I was prepared to rally the troops in 2016 for Phil Mickelson’s last ride at the Masters. I picked Lefty to win for the fourth time at Augusta National (all of his wins have come in even-numbered years) and touted him as the play after he came barreling into the first major with three top-five finishes under his belt.
Then he shot 72-79 and missed the cut.
I am once again prepared to ride for Mickelson, but this time I’m more cautious. Lefty will be 47 in June, and if he wins a fourth green jacket, he would be the oldest in history by several months (Jack Nicklaus was also 46 in 1986).
To join Nicklaus (six Masters), Arnold Palmer (four) and Tiger Woods (four) would be one of the great major wins of all time. He would become the oldest four-time winner by 13 years. And Mickelson has not won an event since the 2013 Open Championship.
Still, Mickelson lives for tight lies and impossible shots. Winning in a field that includes a supercharged Dustin Johnson as well as Rory McIlroy, Jason Day and Jordan Spieth would qualify as both.
Mickelson said he played the course at Augusta National last Monday and Tuesday.
“I think playing here really helps me,” Mickelson said. “Helps me to get sharp so that ... I get focused and dialed in a lot easier when I only have three days in between tournament rounds rather than ten days or more. I like playing the week before.”
Mickelson has been stout so far in 2017. He has five top 25s in eight events. That might not sound like a lot, but when you combine a strong start to his career record at the Masters, it means something. Mickelson has made 20 of 23 cuts at Augusta as a pro with 15 top 10s and 15 (!) top fives. He also has three wins.
Mickelson’s last real run at a jacket was in 2015 when he finished T2, but that has been surrounded by a pair of missed cuts. So what should we expect this time around?
“[My game is] encouraging in some areas, discouraging in others,” Mickelson recently told the Augusta Chronicle. “The areas that I usually excel at -- which are lag putting, basic chips, easy chips -- I’m throwing a lot of shots away that I shouldn’t be throwing away. I’m doing the hard things well but the easy things I’m not doing so well, so I’ll have to work on that.”
Lefty ranks in the top 20 in strokes gained around the green as well as strokes gained putting. No surprises there. Of course, he also ranks No. 166 in strokes gained off the tee. He can be wild at this tournament and still contend, though. That’s actually what he’s built a career doing.
“If he drives it well ...” is a great parlor game to play with Mickelson’s odds.
Mickelson has constructed his game -- whether intentionally or inadvertently -- around contending at majors (specifically the Masters) for 30 or more years. I believe he has one final true stab at this event left in him. I don’t know whether it will come in 2017 or 2019 or 2022 or beyond. Nobody knows.
What I do know, though, is that whenever it happens, it will be one hell of a final ride.
