Open 2016: Henrik Stenson's caddie Gareth Lord enjoys 'best seat in house'
Last updated on .From the section Golf
Caddie Gareth Lord's partnership with Henrik Stenson has brought him a million-dollar pay-day, a supercar and an apartment in Monaco.
On Sunday, it gave him something money cannot buy - a greenside seat as he watched the Swede defeat Phil Mickelson to become Open champion on an enthralling last day at Royal Troon.
"I had the best seat in the house," Coventry-born Lord told BBC Sport. "The golf from Phil and Henrik was phenomenal."
Stenson, runner-up to Mickelson at the 2013 Open at Muirfield, gained revenge over the five-time major winner with a joint-record final round of 63 to win by three strokes on 20 under par - a record low-winning total at the Open.
- 'This was golf, but not as we know it' - Stenson produces round for the ages
- Relive the drama and watch highlights of Stenson's victory
- Mickelson fight helped me win - Stenson
The 'Ice Man' cometh
The 40-year-old birdied four of the last five holes, including holing a 45-foot putt on the 15th, to clinch his first major title.
"Fifteen was the one for me, when he holed that to go two clear," said Lord, who has been on Stenson's bag since January 2013.
"If you're making those putts, it probably is your day and when he holed it I did think: 'Now we've really got a great chance'.
"His attitude was phenomenal. People call him the 'Ice Man' and I can tell you sometimes he's not! But he was."
Win 'pretty special'
Stenson's Troon triumph took him up to fifth in the world rankings, and continued his superb recovery from a poor spell of form that saw him drop to 230th in May 2012.
After coming close at Muirfield in 2013, posting two third-place finishes at the USPGA Championship in 2013 and 2014 and finishing fourth at the 2014 US Open, Lord said finally getting over the line was a great feeling.
"I'm not sure it's sunk in," he said. "The Ryder Cup's pretty special but this is different - this is the guy you work with all year, or for three and a half years. I'll remember this for a very long time - no question."
