The return of the Open Championship to Royal Troon this week will stir iconic memories for former champions, but will only serve as heartbreaking reminder to Phil Mickelson. The six-time major champion has captured the claret jug once in his esteemed career, at Muirfield in 2013.
But the left-hander came agonisingly close to lifting the silverware again three years later.
He was involved in one of the great finales to a major when he went head-to-head with Henrik Stenson at Troon, with both players rising to the occasion.
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Mickelson began the day one shot off the Swede, a deficit he immediately overturned with a stunning birdie on the first. But despite going on to shoot a six-under par 65, he was duly undone by Stenson’s stunning 63 and missed out by three shots.
The American racked up an unwanted record in the process. His overall score of 267 was, at the time, the lowest ever total for a runner-up in a major championship.
And eight years on from their duel for the ages, Stenson has been recollecting ahead of Thursday’s first round. And he’s revealed that despite Mickelson being more than gracious on the day, he later learned from the player’s caddie Steve Loy that missing out had haunted him.
The pair spoke at the US PGA Championship at Baltusrol later that year, where Loy seemingly confided in the now 48-year-old. “Phil was a little shocked by the whole outcome, which is understandable,” Stenson told Golf Monthly.
“Phil said that it was the first time in his career that he had played that well yet not walked away with the trophy. We were both part of a great duel and a great moment in the history of The Open. Obviously I could talk about that Open for hours, but I am not sure Phil wants to.”
The two rivals have since become divisive figures, having defected to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour. Stenson’s decision ultimately cost him the Ryder Cup captaincy, stripped of the honour for the team event in Rome last year and replaced by Luke Donald.
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But as former Open champions, both remain eligible to return to Troon this week. Stenson will partner two fellow Scandinavians in the first two rounds, Danish players Rasmus Hojgaard and Jacob Olesen.
Mickelson meanwhile, will play with his compatriot Dustin Johnson and Dutchman Joost Luiten. It’s the 10th occasion the Scottish venue has hosted the Open Championship.
