Phil Mickelson clearly wasn’t his age this week. At almost 51 years old (he will have them in June), the legendary left-hander has written one of the most incredible pages of his already amply-supplied record. By winning the PGA Championship this Sunday on the delicate track of Kiawah Island (South Carolina), Lefty did more than pocket a sixth Grand Slam title. He became the oldest Major winner in history, largely wiping Julius Boros from the shelves (48 at the 1968 PGA).
Koepka resists …
Gone one step ahead of Brooks Koepka, Lefty Granted him from the outset the controls of the tournament (3 putts, against birdie flawless). But the start of the game for the two Americans was kind of irregular. The errors of one (double bogey from Koepka in 2) alternated with the wonders of the other (out of the bunker in the box for birdie in 5) so that after six holes the two men were tied for the lead at -6.
From the 7th the wind was blowing in favor of the left-hander. On this par 5 attempted in two by the two men, Mickelson did the best with an easy birdie, while Koepka failed to find water on his attack on the green and saved a bogey as best he could. The hole was made. It was only going to get bigger from there.
… but Mickelson escapes
It was at the start of the return, at 10, that Mickelson produced an effort that would prove to be crucial from a school birdie (3.50m putt after a 145m iron shot). His lead over his nearest pursuer at that precise moment amounted to four strokes.
This safety margin would even briefly drop to five strokes following an error by Louis Oosthuizen in 13 (double bogey). But the more the minutes and the holes went by, the more the pressure challenged the so placid Phil.
The pressure resurfaces
A first bogey at 13 (second shot in the water), another from 14 (short tee shot, missed putt on this par 3) and here is Mickelson with three units in advance with four holes from the goal. The bleeding was stopped with a wedge shot three meters away from the next par 4. But then again, the insane pressure held the putter back Lefty. The birdie was missed by nothing.
A bomb for the win
What better than a par 5 to fully utilize the adrenaline flowing in this crazy moment? Mickelson threw a 335m bomb on the 16th (longest drive of the week on this hole) to try and even fly over the green in two. He gave himself a little air of a birdie given after a chip played to perfection. Three strokes ahead and two holes to play … What wisely concede a bogey on the so delicate 17th hole (par 3) after a first shot too deep over the green.
What above all to unleash a drive in the crowd along the left edge of the fairway at 18, the opposite of danger on this ultimate challenge. Caught up by this molten audience, nervously chewing on a huge piece of gum, Mickelson tried as best he could to maintain his bonze attitude and unleashed a huge blow with iron 9.
Behind his aviator’s glasses, the current 115th in the world was walking at the slow pace that he imposed on himself all week towards this green of the 18th which was going to consecrate him. A final birdie narrowly missed did not change anything, his 73 of the day was enough to win at -6 with two strokes ahead of Koepka and Oosthuizen.
The American had undoubtedly just written one of the most beautiful pages in the history of golf. Arms in the air, Phil Mickelson was savoring his sixth Grand Slam title, he who had not signed any Top 10 in these tournaments for five years. ” I’m not sure how to describe the emotions that come over me after such a day, declared a very moved Mickelson at a press conference. It is a very powerful feeling that I will cherish all my life. Performing a performance of this magnitude when fewer and fewer people thought I could, it’s … special. Very special. I am very proud of it ».
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