The first modern major was played 156 years ago in Scotland. Since then, there have been 80 Masters, 116 U.S. Opens, 144 Open Championships and 97 PGA Championships. There have been 27 rounds of 63 in that time span, but few of those have ever come closer to being 62s than the one Phil Mickelson shot on Thursday at Royal Troon at the 145th Open Championship.

Mickelson went out in an above average 32 on the front nine (the front was playing to an average of about 33). Then he made four birdies over eight holes on the back nine setting the stage for No. 18 where he would need a birdie for the first 62 in major championship history.

The drama was indelible as Mickelson put an early stamp on this tournament. After making birdie at Nos. 16 and 17, Mickelson pulled 3-wood at the 18th hole and narrowly missed a bunker off the tee. He hit his second shot to 16 feet and somehow missed a historic moment by millimeters.

"It started on my line and it was right in the center hole with a foot to go," Mickelson told Golf Channel. "... It went to the right a little harder. I see these highlights and yet I feel like crying. I don't know what to say. I don't know how that ball missed because it was perfect speed in the center with a foot to go."

His reaction on the 18th green said it all.

"Nothing will match that final round at Muirfield, but that was one of the best rounds I've ever played," he added after reflecting on it for a little longer, though he later admitted it felt like a higher power was working against him.

His playing partners could not believe it either. Ernie Els putted out ahead of Mickelson to give him his moment.

"I just feel for him," Els said. "On 18, I was so sure he was going to make that putt and shoot 62. I mean, he couldn't hit a better putt. The thing was going right to left all the way with no speed, so it's incredible it didn't go in."

Still, not all was lost. Not even close. Mickelson tied the lowest round ever at an Open Championship and shot just the second 63 at an Open since 1993 (although just one of those players, Greg Norman in 1986, went on to win the tournament).

Mickelson's lead over the field was also three strokes at the time he finished (which we're somehow not talking about). That will come in handy on Friday and Saturday when the weather rolls in and tries to blow scores back down towards even par.

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"I felt like it was kind of easy, like I didn't try to do too much," Mickelson told Steve Sands of Golf Channel. "I just kept the ball in play, hit good shots and made good putts. We had the most amazing day today. I haven't seen the weather in 11 days of being over here. ... It was a beautiful day, and I took advantage of it. It was fun."

It was fun. Mickelson put some soul in this tournament early on in the week. The most amazing part of all of this is how much Lefty has struggled at major championships this year. He missed the cut at the Masters and did the same at the U.S. Open. His late-career success at The Open has been a revelation.

Who thought 20 years ago that we would be sitting here talking about whether Mickelson was going to drink a $40,000 bottle of wine from the Claret Jug for a second time but still be empty-handed when it comes to U.S. Open trophies? Not me.

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Mickelson also took the Royal Troon course record of 64 from Greg Norman and Tiger Woods and set the opening round record in an Open at this course by three strokes.

So now this tournament is Mickelson's to lose after a zany, awesome first round that included 62 and a half strokes of golf. Considering Mickelson's history and the weather that's coming after one of the most benign days I've ever seen at an Open, we're in for a hell of a final three rounds. As if that first one wasn't awesome enough.