Golf: Worth the wait

By Vincent Musco Sports Central Columnist

The sweet is not as sweet without the sour. - "Vanilla Sky"

Phil Mickelson, freshly clad in a jacket of green and a smile of white, made sure to point out that if it had not been for the years of heartbreak at golf's major championships, his Sunday victory at Augusta would not feel quite as good.

As if any of his fans needed such a reminder.

Mickelson's 20-footer on the Augusta's 18th green, a putt that snaked around the edge of the cup before falling in, undoubtedly set off living room celebrations across the country. Finally, it was Mickelson, the punch-line of every major tournament, jumping "like an idiot" in jubilation when the tournament concluded.

And his fans were jumping with him.

Following Mickelson's career had become heart-wrenching. Three straight third-place finishes in the Masters. Payne Stewart's 20-footer to beat Phil at the 1999 U.S. Open. Near misses at the PGA Championship, including a loss to David Toms on the 72nd hole eerily similar to that of Payne Stewart's.

With the exception of the British Open, Mickelson has been a favorite, if not the favorite, in every major of the past four years. Yet each time, Mickelson either was beaten, or just found a way to lose.

But at the 2004 Masters, a new Phil Mickelson emerged. Phil was hitting controlled fades off the tee instead of sweeping hooks. In layman's terms, this meant that he was sacrificing distance for accuracy and consistency under pressure. Mickelson used his aggressiveness more wisely. He knew that he had to hit it close on 12 since Els had just eagled 13 to pull ahead by three. And on 18, Mickelson used a three-wood to find the center of the fairway setting up his Masters-winning birdie. In the past, he may have used the driver.

But most importantly, Phil decided it was his day to win. He expected good things to happen. And that is something that his fans were never accustomed to doing.

Before Mickelson hit his approach on 13, CBS commentator Peter Kostis announced that this was the time for Phil to step up. We'd all heard enough about his talent and near misses. Now we wanted to see him tell the field that it was his turn, and to play the golf necessary to do it.

Mickelson did just that with birdies at 12, 13, 14, 16, and 18. He won it.

But for Mickelson fans, it was extra sweet. For years, they have been the object of pity not just among golf aficionados, but casual sports fans, as well. "This has to be his year," they'd say in consolation. Phil and his fans would have taken just about any major in any fashion if it meant ending the 0-46 streak. A rain-shortened, Tiger-less British Open would have been acceptable.

Instead, Mickelson knocked off three-time major champion Ernie Els at the top of his game on the final hole with a putt reminiscent of those of Stewart and Toms. Amazingly, Mickelson delivered in a way that made the previous 46 events well worth the wait.

Article courtesy of Sports Central.