Mickelson starts out the season right with a runaway win at Pebble Beach. Meaningless since His Royal Highness Tiger Woods was not in the field, I don't know why not it's a fairly prestigeous tournament but anyway Mickelson is now the 4th ranked golfer in the world.
Phil wins Pebble Beach
- Thread starter jaxvid
- Start date
He tied the course record at -20 and tied the tournament record for largest margin of victory.
I watched some of the final round and the common theme among the announcers, as well as from the media in recent weeks,was how Phil had "crashed and burned" at the U.S. Open and had been staggering ever since including missingthe cut last week, as though he wouldn't be able to ever come back. The reality is that he took the last part of last year off to recharge his batteries and begin to concentrate on the 2007 majors. He's zeroed in almost exclusively on the majors now, just like Tiger always has been, and has won three in the past three years as a result and has been in the hunt in just about all of the others.
At one point today after the tournament became a runaway, one announcer, can't remember who, did speak honestly and comment how Mickelson has been criticized by the media far more than any other golfer, despite the fact that he's now won 30 tournaments and 3 majors. I hope Phil kicks ass this year.
I watched some of the final round and the common theme among the announcers, as well as from the media in recent weeks,was how Phil had "crashed and burned" at the U.S. Open and had been staggering ever since including missingthe cut last week, as though he wouldn't be able to ever come back. The reality is that he took the last part of last year off to recharge his batteries and begin to concentrate on the 2007 majors. He's zeroed in almost exclusively on the majors now, just like Tiger always has been, and has won three in the past three years as a result and has been in the hunt in just about all of the others.
At one point today after the tournament became a runaway, one announcer, can't remember who, did speak honestly and comment how Mickelson has been criticized by the media far more than any other golfer, despite the fact that he's now won 30 tournaments and 3 majors. I hope Phil kicks ass this year.
I'd like to see Mickelson pull a Jack Nicklaus and completely remake himself. Jack, you may remember was a talented but fairly fat and soft golfer at the start of his career. He remade himself by losing weight and working out, it made him the best golfer in history. Phil could do the same but I doubt he has the drive to do it, Jack was a beast of a competitor, Phil seems more laid back.
Solomon Kane
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All right Phil! Tiger or no Tiger, tying a course record on a famous and tough course is a huge accomplishment! This could be the start of a return to form. Yes, he disappointed us all at the Open last year, but don't forget, this was the guy who (a mere two years ago) they were saying would *never* win a major, and he went on to win two. There are precedents in sports history for the realization of greatness in the latter stages of a career (John Riggins comes to mind).
And I agree with Jax, he needs to imitate the great Jack---lose some weight, abandon the nice guy image, focus, and tear up the field. The best revenge and therapy for choking at the US Open is to win the next one.
And I agree with Jax, he needs to imitate the great Jack---lose some weight, abandon the nice guy image, focus, and tear up the field. The best revenge and therapy for choking at the US Open is to win the next one.
Nicklaus was winning majors in his early 20s, well before his makeover.Mickelson is only a few years away from 40, a little too late to imitate Jack, but with three now he could still end up with a half dozen majors or more, which would qualify him as an all-time great.
Pebble Beach is a beautiful course. Augusta and Pebble Beach are the two courses I'd most like to play.
Pebble Beach is a beautiful course. Augusta and Pebble Beach are the two courses I'd most like to play.