History bites the dust for Mickelson but healthy lead intact at The Open

Phil Mickelson saw major championship history elude him at the last moment but at least has the comfort of a healthy lead going into today’s Open Championship second round.

Mickelson became the 29th golfer to shoot a 63 in a major championship and just the ninth at The Open with his scintillating opening round at Royal Troon yesterday. It gives the five-time major champion a commanding three-shot lead over fellow American Patrick Reed and Germany’s Martin Kaymer after a day of calm weather conditions and ahead of three days in which heavy rain and high winds are forecast and are likely to make low scoring far from accessible.

Yet the 46-year-old, who won the 2013 Open with a breathtaking final-round 66 at Muirfield, came off the 18th green feeling like his world had collapsed in around him after the birdie putt he saw lip out at the last denied him the major championship 62 that would have set him apart from the rest of his sport.