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Mickelson Finds Mirth in the Wind and the Heather Mickelson Finds Mirth in the Wind and the Heather
(35 minutes later)
GULLANE, Scotland — On the golf course, Phil Mickelson wields a needle almost as deftly as he does a putter, with few topics out of bounds. He will rib his opponents about missed putts, made putts, their table tennis prowess, their fashion choices. It is banter as bonding exercise, a way of forging a connection by sharing laughs.GULLANE, Scotland — On the golf course, Phil Mickelson wields a needle almost as deftly as he does a putter, with few topics out of bounds. He will rib his opponents about missed putts, made putts, their table tennis prowess, their fashion choices. It is banter as bonding exercise, a way of forging a connection by sharing laughs.
For the longest time there was one foe, though, that Mickelson could not disarm; one connection that eluded him. The British Open had a way of repeatedly making Mickelson look foolish, of stripping him of his creativity, imagination and flair. For the longest time, though, there was one foe that Mickelson could not disarm, one connection that eluded him. The British Open had a way of repeatedly making Mickelson look foolish, of stripping him of his creativity, imagination and flair.
Asked this week to describe his relationship with links golf, Mickelson said: “It’s a hate/love. I used to hate it and now I love it.”Asked this week to describe his relationship with links golf, Mickelson said: “It’s a hate/love. I used to hate it and now I love it.”
Mickelson, 43, was one of the players being sized for their coronations before the 142nd British Open Thursday at Muirfield, a course with a history of crowning royalty. The list of the last seven winners here reads like a roll call for the World Golf Hall of Fame: Ernie Els, Nick Faldo (twice), Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player.Mickelson, 43, was one of the players being sized for their coronations before the 142nd British Open Thursday at Muirfield, a course with a history of crowning royalty. The list of the last seven winners here reads like a roll call for the World Golf Hall of Fame: Ernie Els, Nick Faldo (twice), Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player.
In a news conference Wednesday, Jim McArthur, the chairman of the championship committee for the R&A, which organizes the tournament, mentioned three players shouldering great expectations: Mickelson; Justin Rose, the reigning United States Open champion from Britain; and Els, the defending champion from South Africa.In a news conference Wednesday, Jim McArthur, the chairman of the championship committee for the R&A, which organizes the tournament, mentioned three players shouldering great expectations: Mickelson; Justin Rose, the reigning United States Open champion from Britain; and Els, the defending champion from South Africa.
If Mickelson is feeling pressure to perform, he masked it well during his practice rounds. Rummaging around Monday in his bag of tricks, he pulled out his 64-degree lob wedge and, with his ball in thick rough and his back to the flagstick, hit a shot that caught the wind and flew over his shoulder and onto the green.If Mickelson is feeling pressure to perform, he masked it well during his practice rounds. Rummaging around Monday in his bag of tricks, he pulled out his 64-degree lob wedge and, with his ball in thick rough and his back to the flagstick, hit a shot that caught the wind and flew over his shoulder and onto the green.
“I’m just having fun,” Mickelson said. “I love the shots we get to hit over here.” He added, “Hopefully I won’t have to hit that shot this week, though.”“I’m just having fun,” Mickelson said. “I love the shots we get to hit over here.” He added, “Hopefully I won’t have to hit that shot this week, though.”
Mickelson’s playfulness was a promising sign. The British Open has had more fun at Mickelson’s expense than the other way around. A month into his professional career, he traveled to Scotland to try to qualify for the 1992 tournament. The crosswinds and the heather immediately put him on the defensive. He posted an 80 in the first round at North Berwick, then a 68, and he missed making it into the field at Muirfield.Mickelson’s playfulness was a promising sign. The British Open has had more fun at Mickelson’s expense than the other way around. A month into his professional career, he traveled to Scotland to try to qualify for the 1992 tournament. The crosswinds and the heather immediately put him on the defensive. He posted an 80 in the first round at North Berwick, then a 68, and he missed making it into the field at Muirfield.
For several years after that, Mickelson had no answer for the British Open’s parries. As soon as he stepped on a links course, his cleverness deserted him. Instead of having fun with the British Open, he tried to bully it.For several years after that, Mickelson had no answer for the British Open’s parries. As soon as he stepped on a links course, his cleverness deserted him. Instead of having fun with the British Open, he tried to bully it.
If the wind was blowing hard, Mickelson hit his ball harder. “I would fight the thick, heavy air,” he said. “I would fight the wind off the tee.”If the wind was blowing hard, Mickelson hit his ball harder. “I would fight the thick, heavy air,” he said. “I would fight the wind off the tee.”
