Mickelson: struck the ball well
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World number two Phil Mickelson praised Royal Birkdale as a fair test despite struggling to a 14-over-par total.
The American left-hander was the highest-ranked player in the field after Tiger Woods' withdrawal and came into the tournament as one of the favourites to win his first Open at his 16th attempt.
Despite not making a challenge, the 38-year-old reckoned: "It has been a very fair test. The course was set up fair and even in the conditions there was a score out there.
"You could make birdies on some holes and fight for pars on others. There was enough room to play. This is what the R&A wants, to test players in adverse conditions and have a course that's set up fair."
The test may have been fair, but the three-time major winner also reckoned it was one of the toughest weeks he has experienced.
"Consistently day in, day out it has been as challenging as I have played in for four days," he added after his closing 71.
"We had times like this at Muirfield in 2002 when the wind would come up even stronger but consistently this has been one of the hardest ones."
Mickelson admitted his putting let him down here and at last week's Scottish Open, where he finished tied for 38th.
"The positives I take are that I probably hit it better in the wind than I ever have," he said. "I didn't capitalise on some of the shots I hit.
"I really struggled on the greens and consequently my score wasn't what I would have liked."
Mickelson has only once finished in the top-10 in golf's oldest major, when he came third at Royal Troon in 2004.
