Mickelson bemused golf fans with bizarre fashion accessory before Troon disaster

Athletes will go a long way to appease sponsors, including wearing faulty equipment.

Phil Mickelson knows better than anyone else how to maintain those kinds of relationships and keep his coffers full, and no, we’re not talking about his £155millon LIV Golf contract.

The 54-year-old great will be attempting to win his seventh major this month at The Open Championship, having tasted victory once back in 2013.

Since then his closest effort was at Troon in 2016, where the Open is heading back for the first time since that year, when he finished as a runner-up to Henrik Stenson.

Mickleson staged one of the greatest rounds in the history of the greatest competition, but was incredibly beaten by Stenson who finished 20 under par for a course record that’s never been beaten.

The California native had to deal with the rain and cold in South Ayrshire, and while the wind is a near-constant bother for golfers, it caused an extra problem for Mickelson.

Rather annoyingly, he was having to deal with a loose-fitting hat, and instead of upsetting one of his main sponsors, he came up with a unique solution.

Having led after the first round, Mickelson arrived for the second with a binder clip sticking out the side of his hat.

The clip was keeping the baseball cap on tight, meaning it was less of a distraction so he could focus on trying to best Stenson.

That didn’t stop others getting distracted, though, with photographers and journalists absolutely baffled by the sight of the clip poking out of the side of his head.

Asked about his new accessory post-round he simply replied: “I’m just trying to keep it in place. I know it looks terrible.”

The trick worked, though, and despite ending up 17 under par, he played his part in one of golf’s all-time great rounds.

A firm outsider for this year’s tournament Mickelson will back himself to upset the odds as someone who knows Troon far better than any of his younger and more fancied rivals.

And he’s also got the added advantage of expertise in headwear malfunctions.