Mickelson Brilliantly Becomes Golf’s Oldest Male Major Champion

4 years ago by Comments Off on Mickelson Brilliantly Becomes Golf’s Oldest Male Major Champion

Phil Mickelson has created golfing history becoming the oldest male winner of a major championshp with his two-shot victory in the 103rd PGA Championship at Kiawah Island.

The near 51-year old posted a closing one-over par 73 to win by two shots at six-under par.

“This win is amazing and it is a win I will cherish forever,”  he said.

“I am beyond proud and while it’s been a little more work practice-wise and there’s no reason someone else my age can achieve what I achived today”.

It’s Mickelson’s first major title since winning The Open title in 2013, and it broke a 16-year drought at the PGA Championship, which he also won in 2005. He now has six major titles, which include three Masters (2004, 2006, 2010).

At 50 years, 11 months and three days old, Mickelson wiped out the mark of oldest winner of a Major that was set by Julius Boros, then 48, in the 1968 PGA Championship. Mickelson will turn 51 on June 16.

 

Pure chaos broke out along the 18th hole after Mickelson hit 9-iron safely to just outside 15 feet that all but secured a most improbable victory. Thousands of fans engulfed him down the fairway — a scene typically seen only at The Open — until Mickelson emerged into view with a thumbs-up.

Chants of “Lefty! Lefty! Lefty!” chased him onto the green and into the scoring tent, his final duty of a week he won’t soon forget.

‘Lefty’ was tied for the lead this weekend after 36 holes, and he was alone in the lead after 54 holes.

Mickelson became the 10th player to win majors in three decades, an elite list that starts with Harry Vardon and was most recently achieved by Tiger Woods.

“He’s been on tour as long as I’ve been alive,” Jon Rahm said. “For him to keep that willingness to play and compete and practice, it’s truly admirable.”

Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen had their chances, but only briefly. Koepka was 4 over on the par 5s when the game was still on and closed with a 74. Oosthuizen hit into the water as he was trying to make a final run and shot 73.

Mickelson finished at 6-under 282

The victory came one week after Mickelson accepted a special exemption into the U.S. Open because at No. 115 in the world and winless the last two years, he no longer was exempt from qualifying. He had not finished in the top 20 in his last 17 tournaments over nearly nine months. He worried that he was no longer able to keep his focus over 18 holes.

And then he beat the strongest field of the year — 99 of the top 100 players — and made it look easy.



Comments are closed.