Lefty’s back, and he wants more
MEXICO CITY — Phil Mickelson knew this was coming, even when he had so little to show for it.
Mickelson had gone 101 tournaments around the world since he last won at Muirfield in the 2013 British Open, which moved him to No. 2 in the world and gave him the third leg of the career Grand Slam. In more than two decades on the PGA Tour, he had gone only two seasons without winning.
And then it was up to four straight years and counting.
There was more frustration than self-doubt. And with Mickelson, even at age 47, there was never a loss of confidence.
Mickelson, who captured his third World Golf Championship, now has 43 victories on the PGA Tour. The first was in 1991. He has long said he wants to get to 50.
The more pertinent number might be 48. That’s how old Mickelson will be in June. No one has won more than five times on the PGA Tour after turning 47.
“Oh, I will,” Mickelson said about reaching 50 titles. “I’ll get there.”
That’s not all he wants.
One of his chief goals for the year was to be on his 12th consecutive Ryder Cup team for a chance to win in Europe, which he has never done. The victory should be enough to move him to No. 4 in the standings. Given his value in the team room, winning the Mexico Championship
makes it hard to overlook Mickelson.
Left unsaid is the U.S. Open, the only major keeping him from the career Grand Slam. It returns this summer to Shinnecock Hills, where Mickelson was on the cusp of winning the last two times in 1995 and 2004. For now, the focus
is on the Masters and a chance to add a fourth green jacket. “I needed to get a win before Augusta so I wasn’t trying to win for the first time in fourand-a-half, five years at that event,” he said.
He got his validation in Mexico City. It was meaningful because it was the
first victory since he began working with Andrew Getson, and the first victory with his younger brother, Tim, as his caddie. And it was the next victory, no matter how long it took.
“I don’t think this is the peak,” he said. “I think I’m going to continue to get better.”