![]() His first-round 2-under-par 70 left him within striking range of Cory Connors. Unlike Arnold and Jack, Phil was lurking around the leader board from the very start. The only thing that was very reminiscent of Phil Mickelson’s game was a brilliant short game that featured dynamic lob shots, rock-solid chips, superb sand play, and a putting touch to die for. He kept the ball in play, played it safe when it was necessary, and swung with fluidity and confidence. Mickelson has often been compared to Arnold Palmer for his bold and sometimes foolhardy approach to the game, but this time around it wasn’t that Phil of old. He wore sunglasses, walked slowly, didn’t actively engage with the crowd as has been his history, and he wasn’t the all-or-nothing golfer that we had been so very familiar with. ![]() Then again, I’m not sure that was vintage Phil Mickelson we saw over those four rounds at Kiawah Island. Just prior to the PGA, Phil was considered washed up. Had anyone showed a lack of golf knowledge and put an emotional $100 bet on Phil to win the PGA Championship, they would have pocketed $20,000. Going into last week’s PGA, Mickelson was a very distant 168th in the Fed Ex Cup standings and was considered to be the 115th-best golfer, according to the Official World Golf Rankings. He was just one month shy of his 51st birthday and it was his sixth major title. Last Sunday, Phil Mickelson became the oldest golfer to win a major championship as he defeated a star-studded field during the PGA Championship on the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island. Less than one year removed from college golf, Tiger Woods prevailed in the 1997 Masters to win by an eye-popping 12 strokes. Jack Nicklaus shocked the golfing world in 1986 by shooting a final-nine 30 at age 46 to win his sixth Masters green jacket and 18th major title. Arnold Palmer charged from 15th place in the final round to capture the 1960 National Open at Cherry Hills. In 1953 Ben Hogan returned from a near-death car crash to crush his opponents and win the U.S. In 1913 the boy-caddie, Francis Ouimet, defeated Harry Vardon and Ted Ray to win the United States Open at the Country Club. Over the course of the 161-year history of major championship golf, there have been six defining moments that have forever been etched into the game’s annals.
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