Meet the new Lefty
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods met in Butler Cabin for the second straight year at the Masters for a role reversal not seen at Augusta National in more than 40 years.
Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer — rivals briefly, driving forces as long as they played — took turns helping each other into the green jacket for three straight Masters ending in 1965. The scene was replayed Sunday evening when Woods, the defending champion, fit Mickelson into the fabled prize.
"I don't really want to trade next year," Mickelson said after his two-shot victory.
But this role reversal was about more than a green jacket presentation.
Two players separated by everything but raw talent looked strikingly familiar in winning the Masters on a supersized course.
Augusta National was longer than ever in 2002 when Woods went into the final round tied for the lead with U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen, two shots clear of Vijay Singh, with Ernie Els, Mickelson and Sergio Garcia another two shots behind. Woods built a lead and knew his challengers would have to make birdies. They all crashed trying to catch him.
The course was even longer for this year's Masters, softened slightly by rain.
Mickelson was one shot ahead of former Masters champion Fred Couples, with Woods and Singh two shots behind, followed by Goosen and Els. There were 10 players within three shots of the lead, most of them major champions. Mickelson took a two-shot lead and knew par would be his friend. Couples and Woods couldn't make a putt, Singh couldn't deliver a great shot when he needed it.
Along the way, people had to wonder: Who was this guy?
Mickelson carved out a reputation as "Phil the Thrill," a gunslinger whose sole mission was to attack flags and keep everyone entertained with every shot. Even his first two majors kept everyone in suspense to the end — five birdies on the last seven holes to win the '04 Masters, a flop shot from deep rough to tap-in range on the 72nd hole at Baltusrol in the PGA Championship last summer.
This time, he managed to make the Masters boring — which was fine with him.
"The stress-free walk up 18 was incredible. I had been wanting that," Mickelson said. "I had actually been wanting a four- or five-shot lead, but three was OK, too."
For a second — even though he was joking — he sounded like the Mickelson of old.
Lefty didn't endear himself to many people five years ago at the PGA Championship in Atlanta when he opened with a 66 and told CBS Sports that he not only wanted to win, but by a certain margin of victory. He was asked later what number he had in mind.
"I'm not going to say. Doesn't sound good," he said with a smile.
He wound up losing by one shot to David Toms, who laid up on the 18th and made a 10-foot par save.
It took Mickelson a dozen years and 42 majors, but he finally figured out how to win the majors."There's no doubt he's changed," Couples said. "He's an incredible player. He's got more talent than maybe anyone out here in his hands."
