British Open 2019: Phil Mickelson probably won’t win, but that’s okay with him

Phil Mickelson did a “hard reset” to get his game right for the British Open, but even if that’s not enough to win the Claret Jug, he’ll be alright.

Phil Mickelson has delivered some incredible moments in the British Open over the past decade. He had a then-career best runner-up finish behind Darren Clarke in 2011, and he came back from a five-shot deficit two years later to win the Claret Jug at Muirfield. Three years later, he and Henrik Stenson went at it again, creating their own “Duel in the Sun” moment at Royal Troon.

That was only three years ago, but so much has changed since then. Phil is 49 years old now, and although he still carries himself with a joy and confidence that most of the twenty-somethings on Tour would envy, something has been missing this year.

Things all started so well, didn’t they? Lefty took out Tiger Woods in “The Match” – as overhyped as that ended up being – in November. He started his 2019 TOUR campaign with a runner-up finish in the Desert Classic, and then he went and won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, instantly cementing himself as a favorite to close his career Grand Slam when the U.S. Open returned to the Monterey Peninsula.

As great as Mickelson has been on social media this year, he’s struggled to get it done on the course in the five months that have passed since that win. He’s finished in the top-25 just once in his last twelve starts, and he’s missed the cut in four of his last six. He tied for 71st at the PGA Championship, and 52nd at the U.S. Open. He’s broken 70 just three times since Augusta.

Things have gotten bad for Phil Mickelson, but do you really think that’s going to stop him? Of course not. In fact, if anything, he’s going to double down on his efforts to turn the game around, even if it means take some pretty drastic measures. Which brings us to this week.

When Lefty showed up at Royal Portrush on Monday, there were certainly plenty of people wondering who was taking up the range spot that was reserved with a placard reading “Phil Mickelson”. Sure, the southpaw was hitting bombs, but he also looked about 20 pounds lighter than the guy we saw for two days in Minnesota two weeks ago.

Well, it turns out that security did their jobs well, and the almost slender chap out on the links of Portrush was, indeed, the 2013 Champion Golfer of the Year. He posted a message to his followers on Twitter explaining his mindset in recent weeks, and despite its brevity, it’s pretty revealing.

Whoa. Save for a few posts about the United States Women’s National Team on their path to the World Cup championship, Lefty had been pretty much radio silent since an early departure from the 3M Open. Now we know why.

But why the decision to, for all intents and purposes, basically starve himself?

“I didn’t fast to lose weight,” Mickelson told Steve DiMeglio of USA Today. “I fasted to heal.”

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"“Mechanically, my swing is right where I want it to be. But mentally, I’ve just been losing focus. And my energy wasn’t there. So, I needed to make changes. The first day, day and a half, was tough. But by the fifth, sixth day, I wasn’t craving for food. I feel a ton better. I have so much energy, mental clarity.”"

Over the better part of a quarter of a century on golf’s biggest stages, there’s basically nothing that Mickelson hasn’t run into, either professionally or personally. And he’d be the first to agree with the old Bobby Jones quip that golf is played in “the space between your ears”.

I don’t think it matters much what got Phil off his game, mentally or physically. I mean, come on, he’s only human. Granted, he’s a human who’s both filthy rich and the owner of a set of calves that would make Hercules jealous, but I’m certain there are still problems of some variety out there.

All kidding aside, though, while I’m disappointed that I’m not really going to be sweating Phil this week, I’m okay with the reason why. And honestly, it seems like he is too, which is so much more important than any one golf tournament, no matter how big it is, or how many more chances at it he might get.

Phil Mickelson will be at his best – golf, entertainment, and his personal life – when he’s back to being happy and healthy. That might not mean raising the Claret Jug this week, but it’ll be good to have the “real” Phil back.