In many ways, Phil Mickelson is playing better golf now — at the age of 50 — then he did over a decade ago.
All of which begs the question: “Why isn’t he winning more?”
First, it has to be acknowledged that he is one of the rarest and most elite talents the game has ever known. Most PGA golf professionals would be thrilled to have just what Mickelson has accomplished since he turned 40 as their entire career record. That being: six wins including the 2013 British Open as well as multiple Ryder and Presidents Cup qualifications, plus the 2010 Masters (that being won just two months shy of his 40th birthday).
Overall, we are talking about a phenom with 44 PGA Tour wins, five majors, four international victories, 37 second-place finishes (including a painful six coming at the U.S. Open), 28 third-place finishes, 196 career top 10s, and close to $100 million in career earnings.
That’s not just a golfer, that’s a successful industry.
And yet, with all of that already accomplished, he truly is playing better at 50 than at 40. So again, why not better results?
I spoke recently with someone who knows the game intimately and has been following Mickelson’s career almost since day one. This person seems to have a very plausible answer: Mickelson has always been the “Happy Warrior” out there on the tour. He is generally in a great mood no matter what was happening on the course or with his game.
But the last couple of years, this person noticed more frustration and even anger pop up on Mickelson’s face and in his demeanor. Most likely because he knows the clock is ticking and he was not getting his desired results.
This person surmised that with frustration setting in, Mickelson — already known as a gunslinger — started to fire at even more pins instead of the middle of the green and shot himself out of the cut, or contention.
Any casual Mickelson fan can see that he has at least seemed visibly more frustrated or upset with his game the last couple of years. Does that frustration translate into him taking even more chances than normal?
Only Mickelson and his brother Tim (his caddy) know for sure. Shooting for the middle of the green to ensure you make the cut or are in contention on Sunday is never a bad formula. To be sure, Mickelson has his phenomenal, top-10 all-time record because he is a gunslinger and does see opportunities where others see obstacles.
That said, playing it safe is also a winning strategy. Tiger Woods has proven that time and again. Being Maverick from Top Gun can be a rewarding, but risky choice. Ultimately, every fighter pilot out there would much rather have Iceman covering their six.
I once spoke with another Phil watcher who had created a chart which showed that if Mickelson had just shot to the middle of the green on the par-3s at the majors, he would have won at least three more.
While we can never prove a negative, there does seem to be at least a bit of logic to that claim.
For instance, during the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional, Mickelson had to start on the very tough 218-yard, par-3, over water 10th hole. And on his 41st birthday to boot.
Prior to the start of that major, I recall him basically saying that the hole was so tough, he was going to hit to the back of the green or even into the back bunker every single time and then take his chances making par from there.
Sounded like a great plan to me and every other Mickelson fan. Except he hit his very first tee shot short and watched his ball splash into the water for an eventual double-bogey 5. Whoops.
What happened to Phil’s conservative plan for that hole? Did the gunslinger push logic to the side once again?
All of that to ask, at 50 years of age — while literally playing better than a number of 20-somethings on the tour — can Mickelson control that daredevil within, tamp down his newfound frustration, and put it all together to win one more major?
I believe he can, and that major will come at his beloved Augusta National Golf Club. It was built for him and the smarter, more even-tempered version of his inner gunslinger.
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