Phil Mickelson ‘inspired’ by Brady
Major winner says he was inspired by the success of Tampa Bay Buccaners’ evergreen quarterback Brady
After winning the PGA Championship on Sunday to become golf’s oldest major winner, 50-year-old Phil Mickelson said he had been inspired by the success of Tampa Bay Buccaners’ evergreen quarterback Tom Brady.
Brady, who won six Super Bowls in 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, left the franchise before signing a twoyear, $50 million contract with the Bucs last year, starting all 20 games in 2020.
The 43-year-old quarterback played through most of the season with discomfort in his knee but managed to guide the Bucs to their second Super Bowl title in February.
“So I’m very inspired by Tom Brady,” Mickelson told ESPN.
“He’s actually a big motivation, because of how hard he works to be the best and to elongate his career.
“There’s no reason why at an older age you cannot be at your best,” added the six-times major winner.
“It just takes a little more work. I wasn’t getting the results—but I believed it, and I had people believe in me.”
Mickelson and seven-times Super bowl champion Brady teamed up for a charity golf match against Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning in Florida last year that raised $20 million for COVID-19 relief efforts.
“I want to get in another match with (Brady) because spending time with him, it’s inspiring,” he added.
Meanwhile, the list of perks that come with winning the PGA Championship continue to flow in for Mickelson.
Phil jumps 83 spots
The newly-minted oldest major winner in history vaulted 83 spots to No. 32 in the Official World Golf Rankings and 36 spots to No. 16 in the United States Ryder Cup team rankings on Monday.
Being inside the top 50 in the world is the threshold for entry into all the premier tournaments, including majors and World Golf Championship events. Mickelson fell out of the top 50 in November 2019 for the first time in 26 years, a record streak of 1,353 weeks.
He briefly returned to the top 50, but by this March he had fallen outside of the top 100 for the first time in 28 years, breaking another record streak of 1,425 weeks.
Mickelson dropped as low as 116th entering the PGA Championship, where he was considered an extreme longshot, having failed to post a top-20 finish in his previous 17 worldwide starts outside of the Champions tour.
Ryder Cup beckons
With his victory at the PGA, the 50-year-old also launched himself back into the Ryder Cup conversation.
At No. 16, he is still unlikely to earn one of the top six automatic spots. However, Steve Stricker will also have six captain’s picks, and Mickelson has played on every U.S. Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup team since 1994.
Mickelson is now a -185 favorite to make the U.S. team by Sportsbetting.ag, implying a 64.9 percent probability he will play in the Ryder Cup.
The U.S. will take on Team Europe at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin in September’s Ryder Cup, which was postponed a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Stricker will make his captain’s picks after the Tour Championship in August.
The top six spots are currently occupied by Dustin Johnson, Bryson Dechambeau, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka, Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele. Patrick Reed, Tony Finau, Daniel Berger and Webb Simpson round out the top 10, followed by Jordan Spieth and Billy Horschel.
Still well outside the picture is Rickie Fowler, another Ryder Cup veteran who sits 39th in the standings. He did rise 27 spots to No. 101 in the world rankings with his T8 at the PGA Championship.
However, a bogey on the 72nd hole cost Fowler an automatic spot in next year’s Masters and a return inside the top 100. He failed to qualify to play at Augusta National this year.
Koepka climbed six spots to No. 7 with his tie for second at Kiawah Island on Sunday, knocking Simpson out of the top 10 and bumping Reed, Rory Mcilroy and Tyrrell Hatton each down a spot as well.
Louis Oosthuizen rose 11 spots to No. 20 as he tied with Koepka two shots behind Mickelson.
PGA chief apologises
PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh has apologized to winner Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka for fans rushing onto the 18th hole at the PGA Championship.
After Mickelson’s approach landed on the 18th green, spectators rushed past the ropes, marshals and security at the Ocean Course, quickly swarming the competitors as they played the 72nd hole on Sunday.
Waugh said Monday the organization regretted that the scene “made two players and their caddies feel vulnerable.” Waugh’s statement, released on social media, said the charge came from “a moment of high elation and pent-up emotion by spectators” and overwhelmed security.
The 50-year-old Mickelson finished off the victory, becoming the oldest player to win a major title. Koepka tied for second with Louis Oosthuizen.
Mickelson said the scene “was a little bit unnerving, but it was exceptionally awesome, too.” Koepka said his surgically repaired right knee got hit by people as he tried to break through the crowd.
Koepka wondered if someone purposely tried to hurt him. “I don’t know, it felt somebody tried to ...” he said, cutting off his thought. “I don’t know what the deal was, but it’s what it is.” Waugh said player safety is a chief goal and he was glad order was restored. Fans circled the final green and celebrated when Mickelson finished off the win. NEW YORK: