2010 British Open: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson Search for Their Games

In his first trip to one of the biggest stages in golf, Louis Oosthuizen showed up all the big names.

He outplayed Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Lee Westwood, Paul Casey, and everyone else to win the Open Championship by seven shots. It would have been by eight, but he three-putted the 17th hole in the final round. And he kind of laughed about it.

In the process of winning, Oosthuizen left no doubt that, however humble his origins, he’s got game.

He hit every fairway but three, on a day characterized by pantleg-whipping winds. He made every shot and every putt he needed to make. Either the conditions or nerves kept other contenders or pretenders from mounting a challenge.

Oosthuizen made a long putt for eagle at the ninth, which he said got him started thinking that it could be his day. Then Paul Casey, who was the closest to Oosthuizen, slipped up at the 12th with a triple that finished his chances. Casey’s game went sideways and downhill from there.

Now, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are left in search of their games.

Woods putting was so un-Woods-like that he even changed back to his old putter in Round 4 because the new one wasn’t getting it done either. Obviously, it is a case of the puttee, not the putter. Woods finished tied for 23rd with 10 bogeys and two doubles in four rounds.

“Ironically enough now I'm driving it beautifully and I'm not making any putts,” Woods said.

Mickelson said, “I love this tournament, and just am disappointed in myself for the way I've performed this week I love this tournament, and just am disappointed in myself for the way I've performed this week.”

He tied for 48th and had three birdies, three bogeys, and a double in the final round.

The wind direction was not kind to his ball flight and he had a few gorse encounters.

So much for Mickelson’s chances at the British Open. This was his last best shot.

He will be 45 when St. Andrews comes around again, if it continues on five year return visits. The other courses are tighter, less suited to his game.

Looking at the numbers, the margins seem slim. Woods and Mickelson, for example, both had 126 putts for the tournament compared to the winner’s 121.

That’s only five shots, so it wasn’t just the number of putts. It was how the scoring fell.

Mickelson had just 12 birdies, Woods had 17, Oosthuizen had 20. Mickelson had 47 pars, Woods, 43, Oosthuizen, 45.

Mickelson had nine bogeys and three doubles or worse. Woods had 10 bogeys and two doubles or worse. Oosthuizen had just six bogeys and no others.

Mickelson hit 43 of 64 fairways for the week, Woods, 47 of 64, Oosthuizen, 55 of 64.

So, the victory was secured with fewer mistakes all around. For Mickelson and Woods, it’s back to the drawing board.

For Oosthuizen, it’s parades, parties, celebrations, and some new sponsorship opportunities.

In addition, he gets to have his morning coffee out of the Claret Jug for the next 12 months.