The Open Championship: Official Thread

[Jackrabbit Hog]

Stenson has had about 3 separate careers on the Tour.  I remember when he was pretty young, he won the Match Play at LaCoste one year and I think finished second the next; made a Ryder Cup team or two.  Then he just disappeared and slipped way down in the world rankings.  I think he had some financial trouble or something along those lines.  Then he got his confidence back and had that great run to the Fed Ex Cup a few years later.  Then he kinda disappeared again.  And now he's had a couple of really solid years again.  He's always been a top 10 talent and easily one of the best ball strikers in the world; putting had just held him back.  Yesterday he putted like Crenshaw.

Phil winning a sixth major would have been nice, but Stenson deserved it and, over the course of his career, really needed a major on his resume. 

[EastexHawg]

Phil winning a sixth major would have been nice, but Stenson deserved it and, over the course of his career, really needed a major on his resume. 

I agree that I have always liked Stenson and that he is a great ball striker. 

I was definitely rooting for Phil.  Sure, right now everyone can marvel at how he put up the greatest second place performance in majors history, with a 63 to open and a 65 to close, 267 on a par 284 layout, blah, blah, blah.

When it is all said and done and players' careers are looked back upon, all anyone talks or cares about is how many majors you won.  Phil getting to six would have tied him with Trevino and Faldo, and given his number of tour wins (43 for him, 29 for Trevino), there would have been little argument that he wasn't a greater player.  Now, as it is, people will say, "Yeah, but Trevino and Faldo won more majors."

The truth is...neither Trevino, nor Faldo, nor Tiger, nor Bobby Jones, nor Ben Hogan, nor Nicklaus in his prime would have beaten either Mickelson or Stenson in this Open.  What we saw this weekend was the greatest duel between two players in majors history.  Unfortunately for Phil, history will only show that Stenson won, not that he could have and in any other tournament would have won a sixth major.

[Jackrabbit Hog]

The truth is...neither Trevino, nor Faldo, nor Tiger, nor Bobby Jones, nor Ben Hogan, nor Nicklaus in his prime would have beaten either Mickelson or Stenson in this Open.  What we saw this weekend was the greatest duel between two players in majors history.  Unfortunately for Phil, history will only show that Stenson won, not that he could have and in any other tournament would have won a sixth major.

Jack apparently agrees with you.

http://espn.go.com/golf/story/_/id/17098411/jack-nicklaus-discusses-henrik-stenson-phil-mickelson-comparison-duel-sun

[MikePiazza]

I agree that I have always liked Stenson and that he is a great ball striker. 

I was definitely rooting for Phil.  Sure, right now everyone can marvel at how he put up the greatest second place performance in majors history, with a 63 to open and a 65 to close, 267 on a par 284 layout, blah, blah, blah.

When it is all said and done and players' careers are looked back upon, all anyone talks or cares about is how many majors you won.  Phil getting to six would have tied him with Trevino and Faldo, and given his number of tour wins (43 for him, 29 for Trevino), there would have been little argument that he wasn't a greater player.  Now, as it is, people will say, "Yeah, but Trevino and Faldo won more majors."

The truth is...neither Trevino, nor Faldo, nor Tiger, nor Bobby Jones, nor Ben Hogan, nor Nicklaus in his prime would have beaten either Mickelson or Stenson in this Open.  What we saw this weekend was the greatest duel between two players in majors history. Unfortunately for Phil, history will only show that Stenson won, not that he could have and in any other tournament would have won a sixth major.

Phil probably wishes he could have a few of those near misses at the U.S. Open back.