In a surprising turn of events that left golf enthusiasts in awe, Phil Mickelson’s confident statement to his golf colleague Henrik Stenson before the 2016 Open Championship ended up being a regretful one. The 54-year-old LIV Golf professional had praised Stenson’s long iron play and assured him that he would emerge victorious in a major competition one day, only to be narrowly defeated by Stenson in what is now considered one of the greatest Open championships in the history of golf.
The final round at Royal Troon proved to be an electrifying duel between Stenson and Mickelson, with the Swedish golfer ultimately emerging as the victor. Mickelson’s words of admiration to Stenson before the competition, “Henrik, you’re one of the best long iron players in the game’s history. The best I’ve ever seen. You’re going to win your major,” took on a bittersweet meaning as Stenson outperformed him in the tournament.
Starting the final day with a razor-thin one-shot lead over Mickelson, Stenson’s ultimate victory was sealed with clutch birdies and a score of 20 under par, setting a record for the lowest score around par in a major championship. On the other hand, Mickelson played an outstanding final round, firing a score of 65 and notching five birdies, but was unable to catch up to the relentless Stenson in the end.
The intense battle on the golf course between Stenson and Mickelson drew parallels to the iconic “Duel in the Sun” between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus at the 1977 Open Championship. The victory at the 2016 Open Championship marked Stenson’s first major championship win, a feat that came after several close calls and near misses in previous tournaments. Meanwhile, Mickelson, with six major championship wins under his belt, further solidified his status as one of the greatest players of his generation, despite the heartbreak of narrowly missing out on another major title.
As the upcoming Open Championship is scheduled for July 18th through 21st, it is evident that both Mickelson and Stenson are poised to compete once again, setting the stage for another thrilling display of skill and sportsmanship on the golf course.