Phil Mickelson, eager to bury memories of last year, has every reason to look forward to this week’s Colonial Invitational with the world number one ranking within fingertip reach.
Should the American left-hander win the PGA Tour event at Colonial Country Club on Sunday, he would take over at the top of the global pecking order from his compatriot Tiger Woods.
Mickelson has produced a glittering resume that includes four major victories and 38 PGA Tour titles but becoming world number one has remained tantalisingly elusive.
“It’s something that we as golfers all strive to be recognised for — as the best player,” second-ranked Mickelson told reporters on the eve of Thursday’s opening round at Colonial, a venue where he triumphed in 2000 and 2008.
“It would certainly mean a lot because I have not done that in my career. It would be an accomplishment I would look back on and be very proud of.”
Woods, who has steadily dropped ranking points this year, is sidelined with a lingering neck injury and not expected to return to the circuit until at least next week for the Memorial tournament.
However, U.S. Masters champion Mickelson preferred not to be distracted by the rankings topic as he prepared to win another tournament on the world’s most competitive circuit.
“I will probably try to downplay it typically,” the 39-year-old said. “To accomplish that, I can’t focus on that. I still need to go out and play like the number one player in the world, so I’ve got some work to do.”
BREAST CANCER
Mickelson was not prepared to reflect on his life 12 months ago when he suspended his tour campaign indefinitely after his wife Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer.
He had been scheduled to defend his title at Colonial last year but that was instantly taken off the agenda as family matters and his wife’s health became the top priority.
“I don’t really want to go back there,” Mickelson said. “We are a year down the road. That was a tough time, and I’m happy that we are further down the road now.”
American world number four Steve Stricker, who triumphed at Colonial last year in Mickelson’s absence, was delighted to see his compatriot back.
“He is almost the defending champion as well this week,” said Stricker, who won last year’s title by beating fellow American Steve Marino and South African Tim Clark in a playoff.
“I thought it was the greatest feelgood story in golf when he (Mickelson) won at the Masters (in April), and seeing Amy there. I think he is going to be tough to beat here too.”
Apart from Mickelson and Stricker, three other members of the world’s top 10 are competing this week — fifth-ranked Jim Furyk, Ian Poulter (sixth) and Paul Casey (eighth).
(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Ed Osmond; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
EXCLUSIVE – Players put the knife in, says disappointed Els
Ernie Els has hit out at players who criticised his redesign of Wentworth’s West Course this week, saying they had “put the knife” into him.
Wentworth owner Richard Caring, who spent 6.5 million pounds ($9.34 million) on the changes, had been “kicked in the teeth” by the players, Els told Reuters in an exclusive interview .
“If they had criticisms they could’ve handled it differently. That’s the sad part of the whole week, a lot of the guys I’ve known for a very long time came out and basically put the knife in and I don’t really appreciate that,” Els said on Sunday.
The redesign left few of the 18 holes untouched and several players at the PGA Championship complained in the media about the changes, especially the new moat and elevated green at the 18th.
“There is going to be criticism with any new design but I really wasn’t expecting the backlash I got,” Els said. “I don’t think anybody deserved it.
“If the people who made all those comments, especially the players, look back at what they said and what they achieved this week, it was all negative,” said Els after finishing well down the field following a closing 72 for 287, three over par.
“The tour doesn’t need it, the club doesn’t need it, the owner who has put all this money in doesn’t need it, I don’t need it.”
Caring acknowledged mistakes had been made with the redesign of the famous West Course and told reporters on Friday that he would take the blame.
“It’s unfortunate he had to come out (and say that),” said Els. “He is the guy who spent 6.5 million pounds on the changes.
“Who on earth is going to spend that money to enhance a golf course on television and make the sponsor happy, make the players happy and then the players kick him in the teeth because they don’t like a couple of holes?
CRITICAL COMMENTS
“For all this money we are playing for (a $5.63-million prize fund) we could be playing down the road…not come in here like a bunch of spoiled golfers,” said the world number seven.
“This guy is enhancing the flagship event, the whole tour, and players come in and criticise that. That’s amazing — how must he feel?”
Els said he could not understand why some players had not spoken to him directly.
“Some players who made critical comments came to me, some players haven’t come to me — and I don’t understand that.”
The 40-year-old South African added: “Obviously the 18th didn’t quite come out the way we wanted…but we didn’t need a bunch of know-all people to criticise everything — that is the disappointing part.
“These greens were only laid in November and December and we are now holding the biggest tournament on tour on these greens. I think it’s a hell of a feat by the whole team.”
Els said he would make some changes for the 2011 PGA Championship, particularly the eighth and 18th holes.
“Definitely 18. I can show you the plans I drew for it at the get-go,” said Els. “I’d also like to make changes on eight, I don’t like the heather on the mounds there.
“I’d even like to change the eighth green because that’s another one I wanted lower.
“But for the rest I think it’s unbelievable. The green superintendent Chris Kennedy has really got these bunkers almost the way we want them,” added the triple major winner.
(Editing by Clare Fallon; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)