Troon thriller on the cards as nice guys set for shoot-out

In a sport with many big egos, tunnel visions and platitudes, it will be wonderful today to witness two of the “good guys” in the game, Phil Mickelson and Henrik Stenson, going head to head at the Open Championship.

For Phil the Thrill, as he is affectionately known, it is another opportunity to add further gloss to his already stellar Hall of Fame career. It includes 42 tour victories and five major championships, and for good measure an Open Championship won at Muirfield in 2013.

At 46 years of age, he realistically shouldn’t be in this position, but links golf courses have an uncanny knack of allowing older shot makers, (players like recent winners Darren Clarke and Ernie Els) to remain competitive long after their sell by date.