Phil Mickelson shook off the rust of his winter hiatus from golf with a scintillating 60 at the LaQuinta resort course in his 2019 season debut. La Quinta is one of three Palm Desert Courses that hosts this long held event in the mountains of Southern California and it is the easiest of the group to go low on.
This year’s event, which pairs pro’s and celebrities in a free wheeling pro-am format, is known simply as the Desert Classic as the PGA Tour has opted to front this tourney without a major title sponsor. For many years this was the Bob Hope Desert Classic but since Bob took the Road to Heavenly Reward there’s been a revolving door of sponsors and celebrity hosts.
I tuned in to the Golf Channel telecast Thursday afternoon when Phil was already 8 under par through eleven holes. He was in a green side bunker then and splashed out to tap in range for par and the 59 watch was officially under way. With birdies on 13 and 14, Phil was at 10 under and things were getting serious.
But then we lost sight of Phil for a while as Golf Channel focused on other players on the two other courses. It seemed that they had a predetermined formula for showcasing play on a rotating basis on the Stadium Course and the Nicklaus Tournament Course.
Whatever, Phil birdied 16, missed a fifteen footer for bird on 17 and closed with his tenth birdie of the day ( along with and eagle three on the par 5 sixth hole) to post 60, tying his career low round and leading the tourney by three strokes.
Great stuff but then I turned off the TV.
I didn’t want to see the inevitable post round interview with Mickelson. I’ve had enough of Phil Mickelson, his words at least, although I’m happy to watch him perform on the course.
Just spare me the BS that seems to surround and spew forth from Lefty.
I didn’t always feel that way. I’d been a fan of Phil’s for over twenty five years. I admired his riverboat gamblers approach to the game, reminiscent of The King, Arnold Palmer. I admired his constant interaction with fans on the golf course, smiling as he loped along the fairways, acknowledging cheers and the “C’mon Phil’s” that followed. He signed autographs til the kids were all gone and he gave the golf media plenty to chew on in his press conferences and informal chats.
I was shocked by his puerile behavior at Gleneagles in 2014 when he attacked his Ryder Cup Captain, Tom Watson, at the post mortem press conference but made excuses for him since I agreed with the criticism although the timing and forum were wholly inappropriate.
The last straw was his display of disdain for the competition and for the rules of golf when he swatted a moving ball on the 7th green at Shinnecock at the 2018 U.S.Open. Phil’s post round explanations, revisions, and not quite apologies didn’t cut it.
In every subsequent round of golf he played I rooted against him. I hoped he would three putt every green, drive into every hazard available, get fried-egg lies in every bunker.
Needless to say, my voodoo curses had little effect on Phil’s game, at least as I was able to see, until perhaps the 2018 Ryder Cup. Mickelson was mostly absent from that competition, playing in only one team pairing in the Friday Foursomes (which was a loss) and getting steamrolled by the Man of the Match, Francisco Molinari in Sunday Singles 4&2.
Now, after several months of absence, my anger and outrage have mellowed a bit. I won’t be actively willing misfortune on Phil any longer. I’ll most likely enjoy seeing this 48 year old Hall Of Famer try to stave off Father Time for just a bit longer.
Phil will continue his chase of the ever elusive career grand slam and I’ll be in his corner at Pebble Beach this June, although I won’t be betting any do-re-mi on his chances.
Whether or not Phil achieves that rare milestone, it’s inevitable that he’ll one day be selected Captain of the Ryder Cup Team for the US.
My one last hope, or you might call it my last needle through Phil’s voodoo doll, is that one of the players on his squad (preferably a captain’s pick) throws him under the bus like he did Tom Watson.
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