DAY IN THE SUN
Phil Mickelson leads after a sun-soaked, low-scoring first round at British Open
Abundant sunshine, soothing breezes and splendid temperatures made for a delightful day by the Firth of Clyde as the 145th edition of the British Open began Thursday at ageless Royal Troon.
From dusk to dawn, spectators donned sunglasses and short sleeves as they reveled in the sparkling setting while those inside the ropes took advantage of conditions rarely seen in the oldest championship in golf.
There was a gallant march made by Phil Mickelson, who came within a whisker of shooting the first 62 in major championship history. Although Lefty took a three-shot lead with a bogey-free, 8-under-par 63, he wanted to cry when his shot at history didn’t fall on the final hole.
But as the sun set, the beautiful weather was its companion. Tears will be shed come Friday as proper Scottish weather arrives. Mother Nature is expected to wake up on the wrong side of the bed, meaning there will be persistent, at times heavy, rain, a drop in temperature and increased wind speeds — all of which will change the complexion of the Open. Saturday’s forecast is clearer but with higher winds. And Sunday is a mixture of rain and wind.
Thus, there was a premium on the first round played under bright skies. No one expects this olden course to play any easier than it did Thursday. While it still wasn’t a pushover, high winds and rain make it a bear, and
there’s a scorecard-wrecking number around every dogleg and in every pot bunker.
No one took advantage of the ideal conditions more than Mickelson, who was a comet across the rumpled grounds, his bright smile and spectacular play dazzling from the first tee onward. With his seventh birdie coming on the 16th and his eighth on the 17th, he then knocked a 6-iron to 16 feet and stared down history.
And then his putt caught a piece of the hole and hung on the It was one of the best rounds .“that I’ve played,” said Mickelson, who shot a final-round 66 in 2013 at Muirfield to win his first Claret Jug and fifth major. “Nothing will match that final round at Muirfield, but I was able to take advantage of these conditions. And yet I want to shed a tear right now. That putt on 18 was an opportunity to do something historical. I knew it, and with a foot to go I thought I had done it. I saw that ball rolling right in the center. I went to go get it, I had that surge of adrenaline that I had just shot 62, and then I had the heartbreak that I didn’t and watched that ball lip out.
“It was, wow, that stings. It’s such a rare opportunity to do something historic like that. This
ball was hunting right in the center and didn’t go. It was just heartbreaking.” Afterward, he said he thinks players are cursed when trying to shoot the mythical 62. When asked if he believes in golf gods, who often taketh than giveth, Mickelson said he does now. “There’s a curse, because that ball should have been in,” he said. “If there wasn’t a curse, that ball would have been in and I would have had that 62.” Few others in the field felt cursed. The yellow scoreboards were saturated with red numbers
as 50 of the 156 players broke par,
with Mickelson three clear of Patrick Reed and Martin Kaymer. In a group of eight at 67 was defending champion Zach Johnson. In a group of 10 at 68 was Justin Rose. “I thought all the lights were on in the house when I woke up, then I realized it’s actually the sunshine. We’ve rented this house for two weeks, and it was literally the first bit of sun we’ve had,” Rose said. “The first seven holes for the whole week were as easy as we had it. I was conscious about that, but I knew I couldn’t force it. But tomorrow will be a different challenge. You’re going to have to flip that switch.” World No. 1 Jason Day shot 73. Reigning U.S. Open champ and No. 2 Dustin Johnson shot 71, as did No. 3 Jordan Spieth. No. 4 Rory McIlroy shot 69.
“It doesn’t look very good tomorrow morning,” said McIlroy, who missed last year’s Open because of injury and is looking for his second Claret Jug. “I’m hoping some of the weather forecasts I’ve seen are right and it’s starting to clear up a little in the afternoon. But it’s the Open Championship, and you know coming in here you’re going to have to battle the elements somewhat.”
Zach Johnson, who battled harsh elements and delays last year in winning the Open at the Home of Golf in St Andrews, most likely will have to battle foul weather again if he’s to become the 14th player to win back-toback Opens.
“I think you just have to embrace it and accept it and maybe even appreciate it to a degree over here,” he said.
“The morning could be brutal and the afternoon could simmer down, and vice versa. You just don’t know.
“But you’ve got to be prepared for anything. We had some practice rounds and some tough conditions, so it’s not like it’s that foreign.
“But let’s just hope Mother Nature stays like this for a little while.”
For Johnson, a man of faith, it sounded like a prayer.