson at the Royal Troon in 2016. I remember waking up early on a Sunday morning in California to watch the drama unfold on the final day of The Open Championship and I was thoroughly entertained.
Phil Mickelson who had doubts that his game was not suited for links golf had surprisingly won the 2013 British Open with a brilliant display on the final day. In 2016, he started with a first round for the ages and scored a 63. It could easily have been a 9-under 62. After the second day, Phil ‘the thrill’ Mickelson led Henrik Stenson by a shot. Phil was 10-under to Stenson’s 9-under. After the third round, Stenson was 12-under and led Mickelson by a stroke. The stage was set for a matchplay or a shoot out. The third placed Haas and the fourth placed Johnston were a further 5 and 6 shots behind the second placed Mickelson.
Stenson (68-65-68 = 201, -12 to par) and Mickelson (63-69-70 = 202, -11 to par) were deservingly paired for the final round after destroying the field. On the first hole, Phil hit a brilliant tee shot and hit the fairway. A great second shot from Phil landed inches from the hole. Stenson had a bad birdie shot and ended up bogeying the hole while Mickelson birdied it and now Mickelson was leading The Open after the first hole on the final day. (Mickelson -12, Stenson -11). Stenson brilliantly birdied the next two holes while Phil could manage pars. Stenson regained the lead after three holes (Stenson -13, Mickelson -12). Stenson had a third consecutive birdie on the fourth hole but could only watch as Mickelson eagled the hole with a brilliant putt. Evens Stevens: Stenson -14, Mickelson -14. I had my heart in my mouth.
Both men managed a par on the fifth hole and matched each other’s birdie on the sixth. After six holes they were tied at 15-under. They had matching pars on the seventh but Stenson brilliantly birdied the eighth while Phil managed a par. They both had pars on the ninth hole. The score read Stenson -16, Mickelson -15. Each man finished with a 32 over the first nine holes with jaw dropping shots and precision putts.
Both Stenson and Mickelson birdied the tenth but Stenson missed a putt and bogeyed the eleventh. They were back even at 16-under after eleven holes. By now, I was just biting my finger nails and it could very well have been my breakfast, lunch and dinner combined in one. A few quick restroom breaks would happen only during commercial breaks. I did not want to miss their body language – in a way each man was daring the other to play better than himself while each was playing at a level which was out of the world.
By now, all bets were off. They matched each other with pars on the twelfth and the thirteenth hole. Then Stenson took the lead for good in the fourteenth but it was not a given. He birdied the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth with some amazing long distance putts while Phil could only manage to birdie the sixteenth. These two master craftsmen were providing a spectacle. The golf world was at the edge and applauding the feat of two amazing sportsmen. (Stenson -19, Mickelson -17 after sixteen). Stenson held his nerve on the seventeenth. This was a very crucial hole because Mickelson was a 5 time major winner whereas Stenson was seeking his first major. On to the final (eighteenth hole), Stenson put the icing on the cake with a birdie. The score read Stenson -20, Mickelson -17 with Holmes finishing third 14 shots behind Stenson and 11 shots behind Mickelson!
Henrik Stenson claimed the Claret Jug for his first major in a thrilling final round. Stenson ended up with a 68-65-68-63 (20 under) and Mickelson with a 63-69-70-65 (17 under). Just to put this in perspective, Phil Mickelson had a bogey free 6-under 65 with 4 birdies and an eagle after starting the day trailing by 1 and still lost. Stenson scored an 8-under 63 with 10 birdies and 2 bogeys. The level of shot making was insane. People always talk about the Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson ‘Duel in the Sun’ but in terms of quality play and drama this one was a shade better. It had to be seen to be believed and it appeared as if even the Gods were watching in admiration from above!