Legacy matters for Mickelson
Source: AFP |
July 23, 2013, Tuesday
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BRITISH Open champion Phil Mickelson has his eyes firmly set on joining the elite list of golfing legends who have won all four of the majors.
The 43-year-old American's superb three-stroke victory at Muirfield on Sunday means he has completed the third leg of the career grand slam, having previously won the Masters three times and the PGA Championship once.
And that leaves only the one he covets the most - the US Open, a tournament he has finished runner-up in a record six times, the last of those coming last month.
In winning the British Open, Mickelson joined Seve Ballesteros, Peter Thomson, Byron Nelson, JH Taylor and James Braid as a five-time major winner. Only five men - Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods - have completed a modern career grand slam of winning the Masters, US Open, Open and US PGA titles at some stage. Nicklaus and Woods have won the full set three times apiece.
With the win, Mickelson suddenly has the world No.1 ranking in his sight. The American has never topped the official world rankings which were brought in 24 years ago.
Mickelson is fully aware of where he currently stands in the pantheon of golf and he is set on sealing his legacy by completing his set of majors.
"I think that if I'm able to win the US Open and complete the career grand slam, I think that that's the sign of the complete great player," he said.
"And I'm a leg away. And it's been a tough leg for me. But I think that's the sign. I think there's five players that have done that.
"And those five players are the greats of the game. You look at them with a different light. And if I were able to ever win a US Open, and I'm very hopeful that I will, but it has been elusive for me. And yet this championship has been much harder for me to get."
How Mickelson has managed not to win a US Open is a mystery to many, including himself after so many near misses especially in 2006 when he had a one shot lead teeing off at the 72nd hole but shot double bogey to hand the title to Australian Geoff Ogilvy.
But his British Open win shows that perseverance and resilience are key components of golfing success, coming as it did on his 20th outing, matching Darren Clarke's record for the most appearances before winning the event for the first time
"You have to be resilient in this game, because losing is such a big part of it," he said, no doubt with his US Open record at the back of his mind.
The 43-year-old American's superb three-stroke victory at Muirfield on Sunday means he has completed the third leg of the career grand slam, having previously won the Masters three times and the PGA Championship once.
And that leaves only the one he covets the most - the US Open, a tournament he has finished runner-up in a record six times, the last of those coming last month.
In winning the British Open, Mickelson joined Seve Ballesteros, Peter Thomson, Byron Nelson, JH Taylor and James Braid as a five-time major winner. Only five men - Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods - have completed a modern career grand slam of winning the Masters, US Open, Open and US PGA titles at some stage. Nicklaus and Woods have won the full set three times apiece.
With the win, Mickelson suddenly has the world No.1 ranking in his sight. The American has never topped the official world rankings which were brought in 24 years ago.
Mickelson is fully aware of where he currently stands in the pantheon of golf and he is set on sealing his legacy by completing his set of majors.
"I think that if I'm able to win the US Open and complete the career grand slam, I think that that's the sign of the complete great player," he said.
"And I'm a leg away. And it's been a tough leg for me. But I think that's the sign. I think there's five players that have done that.
"And those five players are the greats of the game. You look at them with a different light. And if I were able to ever win a US Open, and I'm very hopeful that I will, but it has been elusive for me. And yet this championship has been much harder for me to get."
How Mickelson has managed not to win a US Open is a mystery to many, including himself after so many near misses especially in 2006 when he had a one shot lead teeing off at the 72nd hole but shot double bogey to hand the title to Australian Geoff Ogilvy.
But his British Open win shows that perseverance and resilience are key components of golfing success, coming as it did on his 20th outing, matching Darren Clarke's record for the most appearances before winning the event for the first time
"You have to be resilient in this game, because losing is such a big part of it," he said, no doubt with his US Open record at the back of his mind.
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