The Open

[john57classic]

Anyone else having their mind blown by Mickelson and Stenson?
10 clear of the field!!!

[LouieAtienza]

A few breaks that didn't go Phil's way.... but Henrik played lights out. What an amazing finish.

As a Phil fan, battling back from the b.s. camera episode yesterday, and playing bogey-free today with an eagle, and it still wasn't enough to beat Stenson. One of the best finishes ever!

[Rondoraymundo]

Since 1860 they have played over 430 of the golfing tournaments labeled as professional "majors"; The Open Championship, US Open, PGA, and The Masters. In all of those tournaments only three men older than Phil Mickelson have ever won. And I think the odds are worse than that when you consider that one of those men is considered the greatest golfer ever to pick up fiddlesticks....a moniker no one has ever thrown in Phil's direction. Even dropping 25lbs, getting on a new exercise program, changing his diet and his swing plane couldn't overcome a younger golfer....especially one who throws a 63 at you in the final round.

It's been a long time since we've seen such a duel in the last round of a major. What great golf.

Originally Posted by Rondoraymundo

...Even dropping 25lbs, getting on a new exercise program, changing his diet and his swing plane couldn't overcome a younger golfer....especially one who throws a 63 at you in the final round...

From another angle, I think his chances of winning one are good enough to make the next year or so pretty interesting. He couldn't beat Stenson (today) but he shot a 65, virtually mistake free round. That was his career best in the final round of a major. He was 11 strokes ahead of third place, and further than that ahead of world #1. Phil did not play like an old guy.

[AX17609]

Simply spectacular -- golf played at the highest levels of the game. That's the final round you endure all the other tournaments just to experience.

[Rondoraymundo]

Originally Posted by Todd Yates

From another angle, I think his chances of winning one are good enough to make the next year or so pretty interesting. He couldn't beat Stenson (today) but he shot a 65, virtually mistake free round. That was his career best in the final round of a major. He was 11 strokes ahead of third place, and further than that ahead of world #1. Phil did not play like an old guy.

His chances may be interesting for the next few years, but they are still 3 in 430+. His golf may be fun to watch but I have to pass on the odds.

[Rondoraymundo]

Originally Posted by AX17609

That's the final round you endure all the other tournaments just to experience.

......+1

[6L6]

Phenomenal display of golf at it's very highest level! Enjoyed every minute!

A big CONGRATS to Stenson for the win with a 63/264.

Unbelievable!

[M19]

Stenson's putt on 18 said it all. He had it Going with a capital G.

As a 1/2 Swede, I was pulling for him, though it would've been OK if Lefty won too.

I read somewhere that Phil's score would have won 140 of the 144 Opens in history. Just not this one.

[LouieAtienza]

Originally Posted by Rondoraymundo

Since 1860 they have played over 430 of the golfing tournaments labeled as professional "majors"; The Open Championship, US Open, PGA, and The Masters. In all of those tournaments only three men older than Phil Mickelson have ever won. And I think the odds are worse than that when you consider that one of those men is considered the greatest golfer ever to pick up fiddlesticks....a moniker no one has ever thrown in Phil's direction. Even dropping 25lbs, getting on a new exercise program, changing his diet and his swing plane couldn't overcome a younger golfer....especially one who throws a 63 at you in the final round.

It's been a long time since we've seen such a duel in the last round of a major. What great golf.

Phil, at 46 years old, playing through rheumatoid arthritis, SHOT A 65! After posting a 63 on Thursday.

Consider the unlucky lip-out on 18 on Thursday that cost Phil a Major record, a lip-out against Stenson yesterday, and an over-zealous (and probably Stenson supporter) camera man that had the shutters clicking as Phil made his downswing - this EASILY could have gone the other way. Stenson just happened to get his head out of his arse when it came to putting. He had a couple 3-put bogies - Phil scrambled to save par and was bogey-free today. I'm not taking anything away from Henrik, but come-on, he is probably the greatest ball-striker with the worst putting on tour, and he somehow managed to drain a lot of long putts that he normally misses horribly. Phil was... well... Phil!

Originally Posted by Rondoraymundo

His chances may be interesting for the next few years, but they are still 3 in 430+. His golf may be fun to watch but I have to pass on the odds.

Maybe, but I think his chances are still better than Tiger's.

[LouieAtienza]

Originally Posted by todd yates

maybe, but i think his chances are still better than tiger's.

lololol.....

[Rondoraymundo]

Originally Posted by LouieAtienza

Phil, at 46 years old, playing through rheumatoid arthritis, SHOT A 65! After posting a 63 on Thursday.

Consider the unlucky lip-out on 18 on Thursday that cost Phil a Major record, a lip-out against Stenson yesterday, and an over-zealous (and probably Stenson supporter) camera man that had the shutters clicking as Phil made his downswing - this EASILY could have gone the other way. Stenson just happened to get his head out of his arse when it came to putting. He had a couple 3-put bogies - Phil scrambled to save par and was bogey-free today. I'm not taking anything away from Henrik, but come-on, he is probably the greatest ball-striker with the worst putting on tour, and he somehow managed to drain a lot of long putts that he normally misses horribly. Phil was... well... Phil!

By his own admission Phil's new diet and exercise program has reduced his inflammation due to arthritis, so it's not like he is in pain these days while playing...he's not.

As for this past weekend, he coulda, woulda, shoulda, and didn't.

Tom Watson was closer in 2009 at the age of 59 to winning The Open than Phil was this weekend. But Tom didn't win either.

Greg Norman came close in 2008 to winning an Open at age the age of 53 and didn't win.

Hogan had a flash of his old brilliance at the US Open in 1960 at the age of 47. But that Open was Arnie' s brilliant come from behind win, so Ben didn't win either.

The three men older than Phil who have won a major:

Julius Boros
Jack Nicklaus
Old Tom Morris (1867 was not a hotbed era for competitive golf so I consider this win iffy at best.)

When you get to age 46 it's not Old Man Par who kills your chances, it's Father Time.

[mtsusean]

Originally Posted by Todd Yates

Maybe, but I think his chances are still better than Tiger's.

who's Tiger?


I love watching Phil play and as all who have already commented, thought it was a stupendous four days of golf. I didn't get to see all of the round this morning, but what I saw was great. A real race to the finish line.

Originally Posted by mtsusean

who's Tiger?

He has a new book coming out, "How I Used To Play Golf."