Lefty does it right this time around

Phil Mickelson wins his first major and green jacket at the Master's

By Drew Sharp, KRT Campus

AUGUSTA, Ga.—The roar of the gallery reverberated throughout the heavens of Amen Corner, the tremors sending a shiver down Phil Mickelson’s spine. Walking across the Hogan Bridge approaching the 12th green, Mickelson glanced back toward the commotion.

He didn’t need to be told what happened.

His early lead had become a three-shot deficit after Ernie Els eagled the par-five 13th hole—his second eagle of the day.

And once again, a testament to skill morphed into a test of will.

But the difference this time was that Mickelson had already endured a far more soul-buckling scare a year earlier when he almost lost his wife and newborn son. Potentially losing another quality major championship opportunity didn’t register emotionally.

The fearless find their heart, and their reward is validation.

Mickelson’s prize Sunday was a green jacket that was a perfect fit with the monkey no longer on his back. He wore well his new title of Best Golfer To Finally Win A Major.

Gravity could barely contain Mickelson after his 15-foot birdie putt on No. 18 caught just enough of the left side of the cup. The weight of failed expectations finally alleviated, Mickelson exhaled a sigh of relief that was felt nationwide.

He deserved this moment. Amid a flurry of incredible shot-making on the second nine, Mickelson never relented, shooting five under par for the final seven holes. Two fabulous hours finally silenced 10 years of criticism and skepticism regarding his toughness and decision-making.

“ It feels awesome,” he said. “I have a memory that I’ll remember for the rest of my life. But, more importantly, this is all the more fulfilling because I can share this with just an incredible life partner in Amy and three wonderful, healthy kids.”

Mickelson walked off the 18th green and straight into his wife’s arms. He grabbed each of his two daughters, telling 2-year-old Sophia, “Daddy won! Daddy won!” You could see the tears crystallizing in his eyes when he held his 1-year-old son, Evan.

He almost lost Amy and Evan last March following complications during childbirth.

Amy hemorrhaged after suffering a six-inch tear in a major artery. Evan had stopped breathing for nearly seven minutes, and if emergency specialists weren’t there to immediately administer treatment, he probably would have suffered brain damage.

And Amy was just minutes away from internally bleeding to death.

Emotionally drained after enduring such a close call, Mickelson spent a month away from the tour as his wife convalesced. His game had some backward spin on it. He fell from the second ranked in the world to 13th, dropping 36 spots on the money list for 2003 to No. 38.

Few knew of his personal torment. He treated his depression with doughnuts. He abandoned his customary short-game practice regimen that has made him a magician with a wedge.

But if there’s value in adversity, 2003 enriched Mickelson. He gained a true appreciation of the preciousness of time and talent. Neither is infinite. Neither can be wasted.

It was an epiphany.

He was done fooling himself and others. Nobody bought into his assertion two years ago that major championships meant nothing to him. Excuses became reflexive. He needlessly gambled on the par-five, 16th hole at Bay Hill two years ago, trailing Tiger Woods by one stroke on the final day. Instead of safely punching a second shot back into the fairway after driving into the trees, Mickelson attempted an impossible low, four-iron and didn’t clear the water.

Stubborn to a fault, Mickelson vowed afterwards to never change, “not tomorrow or at Augusta or the U.S. Open or any other tournament.”

Mickelson swallowed his ego, finally acknowledging that his swashbuckling tendencies of old were wrong.

He’s always had the imagination necessary to win a green jacket. He just never possessed the discipline.

“ It’s just a much easier game keeping it in play,” he said following Saturday’s round, tongue firmly planted in cheek. “I wish somebody would have told me this earlier.”

He played it safe when prudent, turning aggressive only when Els’ magical final round warranted a more uncompromising approach.

“ When I was on the course, I didn’t feel the anxiety that I have in the past when it looked like something might be slipping away,” he said.

“ I wasn’t focusing on what others might be doing and just concentrated on playing my game consistently like I had all week. I’ve felt different this whole week. I just felt more relaxed and more confident.”

Mickelson finally found the winning formula, providing the perfect exclamation point to one of the more emotionally wrenching Masters.

A tournament that sadly began with Tom Watson’s caddie, Bruce Edwards, losing his battle to Lou Gehrig’s disease happily concluded with the resurrection of one man’s sense of purpose.