Euro joy for Phil after 20 years
Phil Mickelson heads to the British Open in the best form possible after ending a 20-year European winless drought with a play-off victory in the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart on Sunday. Mickelson, and the highest world ranked player in the field, captured his 50th pro career success after defeating South African Branden Grace with a birdie at the first extra hole.
Both players had ended regulation play tied at 17-under par with Grace posting a 69 and finding his way into the play-off when Mickelson horribly three-putted the last hole for bogey in a round of 68.
However Mickelson then brilliantly played one of his trademark wedge shots landing his 45-yard third shot a few feet past the hole before the ball spun back to some six inches from the cup for the easiest of birdies, while Grace missed his birdie putt from 25-feet.
Mickelson had lost the event in a play-off six years ago at Loch Lomond but has finally captured the event in his ninth Scottish Open appearance. ‘I’ve been coming to Scotland now for quite some time and I’ve enjoyed my stay every year. I’ve had some opportunities before and I almost let it slide away today,’ he said. ‘So to come out on top feels terrific and this Castle Stuart golf course is just wonderful and I’ve had so much fun here the last three years, so to win means a lot to me.
‘I was so mad at myself for losing my focus and three-putting the last hole in regulation play so I went back to the 18th hole for the play-off pretty focussed to make a four.’ Mickelson, who collected a first prize cheque for $742,800 (580,000 euros), now will stand firm as a favourite at the 142nd British Open championship starting Thursday at Muirfield to the east of Edinburgh.
The American was third in the 2004 British Open at Royal Troon and joint runner-up two years ago at Royal St. George’s. ‘This week has been very valuable for next week as I did a lot of things well and also there are a few things I still need to work on,’ he said. After three years at the Castle Stuart course in Inverness, the tournament is moving in 2014 for just one year east to Aberdeen.
WOODS TRIES OUT INJURED ELBOW
Tiger Woods has made a cautious return to Muirfield, 11 years after he saw his dream of achieving the Grand Slam of golf blown away by a North Sea storm. The world number one played nine holes over the British Open course on Sunday despite still taking painkillers and receiving treatment for the injury to his left elbow that he exacerbated while playing in last month’s US Open. Heeding medical advice, Woods put his clubs aside immediately after Merion, and his first competitive round since then will come when he tees off in Thursday’s first round.
‘I better not push it. ‘The ground’s going to be hard over here. I just wanted to make sure that everything was healed before I came over.’ Woods also added that, ‘Muirfield is one of the hardest courses in Scotland.’
