Ryder Cup skipper also says sweet taste of success was a victory for European golf
Monday 18 July 2016 12:56, UK
The ability to keep his poise and keep his focus was the secret behind Henrik Stenson's success at The Open, says Paul McGinley.
A final-round of 63 helped the Swede outscore rival Phil Mickelson by two as the pair played some brilliant golf on a dramatic Sunday afternoon at Royal Troon.
The 40-year-old became only the second player ever to finish a major on 20 under par, equalling the record set by Jason Day in last year's US PGA Championship, beating the Open record of 19 under set by Tiger Woods in 2000.
It was more than just reward for a player who has gone through two career slumps, the most recent as 2011 when he dropped to 230th in the world rankings.
And Sky Sports golf expert McGinley joined in the plaudits for what will go down as one of the great majors of modern times.
"We started with a celebration of golf with the blue skies that were out, the wind was down, we almost had major history with a 62.
"Then we had two rough days with the weather and then we finished with a celebration of these two guys, who not just separated themselves in the field, they lapped the field. 63 with two bogeys in the final round to win your first major, wow!" said McGinley, who made 16 Open appearances during his illustrious career.
"I've studied Henrik a lot over the last number of years through my various Ryder Cup roles and he is a guy that has the ability, we know that.
"For Henrik, it's all about keeping his poise and keeping his focus, that's what it's all about for Henrik. He did that today. We saw that in his interview when he finished yesterday and he came out today with the same mindset and that was the key.
"Even when that bogey on the first could have knocked a lot people, particularly with the way Phil started, he didn't. He gathered himself, he kept his poise and that was the foundation of his success - his mental poise."
McGinley, whose best finish at The Open was 14th in 1996, hailed the "high calibre" matchplay between Stenson and Mickelson on a blustery links course and felt his success was a victory for European golf.
"Winning major championships are so difficult now," he said. "There's such a high calibre of player at the top of the world rankings. They talk about the top four in the world. It really wasn't a factor this week.
"There were two guys who came up that were well capable of winning a major championship and it's the quality we're talking about at the top of professional golf. Every major championship is so difficult to win and Henrik's career deserved that win. It's a great result for the European Tour and the European Ryder Cup team.
"Henrik is a world-class player who has won the Order of Merit in America in the past, he's won the Order of Merit in Europe in the past, he's won huge titles around the world. This is a guy who can play. The only thing that was missing from his CV was a major.
"He's got a wicked sense of humour and is very popular amongst his peers. Gareth Lord his caddie is also very popular with all the caddies. He's just a good person to be around. He works very hard in the gym - he's got muscles on his muscles - and plays a power game. And his putting. The slow greens suited him, no doubt about that.
Every major championship is so difficult to win and Henrik's career deserved that win. It's a great result for the European Tour and the European Ryder Cup team.
"He didn't finish the second round of the US Open only a matter of four weeks ago. Didn't come back to play the last three of four holes saying he had an injury but then went out and won the following week [at the BMW International Open] and then goes on to win a major championship a few weeks later. He's a guy that's inclined to just lose his mental poise, but when he has it, he really has it.
"We saw it in Dubai when he hit 68 out of 72 greens on a golf course in excess of 7,500 yards long so he's got all the ability and now he's turned into a major champion and fully, fully well deserved."
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