Mickelson's Masters

I posted a week ago about 5 players I thought could win the Masters this week. My picks weren't too bad, two of the five were in contention all week (Thanks Jim Furyk for putting up 80.) In the past, the Masters have lost it's edge with the UGA making Augusta almost too difficult. Zach Johnson coming to mind when he won in 2007 at 1 over par. The UGA got it right this week, players continued to post low scores throughout the weekend.

That's not the reason why this weekend was so special. This weekend was special for a few reasons, but it became apparent that when Phil Mickelson birdied number 18 on Sunday that this weekend was for him. Tiger Woods returned this weekend from a five month sex scandal and he took most of the talk of the tournament the first three days. Mickelson took it from the back nine on Saturday and never looked back. Mickelson single handily took America by storm and it became obvious that America was cheering for the lefty to win.

It couldn't be more perfect for a guy that has gone through hell not only within the last year but since 2006. Going back to the U.S. Open at Wingfoot in 2006 when Mickelson took a two shot lead into #18 and let it slip away by putting his drive off a tent, taking a hooded 3-iron into a tree, and blasting an approach that plugged into the sand. You take it from there, it's the biggest collapse in U.S. Open history. Mickelson answered questions repeatedly if he would ever rebound from a historic collapse. I remember watching that 18th hole and receiving a text message from my good friend Ike Tingey that said "I feel sick to my stomach for him." I couldn't believe what I had witnessed. 2009 rolls around, Mickelson had just come off a top 10 finish at the Masters only to find out that his wife Amy is diagnosed with breast cancer. Just as he's starting to play well, his world again is turned upside down. Amy enters her first week of treatment and then finds out his mother Mary is diagnosed with the same thing.

Mickelson had told his caddie that nothing excites him more than playing in the Masters and being in contention. The world had been focused on Tiger Woods and how he would perform being away from the game so long. Mickelson welcomed the under the radar mentality, going out and shooting 67 the first day to put himself in permanent contention. No one knew what to expect from Mickelson since he had struggled with his game to start the season. Mickelson goes on to shoot 71 in the 2nd round and then takes America by storm on Saturday. In a stretch on the back nine, Mickelson goes 5 under in 3 holes to secure a final round pairing with Lee Westwood. I sent several text messages saying that this was Phil's tournament to lose, but even I was interested to see how he would perform this being his first final pairing in a major since Wingfoot.

Starting slow on the front nine, Mickelson started pulling away with a birdie on 12, and hitting the shot of the tournament on 13. With his ball in the kitty litter, Mickelson pulls a 6-iron and ropes a ball through two trees and sticks it to three feet on the green putting for eagle. I can't remember an Augusta crowd being so loud after one shot (maybe Tiger's chip in on 16 in 2005.) He birdies 13 and 15 to take control of the match.

Walking up to #18, Jim Nantz had announced that Amy Mickelson was in the gallery. You first saw a glimpse of Amy has she was standing at the back of the green. So sick from taking her medication that she had been in bed since they arrived at Augusta. Mickelson buries his putt on the final hole to end four years of talk that "this guy will never win another major." It's pretty simple, this one is for Amy. He wears the pink ribbon on every hat that he wears in every tournament, not only for Amy, but for his mom and all breast cancer fighters out there. He's a crowd favorite, he never leaves the golf course until everyone gets their signature from him. He gives the tip of the cap about 6,000 times every tournament and of course my wife's favorite, the thumbs up to the crowd. He acknowledges the crowd, he thanks the crowd, and the crowd loves him right back.

This was Mickelson's weekend, he earned his third green jacket and fourth overall major win. Most importantly, he gets to go home and share the fourth one with his Amy while the rest of the world cheers for her recovery.

Thank you Phil