Mickelson eyes elusive US Open after historic PGA triumph at 50
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Ageless wonder Phil Mickelson is taking aim at an elusive US Open title to complete a career Grand Slam after becoming golf鈥檚 oldest major winner by capturing the PGA Championship.
The 50-year-old American left-hander swiped an iconic victory for the ages 鈥 and the aged 鈥 on Sunday, grinding out a two-stroke triumph at windy Kiawah Island for his sixth major title.
鈥淚鈥檝e believed for some time now without success that I could play at my best and compete in major championships still,鈥 he said. 鈥淏ut until this week, I haven鈥檛 proven it to myself or anyone else.鈥
Transforming mind and body with work and discipline, Mickelson has new inspiration to challenge the US Open, the one major he has never won and an event where he owns a record six runner-up finishes, the most recent in 2013.
This year鈥檚 US Open is next month at Torrey Pines, near Mickelson鈥檚 San Diego home, and he turns 51 on June 16, the eve of the opening round.
鈥淚 do believe that if I stay sharp mentally I can play well at Torrey Pines,鈥 Mickelson said. 鈥淚 know I鈥檓 playing well and this could very well be my last really good opportunity to win a US Open, so I鈥檓 going to put everything I have into it.鈥
Mickelson needs the US Open to join Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Gene Sarazen and Ben Hogan as the only golfers to win all four major titles in their careers.
鈥淚鈥檒l take two weeks off before that and go out to Torrey and spend time on the greens and really try to be sharp for that week,鈥 Mickelson said.
鈥淟efty鈥 had not won a major title since the 2013 British Open but has taken the long road back to surpass the prior age mark of 48 set by American Julius Boros at the 1968 PGA Championship.
鈥淐ertainly takes more energy out of me, but if I work a little harder, spend a little more time in the gym, eat well, practice hard, there鈥檚 no reason why I can鈥檛 put it all out there for 18 holes,鈥 Mickelson said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no reason why you can鈥檛 accomplish your goals at an older age. It鈥檚 just going to take more effort. If you put in the work, there鈥檚 nothing you can鈥檛 accomplish.鈥
For Mickelson, that has meant clearing his mind through meditation in order to stay calm under pressure.
鈥淛ust the ability to kind of quiet my mind and get rid of all the exterior noise,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to get all spiritual but that has kind of been the biggest thing for me.
鈥淚鈥檝e tried to shut my mind to a lot of stuff going around. I wasn鈥檛 watching TV. I wasn鈥檛 getting on my phone. I was just trying to quiet things down.鈥
It also means Mickelson, who fasts 36 hours each week, watches what he eats far more than when he was younger, in part to fight psoriatic arthritis.
鈥淚鈥檝e got to eat a lot less and I鈥檝e got to eat better. I just can鈥檛 eat as much and I have to let my body recover,鈥 Mickelson said. 鈥淚t has been a blessing for me because I feel better and I don鈥檛 have inflammation and I wake up feeling good. It has been a sacrifice worth making.鈥
Mickelson had 16 events without a top-20 finish over the past nine months, but delivered an all-time classic to defy Father Time.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very possible that this is the last tournament I ever win, if I鈥檓 being realistic,鈥 Mickelson said.
鈥淏ut it鈥檚 also very possible that I may have had a little bit of a breakthrough in some of my focus and maybe I go on a little bit of a run.鈥
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