British Open 2016: Inside the Numbers of Henrik Stenson’s Historic Win

Mickelson, who narrowly missed out on the first 62 in major history in the opening round, immediately reversed a one-shot overnight deficit with a birdie at the first to capitalise on his opponent’s bogey.

Henrik Stenson created Open, and major, history with his phenomenal performance in winning The 145th Open with a final-round 63 at Royal Troon.

Mickelson, seeking his sixth major title at age 46, did all he could to capture the claret jug.

Mickelson began the tournament on Thursday, tying the major record-like Stenson did Sunday-by shooting a 63, but Stenson emerged from Friday’s round just one stroke behind and took his one-stroke lead on Saturday.

The match is being compared to the 1977 Open Championship showdown of Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson at Turnberry, dubbed “The Duel in the Sun”. His overall aggregate of 264 is also the lowest ever at an Open, and indeed the lowest ever at any major championship, beating David Toms’s 265 at the 2001 US PGA Championship.

The Spaniard has always been considered the best player never to win a major – and there is no doubt he will be striving hard again today.

Ironically, Stenson’s record round got off to a very ordinary start. If he makes par on the 72nd hole, he’ll eclipse the mark of 267 set by Greg Norman in 1993. The one day that it was off, it came back the next day and it was back on.

The 40-year-old produced a staggering display to record 10 birdies and two bogeys to beat the Open record of 19 under set by Tiger Woods in 2000, as well as firing only the second 63 in the final round of a major by the eventual victor after Johnny Miller in the 1973 US Open at Oakmont.

With his family all around, cancer survivor Matthew Southgate was in tears as he approached the 18th green at Royal Troon.

He added: “It’s probably the best I’ve played and not won”.

Southgate had a 1-under 283 total and will earn an exemption into next year’s British Open at Birkdale.

“Right now I’m running on adrenalin”, he said, “but there will be some point when I’ll struggle to make it up the stairs when I get back to the house, I’m sure“.

Stenson was competing in just his third major championship – and first in America – the last time Baltusrol staged the US PGA in 2005, when a certain Phil Mickelson birdied the 72nd hole to win. That was fitting, as it rekindled memories of a sun-splashed day 39 years ago at another course in the British Open rotation, the one just 25 miles down the Scottish coastline. “Mike, this one is for you”, said an emotional Stenson as he raised the Claret Jug one more time and kissed it. Neither player could push the margin any higher than that until they got to the 15th, the Swede again up by a shot after rolling in an 18-foot birdie the previous hole. There’s been many great players from my country tried in past years and decades and there’s been a couple of really close calls.

No one else is even close.

Other than Mickelson, the nearest player to Stenson was J.B. Holmes, 14 strokes back. Stenson stuffed his tee shot at 17 inside of eight feet, and Mickelson missed the green.

After making a mid-length birdie putt on the 14th hole, on the 15th Stenson sank this 50-footer from way downtown to pull into a two stroke lead.

Stenson grabbed the lead for good with a birdie from 15 feet on the 14th and then upped his advantage to 2 with a 45-foot birdie on the 15th.

However, Mickelson – leader over the first two days – typically hung in there and was happy to slug it out. Stenson matched his birdie with an up-and-down from deep rough, and he was on his way. Two of golf’s great stories, staging a two-man show at the British Open. Mickelson shot a 6 under round of 65 but was bested by Stenson, who countered with the record-tying 63 and a round of 8 under par.

Stenson driving off the third tee, locked in battle with Mickelson.

It looks to be a two-man competition.

In conditions that were tough and windy early, but turned benign and sunny on the back nine, Stenson and Mickelson laughingly lapped the field.