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<\/a><\/p>\nBreadcrumb Trail Links<\/p>\n
Sports<\/a>Golf<\/a><\/p>\n In many ways, links golf is the perfect foil for a sports world that increasingly wants to solve every mystery with analytics, technology and protein shakes.<\/p>\n Get the latest from Jon McCarthy straight to your inbox Sign Up <\/p>\n Published Jul 17, 2025 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 1\u00a0hour ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 4 minute read<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland \u2014 It\u2019s part of the poetry of the Open Championship that these ancient golf courses pair so nicely with ancient golfers.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authors<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n As spellbinding as it is to watch great athletes at the peak of their powers, or to witness the shock of a Cinderella story, nothing raises the hair on the back of your neck \u2014 or perhaps your ears, depending on your vintage \u2014 like an aging athlete chasing one last gasp of glory.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n There was a brief moment early Thursday morning at Royal Portrush when the co-leaders at the final major championship of 2025 were 55-year-old Phil Mickelson and 52-year-old Lee Westwood.<\/p>\n \u201cLinks golf, more than any golf, gives you a chance when you\u2019re our age,\u201d Westwood said.<\/p>\n The Englishman briefly reached four-under before settling for a two-under 69 on Thursday, good for a share of 10th after the opening day. Westwood is unique among the older competitors at Portrush this week because the LIV golfer battled his way through Open qualifying to earn his spot into the field.<\/p>\n Monday Morning Golf<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Mickelson finished tied for 20th at one-under 70, a score later matched by 53-year-old Justin Leonard.<\/p>\n We apologize, but this video has failed to load.<\/p>\n Play Video<\/p>\n \u201cI love the Open Championship and I love Portrush,\u201d Westwood said. \u201cI\u2019ve been coming here a long time. It\u2019s one of the golf courses where, if it wasn\u2019t the Open and somebody said \u2018do you want to play Portrush this weekend?\u2019 I\u2019d probably go. There\u2019s not many golf courses like that.\u201d<\/p>\n In many ways, links golf is the perfect foil for a sports world that increasingly wants to solve every mystery with analytics, technology and protein shakes.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a bit more run on the ball,\u201d Westwood said of how the fiery Portrush turf evens the playing field when it comes to distance. \u201cIt\u2019s not a golf course where there\u2019s a massive advantage to carrying a trap at, say, 310 yards, which I don\u2019t have anymore.<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got to use the conditions and hold the ball up well in the sidewinds and crosswinds, and be able to bring your ball flight down when you\u2019re going into the wind.\u201d<\/p>\n Golfers coming from North America who lean too heavily on a stock shot-shape or a high trajectory, might as well head over to the famous Harbour Bar and enjoy their week there because there won\u2019t be a Claret Jug in their future. In these parts, you have to play golf rather than golf swing.<\/p>\n \u201cWinning the Open in 2013 was the greatest accomplishment in my career because I had to learn a style of golf that I didn\u2019t grow up playing,\u201d Mickelson said after carding an opening one-under-par 70. \u201cIt\u2019s the greatest source of pride for me as a player to overcome those obstacles. Now I\u2019ve come to really love it, enjoy it.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Links golf is about standing on a blind tee shot with no target in sight and somehow trusting your line. Around the greens, links golf is about painting a picture in your mind of how and where to get the ball rolling so it will stop somewhere in the vicinity of the hole.<\/p>\n It\u2019s about trusting your expertise completely, but being comfortable knowing that once the ball leaves your club it\u2019s in the hands of the golf gods.<\/p>\n It\u2019s about perfectionists being at peace with imperfection.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you get conditions like this, you start to fall back on realizing that 60, 80 feet in the proper spot is a good spot and you start to realize that you can make 20- or 30-foot putts out here,\u201d Mickelson said. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to hit it to six feet to make birdie. You can hit it 20, 30 feet because the greens don\u2019t break a lot, you can hit them aggressively.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement 6<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cYou find that going back on past experience,\u201d he added. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to press it. You don\u2019t have to force it.\u201d<\/p>\n Portrush might not be St. Andrews, but there is a similar feeling that this entire seaside town is alive with the excitement of this tournament making just its second visit to Northern Ireland since 1953.<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n Why did early Open Championship leader Jacob Olesen turn down Masters invite?<\/p>\n![\"Phil](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0718-phil-mickelson-the-open.jpg\")
Phil Mickelson acknowledges the crowd as he walks off the 1st tee after playing his shot during the first round of The Open Championship at the Royal Portrush Golf Club. AP PhotoArticle content<\/p>\n![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/19.1.4\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-tsun.svg\"){kind=logo}
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