AUGUSTA, Georgia (AFP) — Phil Mickelson believes that the next five years will define his golfing career starting with the year's first major at Augusta National on Thursday.
The 38-year-old American left-hander has won three majors and 36 tournaments worldwide in a stellar 17-year career, but he has long walked in the giant shadow of Tiger Woods and there remains a feeling that he should have won more.
All that, he hopes, is about to change after a strong start to the year that has seen him win twice already on the US PGA Tour and return to No. 2 in the world rankings.
"I feel like right now I'm playing some of the best golf that I've ever played," he said after completing his final practice round ahead of Thursday's first round.
"I'm driving the ball better than I ever have. The last few years of changes with (coach) Butch (Harmon) have settled in to where I'm confident striking the ball.
"I feel very comfortable and confident in my game and in my equipment, and I feel like I'll be able to, in the next five years, achieve levels of play that I haven't achieved earlier in my career.
"I don't want there to be any uncertainties. I want to continue down this path and see how far I can go."
Augusta has certainly been a happy hunting ground for the big Californian.
Two of his majors have been won here, in 2004 and 2006, and he has nine top 10 finishes in 16 appearances including a tie for fifth place last year.
It is a course that suits him down to the ground with his sharp skills around the greens and superb putting touch an ideal match for Augusta's lightning-fast, undulating greens.
He is also one of those who says he is comfortable with the changes enacted to the course over the last few years which have added length and rough to an already tough layout.
"The weather the last two years has made the golf course play much more difficult than previous years. And it's very hard to mount a charge when it's cold and windy," he said.
"But I don't think that was due to the changes in the course I think it was more due to the conditions that we were facing.
"When I played here a couple of weeks ago when it was warm, I was able to hit the same clubs into the par 4s and par 5s that I did back in the early '90s. So I feel like the changes have been for the most part very positive."
Mickelson's early season form also put him within striking distance of the world No.1 spot and he knows that for many people the dream scenario would be for him and Woods to go head to head down the back nine on Sunday.
If that happens, he says he will be ready for it and relish the challenge, but he is at pains to stress that he feels no particular personal rivalry with the 14-time major winner with whom he does not enjoy the warmest of ties.
"For me to perform well, I've got to attack the golf course the way I can and not worry about what he does and not let his great shots or poor shots affect the way I play my next shot," Mickelson said.
"It's not a match play situation. It's a stroke play event and for me to play my best, I can't get caught up in that or nor can he."
Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved.Source Here
No comments:
Post a Comment