Golf – Phil Mickelson makes history at an early age

“O time suspend your flight”: the American Phil Mickelson achieved a historic feat, becoming at the age of 50 the oldest winner of a Grand Slam tournament, after his victory at the PGA Championship on Sunday at Kiawah Island (North Carolina). South).

This Major coronation is the sixth of his career. Winner of this event for the first time in 2005, of the Augusta Masters (2004, 2006 and 2010) as well as of the British Open (2013), he finished at -6 and kept two strokes ahead of his compatriot Brooks Koepka , who ended up cracking up after starting the day in the lead.

“It’s just an incredible feeling,” Mickelson confessed upon receiving his trophy. “I don’t think I have had such an experience before, so thank you for that, it’s a little disconcerting but above all brilliant”. The moment was quite unique indeed. You only had to see the crowd crowding around him, yelling “Lefty!” Lefty! ”, His nickname because he is left-handed, when he arrives on the green of No18, security guards struggling to escort him. “An incredible environment”, in his words.

Already considered a veteran on the circuit, Mickelson erases from the shelves the American Julius Boros, who won the USPGA at the age of 48, in 1968. All while dancing, better than the competition, with the sometimes violent wind which never stopped sweeping the so versatile Ocean Course, the longest course in history (7201 meters) for a Grand Slam tournament!

Proof that this tall fellow (1.91 m, 91 kg) has never weakened physically under his cap and his reflective sunglasses, despite the heat, humidity and the distance to keep, under the gaze of the alligators masters of the places in swamps adjoining the greens. As the “old crocodile” that he is, Mickelson knew how to keep his calm when he committed his three bogeys in the first part of the course, immediately erased by three birdies, including a wonderful chip that left the bunker on No 5 and accompanied with howls of joy from an audience we hadn’t heard so loudly since Tiger Woods’ winning putt at the 2019 Masters.

Fans of the little white ball, weaned from strong emotions away from the greens in a year and a half of the Covid-19 pandemic, then grasped the historic moment they were witnessing, and wore “Old Phil” in the last nine, started with a 4th birdie. This did not prevent him from faltering with three other conceded bogeys. Without damage however, because at the same time neither Koepka nor Louis Oostuizhen (3rd) took advantage of it, each committing a double bogey which extinguished their hopes.

Mickelson, who had recently confided that his biggest difficulty, with the passing of time, was to remain constant and focused on four full days, admitting to having recourse to meditation in particular to help him, succeeded in surpassing himself on this plan. Certainly over-motivated by the feat within reach of the club, at an age when you hardly dare think about it when shaving in the morning.

“I thought it was possible, but everyone said it wasn’t. I hope others will be inspired by it. It might take a lot of work but, my God, it’s worth it, ”he said. Tiger Woods, man of improbable comebacks, income from almost everything, delicate back operations, depressive episodes, currently recovering from a serious car accident which broke his right leg, is not of moreover not remained insensitive by seeing the exploit carried out by the one who remained in his shadow for the title of greatest golfer of these last 25 years.

“It’s a real inspiration to see Phil Mickelson do it again at 50 years old. Congratulations !!!!!!! ”he tweeted.

Sixteen years separate this coronation from the previous one at the USPGA, won by the former world No. 2 who went down to the 115th last week, the longest gap between two victories in the same Major. What is missing now in this swing magician, who entered history in his own way, through the door of longevity? The US Open, the only Grand Slam title missing from his record, where he finished second on six occasions.

Good thing: the 2021 edition takes place next month in Torrey Pines, in his hometown of San Diego.