GEAR WOMEN’S PRO MEN’S PRO
POSTINGS AMATEUR GATEWAY
VOLUME 2 ISSUE 13 APRIL 4, 2011
1
Tuned Up
Phil Mickelson
Bridgestone’s
e-Series ( 6)
Lewis Outduels
Tseng ( 12)
Monty To Captain
Ryder Again? ( 16)
The Favored One
You’ll have to excuse Phil Mickelson if
he partied Sunday night like it was 2006.
That was the year Mickelson destroyed
the field at the BellSouth Classic in Atlanta
by the princely margin of 13 shots one
week before winning his second Masters.
His scores at BellSouth were 63-65-67-65.
So much for those nattering golf nabobs
who insist majors preparation should be
undertaken away from the public scrutiny
and outside the heat of the battle.
Sunday afternoon in Houston, Mickel-
son shook off two early bogeys and tacked
a closing 65 onto a sizzling Saturday 63
that earned him a three-shot margin of
victory. During one stretch, Mickelson
made 17 birdies in 31 holes. In round
three, he hit 17 greens. Despite a hairline
crack in his driver early on, his tee balls
were straighter than normal.
Mickelson now hauls a tour bag full of
momentum to Augusta this week, where he
will attempt to become the first successful
title defender since Tiger Woods in 2002.
Which brings us to another milestone:
Mickelson has now passed Woods in the
world rankings for the first time in 14
years. Phil moved up to No. 3 and Tiger
dropped to No. 7. And if Lefty isn’t the
chalk for this week’s Masters, Secretariat
wasn’t the favorite for the 1973 Belmont.
So cue the hushed tones, the syrupy
guitar sounds, the blooming dogwoods
and that perfect golf marriage: Augusta
National and high-definition television.
We have waited patiently. We are ready
for the year’s first major. So is Phil.
Brian Hewitt
E-MAIL BRIAN
