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Mon Oct 12, 2009 1:39 pm EDT

Phil Mickelson channels his inner Obi-Wan Kenobi

By Jay Busbee

One of the pleasant surprises of the Presidents Cup was the way Phil Mickelson has seamlessly moved from "underachieving jokester" to elder playing statesman of U.S. golf. He's hit the place where he's both seeing results and winning over fans, and his play this week at the Presidents Cup is only adding to his reputation.

Mickelson was 4-0-1 this week, a record second only to Tiger Woods' 5-0-0. More importantly, while Tiger was getting into a smooth groove with Steve Stricker, Mickelson was switching partners more often than Derek Jeter. Most notably, he spotted Sean O'Hair struggling to an 0-2 start on Thursday and Friday, so Mickelson took him under his wing. Together, they won one and split one, not a bad day's work.

"Phil did a great job coaching me through today, which made me feel comfortable and helped me play my game, which was nice," O'Hair said. "I couldn't have had a better pairing today."

"Actually, I took him selfishly," Mickelson said after the round, "because I thought Sean had been striking the ball well, and I thought it was the best chance to win a point."

He did that and more. This has been a year of oscillating emotions and performances for Mickelson, and the way he's finished it out, he's poised to become one of the most important figures in golf in 2010. Tiger may -- and probably will -- win more on the course, but Phil is setting up to be every bit as important to the game.

Wing man Mickelson takes O'Hair under his wing [San Francisco Chronicle]

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45 Comments

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  1. d f
    1. Posted by d f Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:35 pm EDT

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    when phil is on ... no one can stand in his way!
  2. DarylV
    2. Posted by DarylV Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:35 pm EDT

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    Wow... somone is on the Phil train... Thought you only had the hots for tiger. good for you, Its nice to see you broadening your love affairs. Too bad Adam Scott isn't from the U.S. Could Phil fix him?
  3. Mr.OK
    3. Posted by Mr.OK Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:51 pm EDT

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    phil will overtake the sissy woods and claim the best golfer title sometime next year if he takes care of his body and diet,,.... adinaro
  4. Scott
    4. Posted by Scott Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:59 pm EDT

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    Tiger is the best ever and Phil will always be in that group far behind him
  5. Whit
    5. Posted by Whit Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:01 pm EDT

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    This was one of the worst coverages of golf match I have ever witnessed....I waisted 1-2 hours
    watching the 13th and 25th ranked players go at it -----good grief...if I had know that most of the
    coverage was going to be on Mahan and Vejjagus(lol) i would have listened to it on PGA radio.
    NOTHING on Mickelson for most the time...nothing on Perry most of the time...nothing on
    Stricker most of the time.....just lesser ranked players and Tiger's womping of YE yang....
    NBC waisted MY time yesterday morning....
  6. Larry K
    6. Posted by Larry K Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:07 pm EDT

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    It sure was fun watching the Presidents cup, but once again it was tiger tiger tiger..
    Stricker was the one that carried tiger. Tw only cares about His stats. There was
    so many feel good stories, but oh no, only about Tiger.
    The story of the week is how Phil mentored Sean, KIm and Justin. That was great
    to watch !!! What would of happened if Tw had to play with other players than Stricker ??
    Why is it players don't seem to want to double with Tw ??? I can see why because it's
    all about him -- too bad
    Am sorry golf has to end, but am looking forward to next year.
  7. Paul
    7. Posted by Paul Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:31 pm EDT

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    5. Posted by Whit
    I enjoyed the golf yesterday, even gave up football to watch all of it.
    NBC didn’t hold a gun on me to watch though.
  8. joenault
    8. Posted by joenault Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:45 pm EDT

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    Just a class act by Vijay Singh yesterday when he gave Lucas Glover the putt to split the match.
  9. LongTrans
    9. Posted by LongTrans Mon Oct 12, 2009 4:03 pm EDT

