Phil Mickelson chases victory, history

After 27 appearances, 100 official rounds and 7,127 strokes, Phil Mickelson can still induce some of the best roars at Augusta National.

As he made the turn Friday during the second round of the Masters, Mickelson threw a dart into the ninth green. His ball settled 13 feet from the cup, and when he rolled it in, the patrons gave their hearty approval. Mickelson merely tipped his cap.

After his 1-over-par 73, which left him at 4-under for the tournament and in the hunt, he was asked what the milestone meant.

“Just that I’m getting old,” Mickelson quipped.

PHOTOS: Tuesday's round at Augusta National

A win this week by Mickelson would truly be one for the ages: Not only would he eclipse Jack Nicklaus (46) as the oldest Masters winner, he would beat Julius Boros (48 years, 4 months, 18 days) as the oldest major winner, period. Mickelson will turn 49 in June.

When he plays in Augusta, Mickelson feels like that kid with the turned-up collar who shot 69 in his Masters debut. He cut two-time defending champion Nick Faldo by two shots that April day in 1991.

“Every time I come here, I just get so excited to be here and to play, and it brings back memories when I was a kid and it makes me feel young, and it just has really been special to be able to come and spend so much time here,” he said. “This is a very spiritual place if you love golf the way we do.”

Longtime Masters patrons have watched Mickelson virtually grow up during his yearly trips to Augusta.

Mickelson’s a modern-day version of Arnold Palmer: immensely popular with the fans, but liable to make an unforced error at any moment.

Like Palmer did with Nicklaus, Mickelson always had to contend with the best player of his generation: Tiger Woods. Mickelson could only watch as Woods piled up the majors, and wonder if his day would ever come.

It finally did in 2004, when Mickelson put on the greatest final-nine charge since Jack Nicklaus in ‘86 to win his first major. He birdied Nos. 12, 13, 14, 16 and 18, the latter producing a small leap for the ages. A heartbroken Ernie Els could only listen to the roar as he awaited a possible playoff.

In 2006, Lefty used two drivers – one for fades, one for draws – and produced a two-shot victory.

In 2010, Mickelson earned his third Masters victory with perhaps his best 72-hole performance. After opening with 67-71, Mickelson thrilled the galleries with back-to-back eagles at the 13th and 14th in the third round. On Sunday, facing a pine-straw lie at the 13th, Mickelson knocked his ball between two Georgia pines and hit a great shot to set up an easy birdie. His 67 helped him win by three.

Mickelson is capable of still winning on the PGA Tour. He won at Pebble Beach earlier this year, and he also contended in the California desert. A triumph this weekend would bump him into elite company and allow him to join Palmer and Woods as a four-time winner, a couple behind Nicklaus’ record six.

“Yeah, that would be pretty cool, but that’s way ahead of myself,” Mickelson said. “I got two long rounds, two fun rounds, but challenging, and it’s just fun to be in the thick of it.

“It’s been fun to compete earlier in the year, to have a win, and come close at Palm Springs, those opportunities are what are so fun, but at the Masters it’s even to another level.”

Mickelson has been lucky so far this week. He had a late tee time Thursday, and he lit up the leaderboard with five birdies in his final seven holes. On Friday, he finished a good hour before play was suspended for nearly 30 minutes.

He acknowledged that he will have to hit his driver better if he’s going to make any weekend noise.

At the par-5 8th, normally a birdie hole for him, he chopped it up by hitting left off the tee, hitting his second across the fairway and then hitting his third around a tree. He wound up with bogey.

“If I hit it reasonably straight I can attack a lot of holes, and I hit some poor ones,” he said. “But I just have to drive it a little bit better. If I drive like I did (Thursday) I’m going to have a good week.”

The patrons going around all week shouting “Phil!” would love nothing better. And, like the kid who thrilled patrons here nearly three decades ago, he has confidence he can slip on another green jacket.

“I spent some time here last week and was shooting some low numbers, and if I can go shoot a good one (Saturday) I’ll be in it for Sunday,” Mickelson said.