Watch the moment Phil Mickelson came so close to a major-record 62 at The Open
By Keith Jackson at Royal Troon
Last Updated: 14/07/16 10:12pm
It is unlikely that any player in history has come as close as Phil Mickelson has to shooting a 62 in a major championship.
Mickelson became only the ninth player to fire a 63 in 145 editions of The Open, but he looked certain to go one better when he sent his 15-foot birdie putt on its way on the 18th green at Royal Troon.
A ninth birdie of the opening day appeared guaranteed when the ball arced towards the cup at perfect pace, and many in the vast grandstands surrounding the green had already begun their applause to acknowledge an historic moment.
But Mickelson's ball was a millimetre or two too far to the right, and it caught the lip of the cup and finished behind the hole after somehow refusing to drop.
The 2013 champion looked dumbfounded to miss out, and it was all too much for his long-time friend and caddie Jim 'Bones' Mackay as he toppled over backwards in disbelief on the edge of the green.
Watch the video at the top of the page to see just how close Phil Mickelson came to firing an historic 62 in the first round of The 145th Open, live all week on our dedicated Sky Sports The Open channel.
