Phil Mickelson's runner-up finish at the British Open puts him in some elite company
Phil Mickelson came up short at The Open despite having a lead with 17 holes to play and shooting a final-round 65. Unfortunately for Mickelson, finishing second is familiar territory for him.
The runner-up finish marked the 11th time Mickelson has finished second in a major, second only to Jack Nicklaus, who was second 19 times. Of course, Jack also had 18 wins, while Mickelson has five major championships on his resume.
The second-place finish also gives Mickelson 23 top-3 finishes in his career. Only Nicklaus (46) and Tiger Woods (24) have more. But while 56% of Nicklaus' top-3s were wins and 67% for Woods, only 22% of Mickelson's top-3s have been wins. That is the lowest rate among all golfers with at least five wins in golf's majors.
