The Open Championship 2016: Biggest Winners and Losers from Royal Troon

He walked into the path of, and got run over by, one of the greatest final-round performances in the history of major championship golf Sunday at Royal Troon, and arguably one of the finest weeks since Tiger Woods strafed Pebble Beach and won the 2000 U.S. Open by 15 shots.

Mickelson, 46, put up a good fight, finishing second with a final round of 65 and three shots behind Stenson.

“A 65 in the final round of a major is usually good enough to win”, said Mickelson, who entered the week as the 19th-ranked player in the world. Mickelson said it was the best golf he ever played without winning.

Mickelson said he’d get in a session with swing coach Andrew Getson before the final round as he searches for the form he produced Thursday when he shot 63, tying the lowest round at a major and coming within a lip-out of making history.

McIlroy carded a level-par 71 to leave him at -2 for the tournament and a full eight shots behind American Mickelson on a day when the late starters were handicapped by fierce winds at Royal Troon.

The finish of the 145th Open Championship supplied all of the above, in a memorable finale that sparked images of Tom Watson & Jack Nicklaus’ famed Duel In The Sun at Turnberry in 1977. But for the most part kept the ball in play and played kind of stress-free golf.

The Swede won his first major in his 42nd attempt, becoming only the ninth player to capture his first major after turning 40. In a round that seemed more match play than stroke play, Stenson hit 79 percent of his fairways, 89 percent of greens in regulation and needed just 27 putts in the final round.

“I knew that he would ultimately come through and win”.

In a head to head with Stenson that went to and fro Saturday, Mickelson shot 1-under 70 for his third straight round under par. They were tied with five holes to play until Stenson made an 18-foot birdie on the par-3 14th, and then buried Lefty with a putt that defined his moment as a major champion. Jordan Spieth finished the third round by hitting 72 and he is now at 5-over-par in the tournament.

There already have been two lead changes in the first three holes of the British Open.

Mickelson’s approach to the green then span back around 15 feet and caught a down slope that took it closer to the hole, from where he holed for the most unlikely of pars. “It makes it even more special to beat a competitor like Phil. He’s been one of the best to play the game, certainly in the last 20 years”.

The thought Mickelson said he was left with: “What do I need to do?”

“This will take a while to sink in, I am still getting my bearings”, the victor told the BBC afterwards.

Stenson bounced back with three consecutive birdies and Mickelson’s eagle on the fourth, when he knocked a 4-iron from 237 yards to 8 feet, only got him a share of the lead.

It was Stenson though who is Champion Golfer of the Year at the age of 40, with the Open moving on to Royal Birkdale in 2017.

Now it’s on to the PGA Championship in less than two weeks, the schedule compressed because of the Olympics.