Brit Andrew Johnston puts in brilliant performance at The Open but nobody can touch Phil Mickelson and Henrik Stenson
Runaway leaders will play in the final group for the second day running at 12 and 11 under respectively
WHAT a performance by Andrew Johnston to put himself in with a chance of winning the “other” Open.
You know, the one without Phil Mickelson and Henrik Stenson.
But with all respect to the charismatic Englishman, the battle for the Claret Jug has nothing to do with Beef.
This is very much a two-horse race.
Stenson and Mickelson will play in the final group for the second day running at 12 and 11 under respectively.
And it leaves 27-year-old Johnston — at five under — to continue his joyous impersonation of a bearded Matt Lucas alongside six-under American Bill Haas in the penultimate pairing.
‘Beef’ Johnston, who posted a one- under-par 70 in round three, grinned: “Overall I think that was a pretty decent score. My celebrity status? I love acknowledging it and having fun.”
Yet he still has a lot to learn from golfing thoroughbred Mickelson, 46, who has five Majors in the bag — including an Open victory three years ago.
Amazingly, it was the last time he actually won a tournament.
Meanwhile, Swede Stenson, 40, is the gritty stayer coming up on the rails, hungry for a first Major victory after five top-threes.
The jockeying for position on the leaderboard between the top two made it look like they were locked in a matchplay battle at times.
It may not have the razzle-dazzle or star quality of the legendary ‘Duel in the Sun’ between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus. In fact, this is more of a ‘Grind in the Wind’.
But the Mickelson-Stenson scrap is still shaping up to become another classic Open shootout. And it is heading for a titanic finish.
When it was over yesterday, Stenson had overturned the American’s one-shot lead and moved ahead by the same margin at Royal Troon.
If this had been a Ryder Cup shootout, it would have been advantage Stenson over the opening holes as he came roaring out of the blocks.
He smashed his opening drive just short of the green on the 367-yard first hole and coaxed home a 15-footer for birdie to cancel out Mickelson’s lead.
The muscular Swede almost drove the green on the 377-yard third — only for his ball to trickle into the sand.
But he hit a majestic bunker shot to within a couple of inches, and Mickelson let out a huge sigh of relief when he converted a 12-footer to join Stenson on 11 under.
Soon after, Mickelson found himself trailing for the first time since he just missed out on the magical first 62 in a Major on day one.
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And Stenson was probably kicking himself at not putting clear daylight between them.
He gave himself a glorious chance for an eagle on the long fourth but had to settle for a birdie after a timid putt, then left a birdie putt teetering on the edge of the hole on the fifth.
World No 6 Stenson let another shot slip away after a dreadful second led to a bogey on the long sixth hole.
And he was back to one behind Mickelson when his ball span into the coffin bunker at the Postage Stamp, forcing him to play out backwards.
Lefty seemed content to plod along making pars — six in a row from the third. But it seemed none of them could compare with the one Stenson escaped with on the tenth.
He ruined a perfect drive by dumping his approach well short of the green, and a poor chip pulled up 30 feet from the flag.
But at least he had the decency to burst out laughing when his putt dived into the hole.
On the 12th, Mickelson then carved his drive into the base of a bush and was lucky to have any sort of a shot.
He hacked it out into the fairway, then sent his approach sailing over the flag, seeing it track back to within eight feet of the target.
You just knew what would happen next. Phil the Thrill gave a gentle fist pump as his putt dropped — and the big crowd let out a huge roar.
Those par saves were as good as birdies, especially on a back nine that was playing brutally tough.
The run of pars ended in the best possible way for Lefty, as he canned a 20-footer for birdie at the 13th to reach 12 under.
And with Stenson missing from a couple of feet closer, the lead was up to two shots.
There were plenty more gut-wrenching twists and turns to come, and the decisive one came with a two-shot swing at the short 14th.
Stenson birdied, Mickelson missed the green and bogeyed.
Then it was time for a breather, before we do it all a second time.
Leader Stenson admitted: “I’m playing really nicely and I know Phil will not back off.
“He is one of the finest players of the past 50 years, but I’m right where I want to be.”
Mickelson added: “Coming back in was a very difficult nine holes of golf into that strong wind. Now it’s a great opportunity and a great challenge.
“Henrik is playing really good golf. It doesn’t really matter about other guys, it doesn’t really matter about Henrik — I have got to shoot a good number because he’s not making any mistakes.”
As they say in America, let’s get ready to rumble... again.