It was a losing strategy. In his first 10 British Opens as a pro, Mickelson missed two cuts and recorded one top-20 finish. During that same stretch, he won 18 PGA Tour events. Mickelson has fared better in his past eight British Opens, posting his only top-10 finishes: a third in 2004 and a tie for second in 2011 (he did not play in 2009).It was a losing strategy. In his first 10 British Opens as a pro, Mickelson missed two cuts and recorded one top-20 finish. During that same stretch, he won 18 PGA Tour events. Mickelson has fared better in his past eight British Opens, posting his only top-10 finishes: a third in 2004 and a tie for second in 2011 (he did not play in 2009).
With his unusual visual angles, Mickelson plays golf like an Impressionist, but until recently he would land at the British Open and suddenly become fixated on lines and contours and play by numbers instead of by imagination. That started to change roughly a decade ago, when Mickelson spent time in Scotland working on a low shot that allowed him to keep the ball under the wind.With his unusual visual angles, Mickelson plays golf like an Impressionist, but until recently he would land at the British Open and suddenly become fixated on lines and contours and play by numbers instead of by imagination. That started to change roughly a decade ago, when Mickelson spent time in Scotland working on a low shot that allowed him to keep the ball under the wind.
Armed with the “low, little scooting shot,” as Mickelson described it, he has been able to keep the ball in play better off the tee, a key to developing an affinity for links conditions. It greatly enhanced his enjoyment of the British Open, Mickelson said, “getting rid of these big misses when the ball gets up in the crosswinds and it takes it 50 yards off the edge of the fairway and into the deep heather.”Armed with the “low, little scooting shot,” as Mickelson described it, he has been able to keep the ball in play better off the tee, a key to developing an affinity for links conditions. It greatly enhanced his enjoyment of the British Open, Mickelson said, “getting rid of these big misses when the ball gets up in the crosswinds and it takes it 50 yards off the edge of the fairway and into the deep heather.”
Because of delightfully dry and sunny weather, the fairways this week call to mind bowling lanes, with balls rolling an extra 50 or 60 yards. The stage is beautifully set for the player with the best long irons and short game. Whoever has the best touch on and around the greens will enjoy a significant edge, Mickelson said.Because of delightfully dry and sunny weather, the fairways this week call to mind bowling lanes, with balls rolling an extra 50 or 60 yards. The stage is beautifully set for the player with the best long irons and short game. Whoever has the best touch on and around the greens will enjoy a significant edge, Mickelson said.
“The firmness of the ground makes the touch and sensitivity to chipping so much greater,” he said, “that I feel like that’s the area where you can save the most shots.”“The firmness of the ground makes the touch and sensitivity to chipping so much greater,” he said, “that I feel like that’s the area where you can save the most shots.”
Putting will be paramount, and after experimenting with a long putter, a claw grip and an oversize grip on his putter, Mickelson said he believed this year that he had found the solution for his stroke.Putting will be paramount, and after experimenting with a long putter, a claw grip and an oversize grip on his putter, Mickelson said he believed this year that he had found the solution for his stroke.
“I am really optimistic about this week and going forward because I’m starting to putt as well as I ever have,” he said. Mickelson is coming off his first professional title in Britain, at the Scottish Open. He closed on Sunday with a 69, which included a three-putt bogey on the final hole of regulation, to fall into a tie with Branden Grace of South Africa. On the first hole of sudden death, Mickelson secured the victory with an approach that spun within inches of the pin.“I am really optimistic about this week and going forward because I’m starting to putt as well as I ever have,” he said. Mickelson is coming off his first professional title in Britain, at the Scottish Open. He closed on Sunday with a 69, which included a three-putt bogey on the final hole of regulation, to fall into a tie with Branden Grace of South Africa. On the first hole of sudden death, Mickelson secured the victory with an approach that spun within inches of the pin.
It was a huge confidence booster for Mickelson, whose only previous win in Europe came two decades ago in Paris at a Challenge Tour event. He has momentum, and history, on his side. In 2006, he won the Masters the week after emerging victorious at the BellSouth Classic.It was a huge confidence booster for Mickelson, whose only previous win in Europe came two decades ago in Paris at a Challenge Tour event. He has momentum, and history, on his side. In 2006, he won the Masters the week after emerging victorious at the BellSouth Classic.
“It’s difficult to win the week before a major and then follow it up winning the major,” Mickelson said. A smile spread across his face. “But then again, the last person to do it, you’re looking at him.”“It’s difficult to win the week before a major and then follow it up winning the major,” Mickelson said. A smile spread across his face. “But then again, the last person to do it, you’re looking at him.”