NEVER A DROUGHT IN HIS MIND
Fine-tuning Phil remains confident despite his long winless streak
SOUTHPORT, England — It was just after 7 in the morning Wednesday and there was a lone figure surveying the 16th green at Royal Birkdale, one of the farthest points on the course from the clubhouse.
It was Phil Mickelson quietly going about his business of trying to win a second Claret Jug, a sixth career major championship and a first victory in the four years that have passed since he last won — at the 2013 British Open at Muirfield.
That Mickelson has not won since that moment, which stands as perhaps the greatest triumph of his brilliant career considering even he believed the British would be the one grand slam he would never solve, seems preposterous.
That Tiger Woods, who some believe will never play again, has won more recently than Mickelson, seems unbelievable.
Because Mickelson, even at 47, has remained not only relevant, but at the forefront of the sport during that time, still contending in major championships.
A year ago at Royal Troon, Mickelson equalled the second lowest total (267) in the 146-year history of the British Open — and still lost, outdone by Henrik Stenson’s record-shattering 20-under par (270) virtuoso performance.
In the opening round, Mickelson came within a lipped-out birdie putt on the 18th hole of shooting 62, which would have set a major championship record. In the final round, he shot a bogey-free 65.
And he still lost to Stenson.
Mickelson’s 72-hole score of 17-under par would have been good enough to win 141 of the 145 British Opens played. That’s how well he played and still lost.
“It was a weird feeling to play at that level, to shoot a bogey-free round of 65 in the final round and not win,’’ Mickelson told The Post in between those morning practice putts on 16. “To play at that level and not win was a very weird feeling, because I had a feeling of accomplishment that I played to this high level, but then there’s this deflated feeling that it wasn’t enough and that I didn’t capture the Claret Jug again.
“So it was disappointing. I had a mixture of emotions. The fact that I had already won this tournament helped take away some of the sting, but still, you can never win this tournament enough.’’
This being his 24th career British Open, Mickelson has honed his practice routine to the point everything has an analytical purpose — like putting for an hour on the 16th green Wednesday morning.
A year ago, he practiced by himself on the first green late into the evening on the eve of the opening round.
The year he won at Muirfield, Mickelson spent extra time in practice on the 17th green working on long lag putts. In the final round that year, he was faced with a 50-foot eagle putt on 17, a putt he’d practiced, and he made it, giving him a cushion on the 18th hole and propelling him to his first British Open victory.
“They don’t have 80- to 100foot putts on the practice greens, so I like to come out and work on those,’’ Mickelson said. “I think one of the most critical areas out here is lag putting from long distance — between 60 and 120 feet. Anything inside six feet is a pretty good shot, so you have to be realistic. But my goal in practice is to get it inside three feet.’’
When he was finished his work
on the 16th green, Mickelson, with his coach Andrew Getsen and his brother and new caddie, Tim Mickelson, in tow, rolled a few putts from various undulating spots on the 17th green and then called it a day to rest for Thursday afternoon’s openinground tee time.
“It certainly is serene, because there’s nobody out here,’’ Mickelson said of his early-morning putting session. “A lot of guys come out here on Wednesday and they’re still learning the course, still working on their games or deciding what clubs to use. But I’ve already done that, so now it’s just touch and finetuning.’’
Mickelson conceded he is surprised he hasn’t won in four years, saying his results have not been commensurate with his form.
“But it’ s made me more determined ,’’ he said. “It’s made it a challenge to get back k to that level of play and d win more. I’ve enjoyed the he challenge and it’s madee my even more determined too get back.’’
How does he think it’ll feel when he wins again?
“I feel like I did back in n ’04 when I won my first major [the Masters],’’ he said. “Like once I break through andd win again I think it’ll all come rush-rushing back and I’ll start winninginning multiple tournaments.’’