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    Phil is scary long off the tee now. Couple that with his short game, including him returning to form in dropping putts from all over the place, and look out! This dude is brimming with confidence as well he should be. He will be another Legend this great game has given us. It's so cool to see him taking a leadership role with the team. But now that team play is over, it will be interesting to see just how next year turns out. This dude has pulled off some of the most miraculous shots I've ever seen. They could teach a physics class on some of the shots. Next year is going to be cool.
  10. Skillet
    10. Posted by Skillet Mon Oct 12, 2009 4:26 pm EDT

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    Phil will always be #2 - there is no one within range of the greatness of Tiger.
    There is no discussion here. You don't become the greatest or #1 because you have an awesome year, or in Phils case a great finish to a year. Keep on dreamin..... maybe it'll be in another life, but not this one.
  11. Tickle Monster
    11. Posted by Tickle Monster Mon Oct 12, 2009 4:46 pm EDT

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    This isn't a Tiger against Phil article. For once it wasn't all about Tiger and people get all defensive. Tiger won 5 points and I thought that was great. But really, Phil's accomplishment of 4 1/2 points with several different combo's was even more remarkable. I'm not trying to take anything away from Tiger. He IS the best in the world...But Phil did a remarkable job given the circumstances.
    I think next year should be a fun year if Phil keeps playing the way he has. Tiger is the best but don't take away from what Phil did this weekend just because you are a Tiger fan. And quite frankly, Tiger couldn't have beaten anyone on Saturday. He didn't play well at all. Stricker bailed him out all day.
    So give Phil his due and stop trying to make this a "Who is better post."
  12. Kelly G
    12. Posted by Kelly G Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:23 pm EDT

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    It was nice to see Phil having such a good time. We need as many players as we can get playing well next year, and I hope Phil is one of them.
  13. jdub
    13. Posted by jdub Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:26 pm EDT

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    Hey Larry! Your right it was all about "Tiger, Tiger Tiger", because NOBODY cares about Phillup!
  14. RonnieP
    14. Posted by RonnieP Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:33 pm EDT

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    All you Phil fan's still clinging on to hope and reasons to say something good about the guy. Why not reserve it until next year to see if he shows up for a full year, and not just after one tournament or the Presidents Cup.
  15. RonnieP
    15. Posted by RonnieP Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:37 pm EDT

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    Oh! One more thing! It's always about Tiger because Tiger is golf, and until someone can consistently challenge him year and year out it'll always be Tiger and everyone else. It is good to be living right now to say that I watched the greatest golfer to ever!! play the game.
  16. patrick.ente@...
    16. Posted by patrick.ente@... Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:53 pm EDT

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    Did anyone attending the Presidents Cup happen to see the match between Hunter Mahan and Camillo Villegas ? Hunter's putt ran past the hole 3 feet, and Villegas let him pick up. But when Villegas' putt ran past the hole the same length, Hunter made him putt.
    Most of us in the gallery were perturbed that he made Camillo putt. Even Camillo seemed a bit irked after he made the putt. Now I know this is a competition, but unlike the Ryder Cup, this event seems a bit more about sportsmanship and actual team play, even though they were playing singles matches.
    That act, it itself, is part of the reason why people root so hard against the U.S. whenever they play in another country. We are a "win-at-all-cost" nation, rather than playing your best to win, but always keeping in mind sportsmanship. The PGA has this "First Tee" program for kids, that is supposed to teach those intangible things such as honesty, sportsmanship, integrity, all the things we want our kids to grow up with, but yet our own professional athletes don't walk-the-walk, they just talk-the-talk.
    Other than that, I vote to keep Freddy as captain for 2011, and for the next Ryder Cup. He seems to have the right type of attitude, that makes for very competitive golf, but keeps everything in perspective.
  17. Mel W
    17. Posted by Mel W Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:57 pm EDT

