Tribute to Phil Mickelson

There are rare moments in sports history when looking back years later you remember exactly where you were and who you were with as the event took place. Phil Mickelson’s win at the 2021 PGA Championship at the age of 50 is one of those moments.

They just don’t make champions like Phil Mickelson anymore. He is the ultimate fan favorite. The charisma, always smiling, giving a thumbs up to everyone. The fluid, unmechanical, classic swing. The inner turmoil. The superhuman shot making ability mixed with a susceptibility bordering on inevitability to choke away a lead. He is human. He has giant calves. He had manboobs. he would graciously talk at length to the media after a missed cut. He is not a robot. But then, when you least expected it, Phil would charge into the lead and not let go. He would win. Always with a smile on his face. This is what happened on Sunday and it was magical.

The description above is actually about Phil Mickelson at one point in 2005. Not so much on Sunday at Kiawah Island in 2021.

No, Something about this Phil seemed different. Looking out from behind his sunglasses, it was hard to discern his emotions that he normally wears on his sleeve for all to see. Phil was always the perpetual underdog. The everyman, but also a kind of fragile golfing Mozart, playing in the shadow of the ruthless Tiger Woods. The Phil of old would find himself in the lead of a major and hit a wild drive into someone’s backyard on cue. He’d drop a shot, follow it up on the next hole with a perfectly struck iron shot and a tap in birdie. You’d be on the edge of your seat as he climbed back into contention only to miss a 4 footer for par and fade out of the lead. It was infuriating. It was like watching a good buddy play. Phil usually let you down. But sometimes, in spectacular fashion, he didn’t.

The first time I saw Phil’s name pop up on the leaderboard this week at Kiawah, I remember thinking back to the days when I knew he would be there on Sunday, always making things interesting. I looked on half hopeful half amused until I saw Brooks Koepka, the modern day Tiger impersonator just below him on the leaderboard. My heart sank a little bit. He’s too old now, I thought, he can’t withstand that kind of intimidation and pressure anymore. How wrong I was.

On this Sunday, Phil Mickelson seemed like the villain. He was in shape and had a laser like stare. He seemed like the guy to beat and you got the sense that he wasn’t going to give it away. That someone else was going to have to chase him down. Somehow, his 50 year old nerves stayed together with the help of his caddie, brother Tim. Clinging to a 2 shot lead going to the 72nd hole, I had visions of a humiliating Jean Van De Velde type collapse. Hiding behind my hands, like I was watching the Shining, Phil crushed a towering fade followed by a club twirl for the ages. Holy shit, Phil is going to do this. Sure enough, he did.

Without getting too philosophical on you (see what I did there?) this win by Phil stands for more than just sports. This win is an inspiration for anyone ready to accept their lot in life, or where society says you should be and what you should be doing at a certain age. 50 years old. You are not supposed to win a major at 50 years old. There is an entire professional golf tour designed specifically for men at 50 years or older for this very reason. It’s just what you do when you are an aging star of the PGA tour.

To be fair, Phil is not the average PGA tour professional. Talent and genetics aside, this win for Phil was about belief. Something we can all do. Belief in himself when all around him disbelieved. The hardest thing to do. Forget hitting 350 yard bombs. Staying resolute in his own belief and conviction is the most impressive part of this victory for Phil. Age is just a number on the screen. If you watched Phil close out this victory on Sunday and didn’t feel inspired than I question your enthusiasm for golf, life even. On that note, I’m off to the range.