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Sandwich - Darren Clarke surged into a two-shot lead at the British Open here on Sunday to hold off a thrilling charge by Phil Mickelson as a see-saw final round duel unfolded at a rainswept Royal St George's.
Mickelson, who had started the day five behind overnight leader Clarke, had turned on the style with a dazzling putting display over the front nine to grab a share of the lead at five-under par.
The three-time Major winner reeled in Clarke with three birdies and an eagle to go out in five-under-par courtesy of some red-hot putting.
Mickelson might have taken sole possession of the lead on the eighth hole but his birdie putt from eight-feet lipped out.
But Clarke then hit back with a 20-foot eagle putt of his own on the par-five seventh to move to seven-under and move two precious strokes clear of Mickelson, setting the stage for a nailbiting climax over the back nine.
Mickelson then responded to Clarke's eagle with yet another long-range putt, holing from 18 feet at the 10th for birdie to go within one of his Northern Irish rival.
Mickelson's hitherto flawless putter then let him down on the 11th, missing from three feet to bogey and give Clarke a two-stroke cushion.
Clarke had earlier made a brilliant 15-footer of his own to save par on the first hole, before notching his first birdie of the day on the par-four second, rolling in a five-footer to move clear.
He then saved par with a nerveless six-foot putt and when his then nearest challenger Dustin Johnson bogeyed, Clarke had gone three up on his rival after only three holes, having started the day one stroke ahead.
But Mickelson marched up the board to grab a share of the lead before Clarke's eagle on the seventh edged him ahead.
The 42-year-old Ulsterman is bidding to win a Major for the first time in his 20th appearance at the British Open and he was backed by overwhelming support from the galleries here on Sunday.
Four off the lead were American overnight leader Dustin Johnson and Denmark's Thomas Bjorn on three under. Young American prospect Rickie Fowler was one shot back at two under after rattling off eight pars.
Meanwhile pre-tournament favourite Rory McIlroy concluded an unsuccessful Open with a three-over-par 73 to leave himself seven-over, once again struggling to find any sort of consistency.
The 22-year-old had started the day at four-over, nine shots off the lead, and needing a miraculous round to have any hope of challenging the leaders.
But a birdie at the second was swiftly followed by a double-bogey at three, and the US Open champion finished with a pair of bogeys.
McIlroy later blamed the variable weather for undermining his challenge.
"It's been a tough week for me. I felt like I did well the first couple of rounds, and I just struggled a bit in the bad weather at the weekend," McIlroy said. "I'm not a fan of golf tournaments that the outcome is predicted so much by the weather. It's not my sort of golf.
"I'm disappointed with the way I finished obviously, but I'll just have to wait until next year to try and make a good run at this tournament
The Silver Medal to the top amateur at The Open was clinched by Tom Lewis of England who finished three ahead of Peter Uihlein of the United States on nine-over-par after 72 holes.
