Phil Mickelson wins first British Open title on 21 July 2013 with final-round 66

Phil Mickelson claims maiden Claret Jug at Muirfield on 21 July 2013

Phil Mickelson won his first British Open title on 21 July 2013, closing with a 5-under 66 at Muirfield to finish four strokes clear of runners-up.

What happened on the final day

Mickelson started the day five shots behind Lee Westwood and Henrik Stenson, but he erased the deficit with a blistering back nine. He rolled in birdies at 13, 14, 15 and 16 to post the round of the championship. His 66 matched the lowest score of the week and left the rest of the field scrambling.

How the leaderboard shaped up

Westwood and Stenson both faded down the stretch. Westwood carded a 75 to finish tied for second, while Stenson shot 76 and tied for third. Miguel Ángel Jiménez and Steve Stricker tied for fourth, five strokes back. The win gave Mickelson his fifth major and his first in a men’s major outside the United States.

Why this British Open still stands out

The 2013 Open at Muirfield was played in firm, fast conditions that punished wayward drives. Mickelson’s iron play stayed dialed in all week, and his closing charge cemented his reputation as one of the game’s greatest shot-makers. The victory also marked the first time a left-hander had lifted the Claret Jug since Bob Charles in 1963.