There's no way around it -- Mickelson had sort of stunk it up in the three tournaments he had played Titleist - 712 AP2 Forged Irons
this season. There was the T-49 at the Humana Challenge, the missed cut at the Farmers Insurance Open and the T-26 at the Phoenix Open. And in each of those tournaments, Mickelson put up some ugly numbers, including a 77 at the Farmers.
He spent time with a sports psychologist. He decided to quit overthinking the mechanics of his putting stroke. He listened to Amy, who arrived here in time Friday to find her husband in full "mopey" mode during his second round at Monterey Peninsula.
"Come on now," she told him. "Cheer up. Let's go make some birdies."
And he did. His attitude did a 180. He began feeling good about himself and his game.
"Phil's a big-stage kind of guy," said Mickelson's longtime friend and caddie, Jim MacKay. "He loves playing with Tiger."
In his right hand, MacKay clutched the rolled-up flag from the 18th green flagstick. This win meant more than usual. It moved Mickelson ahead of Tom Watson and Cary Middlecoff and into ninth place in all-time PGA Tour victories. Six more wins and he passes Walter Hagen.
And he won it at Pebble, the same place where his grandfather once caddied. Even sweeter, he won it with an overpowering performance that reduced Woods to an afterthought. It wasn't a major, but on some level, it felt like Titleist - 712 AP2 Forged Irons
"I'm not that surprised, no," MacKay said of Mickelson's career final-round low at Pebble.
Did I mention that when Mickelson and Woods have been paired the past five times in the final round, Phil is 5-0?
"Before, I got spanked pretty good," Mickelson was quick to remind everyone. "Let's not forget the big picture here. I've been beat up."
Now it's Woods who is the nail, and Phil the hammer. On Sunday, Mickelson hammered the entire field.