Cheers to the Old Guys: The Veterans Showing Up on Day One at the Open

Then there's Phil Mickelson. At 55, Lefty fired a solid one-under 70 at Portrush in round one. His 2021 PGA Championship victory at 50 years, 11 months, and 7 days didn't just break Julius Boros' old record — it blew the doors wide open for every golfer who thought their major dreams were done. I was there at ​Kiawah Island with my dad that fateful Sunday, and even for Lefty haters, it was magical. 

Why I Feel the Open is Different

Here's the thing, at least in my opinion, about the Open Championship — it's the great equalizer. Unlike the Masters with its hills, or the U.S. Open with its impossible rough, the Open rewards smarts over strength. When the wind's howling and the greens are running like marble, there's no substitute for having been there before. 

The conditions strip away the physical advantages younger players have everywhere else. Suddenly, it's not about who can bomb it 320 yards—it's about who can hit a knockdown 7-iron in a 25-mph crosswind and actually keep it on the green.

Now, there is a compelling argument for the Masters being a potential spot for the 50-plus crowd to stage their magic, especially since it is the only major played at the same venue each year. The problem is, you need to be able to keep up with the 330-plus yard bombers as Augusta continues to get a little longer each year. 

The Heartbreaking Near-Misses

Golf history is littered with veterans who came this close to major glory. Tom Watson at 59, standing over that eight-foot putt at Turnberry in 2009 that would've given him his sixth Open title? Heart-stopping. He missed it, lost the playoff, but that performance was pure inspiration.

Greg Norman held a two-shot lead going into the final round of the 2008 Open at 53. Kenny Perry was 48 when he had the Masters in his hands before dropping shots on the final two holes. These weren't failures — they were proof that experience matters.

Even Sam Snead was still mixing it up in majors well into his 60s. The man tied for third at the 1974 PGA Championship at 62 years old. Sixty-two!

The Beautiful Truth

What I love about the performance of these veterans is how they expose golf's greatest secret — this game rewards wisdom as much as athleticism. When Zach Johnson, Sergio Garcia, and Justin Leonard are all posting solid rounds at Portrush in their 40s and 50s, it's because they've figured out something the young guys haven't — that sometimes the best shot isn't the hardest one.

The Open Championship celebrates this better than any other major. Of course, that's just my take. It's not about perfect swings or how fast your ball speed is — it's about reading the wind, understanding the bounce, and knowing when to be aggressive and when to survive.

Keep Grinding Senior Golfers!

I can officially call myself part of the senior sect after turning the big 50 this past May. With that said, I want to salute all the old guys who refuse to give up. They're out there every week, chasing something that probably won't happen, but then again, just as easily could. While everyone else is obsessing over the latest 22-year-old phenom, these guys are proof that golf doesn't care about your age — it only cares if you can still play.

That's what I love about this stupid, beautiful game. It'll break your heart a thousand times, but it always leaves the door cracked open for one more shot at glory.