Henrik Stenson wins 2016 Open Championship

Stenson, second to Mickelson in the 2013 Open, can finally celebrate a maiden major success at the age of 40, having become the fourth successive first-time victor in golf’s premier strokeplay events.

Mickelson stayed on pace with Stenson for most of the round and it came down to one final putt on 18 to decide the championship.

The standard of golf effectively split the British Open into two separate events, with the nearest chaser, JB Holmes of America, finishing at six under.

“Wow, this will take a little while to sink in”, said Stenson after becoming the first Swedish man to win a major. Ironically enough, Mickelson also had a 63 during this year’s Open Championship in the first round.

The 46-year-old Mickelson, who narrowly missed a 62 on the opening day, shot a six-under 65 but still fell short in his bid for a sixth major title in the face of Stenson’s late onslaught.

Stenson made 10 birdies and finished at 20 under to win his maiden major, shattering Mickelson’s heart and records along the way, including the lowest total ever shot in a major and the lowest score in relation to par in Open history.

The battle between Stenson and Mickelson dominated the final day and provided echoes of the legendary “Duel in the Sun”, which saw Tom Watson edge out Jack Nicklaus at Turnberry in 1977 with no other player remotely close.

Henrik Stenson played one of the best final rounds in major championship history on Sunday at Royal Troon, and after he lifted the claret jug, the Swede dedicated his breakthrough to a friend helping him out. Stenson bogeyed the first hole, before rebounding with five birdies for a 4-under 32 on the front nine.

Mickelson’s round featured four birdies, an eagle and not a single dropped shot. At the turn, Stenson maintained a one stroke advantage.

Then, at No. 3, Stenson made an 18-foot birdie putt to push his score to 13 under. That brought the pair into a tie for the lead at -16.

Stenson finished 20 under to beat Tiger Woods’ record of 19-under at a British Open, set in 2000 at St. Andrews.

The game was up for Mickelson when Stenson came up with a stunning long putt for birdie at the 15th to go two shots clear and leave his opponent with too much to do.

Both players birdied the Par 5 16th hole and parred the 17th hole.

Stenson was up by two.

Stenson took out his three-wood at 18 and almost hit his tee shot into a bunker, which would have added some drama to the final hole. He hit the green.

With the win, Stenson became the first golfer from Sweden to win a major golf tournament. That had also been the major championship record until Day broke it in 2015.

Golf’s top four players have withdrawn from the Olympics, but the Rio Games will have at least two of this year’s major champions – Stenson and Masters victor Danny Willett of England.

His wife Emma fought back tears when she said: “It was hard, definitely, for all of us so I am glad he did it for him”.