The Golf Watch

Family values play a central theme at 2010 Masters

The week started with Tiger Woods' first unrestricted press conference since the November car crash where he, once again, took responsibility for his infidelity.  Then there was Augusta National Chairman Billy Payne, who denounced Woods' actions, and expressed hope that Tiger will be able to repair his tarnished image.

Who would have thought by week's end, the family values theme would have surfaced again.  This time, it was Phil Mickelson, whose family traveled to Augusta for the first time since Amy Mickelson underwent treatment for breast cancer. 

The Mickelson family's collective embrace was a reversal of what we had grown accustomed to the last four months.

Mickelson's shot making at this year's Masters will always be remembered, but at day's end, it was his love for his family that had everyone talking.   

Phil Mickelson Masters Headlines

As we do for every major championship, below are some headlines following Phil Mickelson's Masters victory (click on each picture to enlarge). 

 

 

The feel good story of the year...

Phil Mickelson captures his third green jacket.  

 
 

A sad day, Amy Mickelson diagnosed with breast cancer

We send all of our best to Amy Mickelson and the entire Mickelson family.  Here's to a speedy recovery.   

If Phil Mickelson was the Commish, he would...

I typically don't like long-winded Q+A's, but Bob Verdi's interview with Phil Mickelson in the June edition of Golf Digest doesn't miss a beat.  The most interesting part of the discussion was Mickelson's proposal for a modified Tour schedule. 

Mickelson suggests that the Tour should have 20 events that the top guys are required to play.  Crazy, right? Well, here's his explanation:

Problem is, 200 players don't want that to happen.  The top 100 don't want to be told where and when to play, and the bottom 100 can't afford to lose the leverage for those remaining 20-plus or however many, events. 

For the 20 events with the top guys guaranteed, sponsors and television would have to pay a premium.  That would create a huge discrepancy in purses between those 20 events and the others without the guaranteed top guys...

If the commissioner were in a position to control when and where players played, as I believe he should be, and if he were able to sell that, he would be able to go to the four majors and the Ryder Cup and say, "If you want our guys to continue to play in your event, you have to pay the tour a certain fee."  After all, the players are the product, right?  Then you take that new revenue stream and subsidize the 20 or so events where the top guys are not guaranteed to play.  Then, the gap between the events is narrowed. 

Mickelson said that he prepared these ideas for two years and then presented them to Tim Finchem.  Lefty said they were disregarded.

After reading his proposal, I'm not surprised. 

Mickelson also says a commissioner should "be concerned with the big picture and make decisions without any input from the players."  I always appreciate Phil's candidness, but where's Joe Ogilvie to talk some sense into him?

Tiger-Phil rivalry could be the answer

As much as I disliked hearing the talk last week about Sergio Garcia potentially overtaking Tiger Woods in the world rankings, Monday's Washington Post (below) made me realize that another Woods/Phil Mickelson rivalry could be the cure for golf's ailing financial woes (I mean, I can't even remember golf being above the fold in the WP for a non-major). 

It's been about a year and a half (FedEx Cup '07) since the two golfers have had a legitimate rivalry.  With Mickelson's two wins to open up the year, the rivalry should make a great storyline leading up to The Masters, and could very well carry on through the tournament if Phil continues to play the way he has been playing. 

Let's shift gears, now Phil could be number one!

As much heat as he gets from the media (no pun intended), Phil Mickelson deserves a tip of the cap for a truly gutsy performance to capture his first World Golf Championship.  Check out the Washington Post story here.

I'll get to the announcing of the tournament tonight. 

Mickelson successfully defends Northern Trust title, avoids disastrous final round

Phil Mickelson went from a struggling golfer in his first three tournaments to a champion in his most recent, successfully defending his title at the Northern Trust Open with his old set of irons. 

Mickelson got into some trouble during his final round, but with birdies on two of his final three holes, and bogeys on the 18th from Steve Stricker and Fred Couples, Lefty was able to pull through.  It shouldn't be forgotten that Mickelson shot two-under on the par-4 10th this week.

In other golf news, 18-year-old amateur Danny Lee won the Johnnie Walker Classic.  Forget the Rory McIlroy talk, why aren't more people jumping on the Lee bandwagon?

Mickelson highlight reel takes back seat

With all of the commotion surrounding Tiger Woods' comeback, little attention was given to Phil Mickelson's fine opening round of 8-under 63. 

For Thursday's edition of Golf Central, which runs 30 minutes, Mickelson's highlight package didn't start until 21 min. into the show. 

Mickelson will launch season at FBR

John Davis reports that Phil Mickelson will make his debut at the FBR Open Jan. 29-Feb 1.  The ASU faithful must be pleased.