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    Phil is a class act guy! I was a volunteer at the president's cup and after the Saturday matches a few US and international players watched on the 18th green to see Mickelson and OHair halve the match. There were a bunch of kids as young as 2 were waiting and screaming for the players for autographs. Everybody just blew by them and saw one girl get teary eyed... guessed who stuck around for 20 minutes to sign. It was Phil! I'm a big TIger Woods fan and also appreciated Phil's talent. But Phil is a class act guy! I'll be cheering more for Phil next season and wish you and your wife the best!
  18. Douglas C
    18. Posted by Douglas C Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:04 pm EDT

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    Phil was undoubtably the Cup MVP, 4-0-1 and noone carried him. If he'd had a Steve Stricker to back him up, he'd have been an easy 5-0-0. Without Stricker that other guy would have been 3-2. Great week Phil. God be with you, Amy, and your mom. Get ready for next year. The majors will be yours for the taking.
  19. Ron H
    19. Posted by Ron H Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:15 pm EDT

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    When people say "Tiger is golf" I want to reach for a barf bag. This article is about Phil and how well he
    did this weekend dispite playing with several different players. You Tiger lovers better hope he never gets the
    Yips with the putter (which has happened to many great players in the past). If he does, he'll just be another
    pro golfer.
  20. Wayne
    20. Posted by Wayne Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:36 pm EDT

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    patrick.ente@... Nice try but you got that exactly backwards. Hunter was shocked that Villeagas made HIM putt the shorter putt. Time to watch closer buddy...
  21. lewisos87
    21. Posted by lewisos87 Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:55 pm EDT

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    why is it that no matter what tw does some people are just waiting to see him fail. congrats to both him and the u.s. team.phil was great tiger was great stricker was great everybody played their role well and captain couples and the u.s.a. were the beneficiaries.it's the end of the golf season smile and move on .when phil has surpassed tiger in victories and consistency the topic on who's best can be debated until then appreciate them for their individual talent.smile and move on.
  22. billieboy
    22. Posted by billieboy Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:57 pm EDT

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    JAY !
    OH BY THE WAY , DID YOU SEE THE " other " article TODAY
    TALKING ABOUT THE ' SPAT ' BETWEEN ALLENBY AND A. KIM ?
    Was A. Kim a Bad Boy " ? WHY was he walking " sideways " ,
    and where was he between midnight and 4 AM before he went to bed ? !
    Ummm .. was he drinking or he had went to a " party " in someone else 's room ?
    Oh how come Allenby ' s friends reported that A. Kim was walking funny ?
    Why was Couples ' picking up on him lightly ' ? Why did the funny man , M. J. ,
    tell A. Kim that he was ' sweating , and did not look ' presentable ' and told to
    go to his hotel room like a schoolboy ! ? STRANGE FACTS or STRANGE FICTION !
    In his defense like a ' wounded dog ' , A. Kim said : I went straight to my room " , and
    " I am surprised that Allenby would talk like that about me ( oh my gosh ! ) .
    Sorry about this mess but nevertheless alarming and juicy , ummmmm ...
    was A. Kim telling the truth ?
  23. John S
    23. Posted by John S Mon Oct 12, 2009 8:20 pm EDT

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    I wasn't really impressed with Mickelson's President's Cup performance. Sure he had some different partners, but Sean O'Hair isn't exactly chopped liver and is one of the best players in the world (5th in FedEx Cup). Phil even admitted in the article that he selfishly chose Sean. Let's look at the also-ran's Phil defeated over the Cup: Retief Goosen (3 times)!, Adam Scott!, Camilo Villegas! Vijay Singh! Cup MVP? Please.
  24. kenskcar166
    24. Posted by kenskcar166 Mon Oct 12, 2009 8:40 pm EDT

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    About Tiger & Phil. When is the last time any of you saw a golfer ranked #1 not play for a year, &, still be ranked # 1 when he or she returned to golf ? Seems to me that #2 ranked golfer would overtake the top spot. V.J is the only one to have ever overtaken the top spot , &, he did it with Tiger playing. Sorry, Phil may be a nice guy & all, but, has to be the worst # 2 ever.

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