CHASKA, Minn. — Phil Mickelson completed his practice round yesterday at Hazeltine National with swing coach Butch Harmon at his side. Afterward, he announced: “I’m excited to get this tournament going.”
Mickelson had an all-business look in his eye, the kind you see from Tiger Woods, or Derek Jeter when the Red Sox come to town. If anyone was thinking of throwing a pity party for Mickelson, whose wife Amy and mother Mary are battling breast cancer, they can forget it.
After tying for second at the U.S. Open at Bethpage, he is focused on capturing the 91st PGA Championship, which begins today.
“I felt I had a really good week last week, even though I didn’t play well or score the way I wanted to,” said Mickelson, who tied for 58th last week at the Bridgestone, his first tournament since the U.S. Open.
“I was able to identify what I needed to work on and address those these last couple of days. I feel much better about my game heading into this week than say even the U.S. Open.”
Back then, Mickelson’s wife still was facing surgery and his mother had yet to be diagnosed with the same disease. Today, the prognosis for both is good, and Mickelson, a winner of three major championships, seems intent on capturing a fourth.
“I feel a sense of excitement to be able to get back to playing,” he said. “I feel a sense of relief knowing that long term both my mom and Amy are going to be fine, and I’m excited about working on my golf game and trying to compete here these next few weeks.”
No one asked Mickelson whether he has a new perspective about golf. That’s almost cliché. Right now, he’s focusing on one tournament at a time.
“It’s been an interesting year, and we’ve had some highs and lows,” he said. “And I think we’ll have some highs and lows for the next year or two. I think in the end, everything’s going to be fine. Right now I think things are day-to-day for us. That’s both golf and not golf.”
If his game is on, Mickelson should do well. Playing in his 17th PGA Championship, he finished T-34th here in 2002, burying himself with a 76 in the opening round and a 78 in the third round. But Hazeltine’s 7,674-yard layout will favor long hitters, and should he miss a green or two, his short game should save him.
“I feel like my short game was not good last week,” he said. “But I’ve been able to focus on it and spend time getting my touch back. I feel like it’s come back, and I feel much better about it heading into this week.”
Mickelson certainly will be a crowd favorite as he always is these days, but the crowds couldn’t will him to victory at Bethpage, where he finished tied for second.
“You still have to make the putts and shoot low scores if you expect to win, and nobody else can pull the trigger except for you,” he said.
Mickelson is ready to pull the trigger.