No More ‘What If’ for Phil Mickelson

Phil Mickelson won the PGA Championship at Kiawah this past week. But more impressive than becoming the oldest winner in Major golf history was seeing a man make the transition from Hall of Fame player to legend of the game.

Phil Mickelson wasn’t always this lovable. For much of his career, he seemed to fight himself as much as his wild driver.

His penchant for gambling – on and off the course – earned him a reputation as someone who could be cavalier, bordering on reckless, if you believed many of the rumors.

His boyish charm barely hid what most agreed was an out-sized ego for a guy who could never, and would never, be the greatest of his generation. Tiger made sure of that long ago.

Mickelson also showed an unsavory side. He ran afoul of Captain Tom Watson in one of the biggest Ryder Cup meltdowns in Team USA history. The disaster in 2014 at Gleneagles seemed to confirm the worst parts of a Phil Mickelson the public only glimpsed: a self-important brat who never grew up nor understood his place in the American golfing pecking order. It still remains the darkest episode of Mickelson’s storied career.

Suffice it to say the career of Phil Mickelson has been a wild ride. He went from Boy Wonder, to best to never win a Major, to multiple Major winner, to Ryder Cup Benedict Arnold, to social media star, and now to where we are today.

It’s been a heck of a journey, but the destination has made it worth the journey.

Phil Mickelson – the man who won at Kiawah by fending off the Koepka and several other past Major winners – has finally become the best version of himself.

Watching the post round interviews, there was a sense of humility about Phil Mickelson. That word has never been used to describe him in the past.

This Phil was reflective and humble in his answers. Oh sure, a couple of reporters goaded Phil into talking about ‘hitting bombs’. But for the most part, the Phil Mickelson who walked off the 18th green at The Ocean Course at Kiawah was a different man than the one who teed off on Thursday.

It’s fair to say Phil Mickelson never seemed to be content with his legacy until this past Sunday. He’d left a lot on the table. He posted 21 Top 5 finishes in Majors. That includes 11 Runner-ups or T2 finishes.

That’s a whole lot of “What if” to look back on. What if Tiger hadn’t been around during Phil’s prime? What if Phil had quieted his mind or controlled his driver just a little bit more in some of those close Major finishes?

Could we be talking about 10+ Major wins? Maybe.

As it sits today, Mickelson has elevated himself past five-time winners Seve, Byron Nelson, Peter Thompson, James Braid, and J.H. Taylor, to join Lee Trevino and Nick Faldo with six Major wins. That certainly is more rarified air.

More importantly, Mickelson seems to have finally found his legacy in the game. He is now among the greats. His longevity and quality of play over his 30 years on Tour is surpassed only by Nicklaus. Phil has now won Majors in three different decades. In the modern game, only Tiger, Jack, Gary Player, Raymond Floyd can say the same.

That stunning win at Kiawah buried a bunch of ‘What ifs’ for Phil Mickelson. He need not wonder if he was going to be swallowed up by a host of current players on a trajectory to eclipse his career Major wins total. Speith, Rory, Brooks, and DJ are all within striking distance, but none are likely to reach six Majors with the flourish Phil added at Kiawah.

Phil Mickelson is finally playing with house money. Yes, it’s seemed like that’s been the case for a long time, but in Phil’s mind I’m not so sure it was true.

Today, Phil Mickelson can let it ride. It’s all gravy from here. His legacy among the greatest of all time is secure, even if he never wins on Tour again.

Even better, Phil looks to have finally slowed his mind, embraced the moment, and found his place as the cool older brother on Tour. He’s still got plenty of game. The fire is still burning to win again. But he doesn’t need to ever think about ‘What if’ again. His place among the greats is set in stone.

That’s a great mindset for a golfer who is looking forward to contesting the US Open in his hometown in a few short weeks.

Maybe he’ll contend at Torrey Pines. Maybe he’ll miss the cut. We don’t know. I can tell you one thing; after this past week at Kiawah, we’ll all be watching. And it will be easy to root for a guy who seems to have finally found peace – a peace even he might not have known he’d been seeking – in all these years of chasing a legacy.