WHEN LEFTY’S RIGHT
Phil Mickelson’s surprising weekend win raises hopes for the Masters and, with Tiger feeling frisky, a return to the days when men’s golf was more fun.
A poker message from professional golf to professional tennis. “Raise you a decade.” While last year was a wonderful season on court for tennis stars 30 and older, led by the incomparable Roger Federer, the men’s golf tour is enjoying a renaissance from two (relatively) senior citizens as a season that could prove to be memorable unfolds.
To these guys, the 37-year-old Federer is a kid. We’re talking about 47-year-old Phil Mickelson, who won his first tournament in 4 1/2 years on Sunday, besting one of those hotshot youngsters, 24-year-old Justin Thomas, in a playoff to win the World Golf ChampionshipsMexico Championship at the Chapultepec Golf Club in Mexico City.
Federer was only 12 when Mickelson won his first PGA event. Sunday’s win, meanwhile, was Mickelson’s first since the 2013 British Open.
“I knew that wasn’t going to be my last one,” he said. “And this one isn’t, either.”
Meanwhile, 42-year-old Tiger Woods will be back at it this weekend at the Valspar Championship in Tampa, and is expected to follow that up with an appearance at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill the following week. Woods finished tied for 12th two weeks ago at the Honda Classic, and showed he could still hit with the big boys, averaging 318 yards off the tee.
Woods hasn’t won during his latest comeback attempt, or even come close. At Riviera three weeks ago, he missed the cut and most of the fairways along the way. But with the Masters coming up next month, his performance at the Honda Classic was so much improved it looks like winning a PGA tournament after all his injuries and surgeries may not be quite the long-shot many believed.
His biggest problem has been an erratic driver, which was improved two weeks ago, and there have been no signs that last year’s back surgery is causing him any problems. If Woods can win before Augusta, and he’s won at Bay Hill a record eight times, he could make the 2018 Masters a massive TV draw.
Woods’ return and Mickelson’s victory are very, very good news for golf. The young studs of the game are terrific players, incredible ball-strikers and pressure putters. But they’ve yet to show they can draw bigger-than-average crowds or reel in big television numbers, something Woods has already shown he can still do.
Federer created a tremendous wave of excitement for tennis by winning two majors last year, and then capturing the Australian Open in January. A combination of success by both Woods and Mickelson would be a massive shot in the arm for golf, and create some new rivalries in a sport that could use them.
Mickelson, oddly enough, seems to be developing into a sentimental fan favourite in a way he wasn’t before as he tries to take on all these whippersnappers. For years, Mickelson just seemed to rub many folks the wrong way. Now, he seems a beloved character taking on all comers despite his age. It’s a little like Jimmy Connors becoming a fan favourite when he tried to with the U.S. Open at age 39.
The field was tough in Mexico — including Thomas, Masters champion Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth —but Mickelson was able to come from behind with birdies on the 15th and 16th holes to catch Thomas. The charismatic lefty, a master at turning horrible shots into pars and birdies, is the kind of stylish, unpredictable player that is a sharp contrast to most of the long-hitting young stars.
Obviously, the physical demands of golf are much differ- ent than those of tennis, which allows golfers to compete longer at the highest levels. But 47 is still 47. Just as Federer laboured to come back from a knee injury, Mickelson changed swing coaches, put his brother Tim on his bag, focused on improving his leg strength and worked relentlessly to get back to the winner’s circle.
“It’s been a tough go, but I think there’s going to be a lot more to come,” said Mickelson. “This is a very encouraging sign. I’ve missed the feeling of pressure. I haven’t had that in a long time.”
Mickelson now will certainly be one of the favourites at the Masters. If he can pull it off, he’d be the oldest winner ever. In 1986, Jack Nicklaus won the tournament at age 46.
“To go in after having won, to go in playing consistently well, is a great source of confidence,” said Mickelson, who has five top-10 finishes already this season.
In golf, the odds skew significantly toward the under-40 set. Before Mickelson won on Sunday, earning a par on the first playoff hole while Thomas bogeyed it, only 2 per cent of all PGA events this century had been won by players 47 or older. That’s not a particularly surprising stat, but it does tell you how difficult it is for older players to actually win tournaments even if they still have the length and accuracy to compete effectively on tour.
Thomas, the best player in the world right now, did everything he possibly could to deny Mickelson on the weekend. He was 16-under on the final two days after starting the third round at even par, and holed out from 119 yards on the 18th hole on Sunday to force the playoff. Canada’s Adam Hadwin finished tied for ninth after shooting 67 and 66 on the final two days to finish six shots back of Mickelson and Thomas. Hadwin, 30, is the defending champion for the Valspar Championship this weekend.
The return of Woods and Mickelson’s revitalization have given golf a compelling narrative as we get into the meat of the season. The old guys are back in the fray and playing to win.