Maybe it’s just one round, but Thursday at The Open, 50-somethings Lee Westwood and Phil Mickelson shot under par.
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PORTRUSH,NorthernIreland–Howspecial,oldboy,yournameonceagainnearthetopofthefamedyellowleaderboardhereatthe153rdOpenChampionship?
“Ohhhhh,yeah,”LeeWestwoodsaid,hisvoicedrippingwithsarcasm.“Can’tbeatseeingyournameupthereonaThursday.”
Statedwithasmile,itwasthekindofself-deprecatorydownplayingyoumightexpectfromaplayermakinghis28thcareerstartinthegame’soldestmajor,anagingwarriorwhounderstandsthatafirst-round69meansnext-to-nothingotherthanatidystart.
ButinthetwilightofWestwood’scareer,itshouldstillhavebeenasurprisingmomentworthsavoring.Sameasitwasfor55-year-oldPhilMickelson,oneshotworseonThursday(70),butwhowasnonethelessintheclubhousewithhisbestmajorroundinmorethantwoyears.
“Linksgolf,morethananygolf,givesyouachancewhenyou’reourage,”Westwoodsaid.“There’sabitmorerunontheball.It’snotagolfcoursewhereit’slaidoutwherethere’samassiveadvantagetocarryingatrapat
