Phil Mickelson
found the elixir of eternal youth and at the age of 50 became the oldest winner in golf history to win a major.
The North American finished the
PGA Championship
with a final lap of +1, six strokes under par from the field that gave him this historic triumph with two strokes ahead of North American
Brooks Koepka
and South African
Louis Oosthuizen.
Just a graphic detail that reflects what happened these four days on
Kiawah Island
this week: on the 16th hole of the last day, the robust
31-year-old
Brooks Koepka
bursts the starting ball at par five, landing it at 361 yards, one of the longest drives. powerful players of the tournament, Mickelson plays next, the swift and left-handed swing passes with speed despite the almost 20 years of difference with his opponent and the ball bounces past
Koepka's
exit a few meters
,
366 yards is the distance achieved, the driver longest hit all week by any of the 156 players at this hole.
After the huge start, the birdie on that 16th hole gives him three strokes of advantage with two holes to go, although ahead, one of the most complicated, the par 3 17th hole of 250 yards with a downwind. The starting iron, well aimed, bounces strong and passes the green, resting the ball in an uncomfortable tall grass of the rough. Phil Mickelson's haters lick each other waiting for one of his famous 'mickelsonadas', but at this point, the 45 wins (five majors among them) seem like enough experience and Mickelson secures the approach, clearly playing bogey, on his first putt of par is a meter long and a detail that for many went unnoticed, Phil kicks for boggey changing his grip and catching the putt with the pincer style, the only time he has done it in the 72 holes of the tournament all week,mysteries of the left-handed champion's mind.
The bogey left him with two strokes of advantage and a hole to play; neither Koepka nor Oosthuizen could push enough, the strategy was clear; not make mistakes. The public went crazy on the last hole that the victory seemed uncontrollable, an impressive human tide invaded the field and reminded of mythical scenes from the past with such popular winners as
Seve Ballesteros
or
Tiger Woods himself.
The nine iron from the rough at 18 is perfect and he lands about five meters from the flag, Phil tries to escape the uncontrolled crowd, a spectator hugs him from behind and Mickelson wriggles out with an uncomfortable gesture of pain, the police and the Volunteers strive to put order in the middle of the disorder.
Covid does not seem to exist in Mickelson's big sixth.
With difficulty, player and caddy make their way through the crowd without a mask, to reach the 18th green, Koepka and his assistant take the same maneuver about five more minutes.
Everyone safe on the 18th green, it only remains to certify the triumph and claim that the present is in their fifties.
Rahm's spectacular comeback
One of the first to hug the new winner is Jon Rahm. Phil is a kind of mentor for the Spanish. He followed in his footsteps and successes at Arizona State University under the tutelage of Tim Mickelson, Phil's coach and brother, now carrying the bag for him. Tim was also Jon's first manager when he jumped to professionalism, this adventure would not last long since Phil signed him as a caddy. Hours before, Jon was serving the media with a different spirit, apologizing for the statements on Saturday and positively assessing his round of -4, which made him climb 30 positions to finish eighth tied just five strokes behind the winner. Misleading result that never gave him a win option. But its ability to make a difference in any circumstance is amazing.In the two majors played this year Jon has been fifth in the Augusta Masters and eighth in the PGA Championship, without playing well in either of the two commitments, if there is one thing he is clear about, it is that on the golf course he will never go down arms. In less than a month another new opportunity, with the US Open in Torrey Pines, one of his talisman fields.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
Know more
Jon rahm
Tiger Woods
Golf
GolfRahm and García face the toughest test of the PGA Championship
Golf Mickelson's pulse with the story and Rahm's frustration: "I haven't gotten a single one."
GolfMickelson Keeps Up With Golf History
See links of interest
2021 business calendar
Home THE WORLD TODAY
RETAbet Bilbao Basket - Club Joventut de Badalona
15th stage of the Giro d'Italia, live: Grado - Gorizia
Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix, live
Internazionale - Udinese
UCAM Murcia - Casademont Zaragoza