Open Golf: Mickelson’s win in his own words

“This is just an amazing feeling winning this great championship. And to play probably the best round of my career and hit some of the best shots that I’ve ever hit. I certainly putted better than I’ve ever putted.”

“To have Amy, Amanda, Sophia, Evan here; to share this with Bones; to have Steve Loy who’s been with me back from my college days all the way through; to have Butch Harmon here to share this moment, it really is special.”

“I was behind, obviously, the whole day. I was 1-over par for the championship and 1-under for the day when I was on 13. And I hit a really good 5-iron in there, and it was a putt that was going to make the rest of the round go one way or another. Because I just thought if I made it, it would give me some momentum, get me to even par for the championship, a score I thought had a good chance of being enough.”

“ Winning Castle Stuart, at the time, you know, was a big win for me. But in seven days it has gone down considerably! It was a special week for me last week because I was playing so well. It gave me confidence heading into this week. It was exactly what I needed to propel me into this championship.”

“Yesterday I had a good practice session with Butch because on Friday I did not strike it very well. We set up a little mini station that gave me a little bit more width and forced me to keep the club a little bit more out instead of dropping underneath, which is a problem I tend to have.”

“Being so down after the U.S. Open, to come back and use it as motivation, to use it as a springboard, knowing that I’m playing well and to push me a little bit extra to work harder, to come out on top, in a matter of a month to turn it around really feels amazing.”

“You have to be resilient in this game because losing is such a big part of it. And after losing the US Open, it could have easily gone south, where I was so deflated I had a hard time coming back.” 

“The past champions here at Muirfield are exceptional, and to be part of that it feels great.”

“The wow factor just kind of happened. It wasn’t like I was setting out thinking I needed to make birdies or like I was trying to force birdies. I was just trying to hit good shots. And I made a bunch of putts today. It’s as good as I ever putted in my career.”

“I think that if I’m able to win the US Open and complete the career grand slam, I think that that’s the sign of the complete great player. And I’m a leg away.”

“This is a really special time, and as fulfilling a career accomplishment as I could ever imagine.”