July 14, 2016: The sea was calm, the Sun shone and Royal Troon Golf Club played the perfect host. It was a dreamy start to the 145th Open Championship on a rare day of benign conditions in Ayrshire. Phil Mickelson saw the ball roll gently past the lip on the 18th hole as he settled for a course record 63 in the first round. India’s Anirban Lahiri also made good use of the pleasant weather to post a solid 69 on Thursday.
Anirban made birdies at the 2nd, 4th and 7th holes, punctuated by his lone blemish on the day. Lahiri’s only bogey in an otherwise brilliant round came at the fifth hole.
Mickelson fired three birdies in the four holes, starting at the 14th hole, giving himself a chance at 62 when he arrived at the 18th. But he missed a short putt, the boll rolling millimetres past the cup, missing an opportunity to make major golf history.
“The American got a touch of good fortune to stay out of a bunker off his drive and when he put his approach to around 18 feet, history was beckoning,” reported the European Tour website. “Mickelson’s putt then looked for all the world as if it was going to find the bottom of the cup but the ball agonisingly broke right and lipped round the back of the hole.”
Though he fell short of what may have been a magical 62, his effort broke the course record at Troon. Mickelson became just 26th golfer in history to score 63 in a major championship.
Japanese Hiroshi Iwata drew attention with his 63 at the PGA Championship last year, becoming the 25th golfer to achieve the feat.
Patrick Reed and Martin Kaymer were lying joint second at 5-under 66. Eight men were tied in fourth at four under, including Justin Thomas and Tony Finau.
Rickie Fowler and Rory McIlroy settled for a 69, but Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth returned to the clubhouse with a disappointing even 71. Jason Day was lying tied 96th after a first round 73.
“That putt on 18 was an opportunity to do something historical,” said Mickelson. “I knew it and with a foot to go I thought I had done it. I saw that ball rolling right in the centre.
“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 really stings to have a chance. It’s such a rare opportunity to do something historic like that. If I had just hit a weak flail-off and never had a chance and left it short, so be it. But this ball was hunting right in the centre and didn’t go. It was just heartbreaking.”
Inputs from European Tour
