Phil Mickelson Ties Major Record After Shooting 63 at 2016 British Open

Phil Mickelson's hot start at the British Open landed him in the record books Thursday with an eight-under round of 63.  

According to the PGA Tour, Lefty's dominant performance at Royal Troon in Ayrshire, Scotland, tied him for the lowest all-time score in a single major championship round.

Mickelson entered the clubhouse with a three-shot lead.

Here is a look at the current leaderboard:

Mickelson's birdie putt to close out his first round seemed ticketed for the bottom of the cup, but it lipped out and prevented him from setting the all-time record with a 62, as seen in this video from The Open:

Per Todd Lewis of the Golf Channel, the American had mixed emotions after the round:

Despite the disappointment of missing out on a record-breaking 62, the 46-year-old veteran is in prime position to win his sixth career major.

According to Doug Ferguson of the Associated Press, however, history isn't on his side:

Mickelson won his first and only Open Championship to date in 2013, and if he continues to play like he did Thursday, a second Claret Jug will likely join his collection.

The 2016 season has been a struggle for Mickelson, who has yet to win and missed the cut at both the Masters and U.S. Open, but his first-round performance suggests he is in top form and ready to make a run at the title.

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