AUGUSTA – Beware of what you wish for. Phil Mickelson has his wish. Now it’s time for him to stand up on a major championship Sunday and deliver – deliver like he’s never delivered in his golfing life.
If he does, he’ll derail arguably the most historic moment in the history of golf and one of the most anticipated events in all of sports.
If Mickelson, playing in the final group of today’s final round of the 65th Masters with Woods – whom he trails by one shot – captures his first major championship he’ll prevent Woods from winning an unprecedented four professional Grand Slam events in succession.
Mickelson, too, will forever alter the way he’s perceived in the game.
A win at the Masters today – with the final-round pairing with the seemingly-unbeatable Woods providing the best theater in all of sports today – Mickelson can obliterate all of the “soft” surnames that have been attached to his name like deer ticks because he’s gone 0-for-34 in major championships.
“How badly do you want this?” Mickelson was asked.
“Desperately,” said Mickelson, who last year at San Diego snapped Tiger’s tournament winning streak at six. “I’ve said all along that this provides me with the best opportunity and it’s something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time – to finally break through. Since I was a little kid picking up range balls so I could practice, I’ve been dreaming of this day.
“The way I look at it, the winner of this tournament doesn’t only win a major championship, he becomes part of the history of game,” Mickelson said. “That’s what excites me. This tournament creates something that is very special, and year after year history of the game is made here. I want to be a part of that.
“That’s why this tournament means so much to me. [Today] is a very important day for me.”
It’s certainly no less important to Woods, who all tournament has methodically been positioning himself for today’s run at history while intentionally deflecting any talk of his Grand Slam quest along the way.
Woods, who despite describing his round as “grinding and plodding,” shot 68 yesterday to position himself at 12-under. Mickelson, closing with back-to-back birdies, carded a 69 and is at 11-under.
The leader of the first two rounds, Chris DiMarco (72 yesterday), and Mark Calcavecchia (68) are two shots back at 10-under, while Ernie Els (68), David Duval (70) and Angel Cabrera (70) are three off the pace at 9-under.
What a leaderboard, crammed with the biggest stars in the game. Rarely does a sporting event provide a more compelling storyline than today’s final round. Woods is the No. 1 player in the World Golf Rankings and Mickelson is No. 2.
“Everything you want in a Masters Sunday,” said Duval, who’s heart has been shattered on Sunday the last three years here.
In 1998, Duval saw a two-shot lead dissolve into a Mark O’Meara victory. One year later, he triple-bogeyed 15. And last year he splashed his 5-iron approach shot into Rae’s Creek on 13 to open the door for Vijay Singh.
“It’s going to be a great shootout,” said Els, the two-time U.S. Open champion. “Anybody on this leaderboard has a fair chance. Experience may fly right out the window. Anybody that gets off to a great start and keeps his composure can win this thing.
“Obviously, Tiger . . . he’s Tiger, and he’s not going to back down. He’s obviously the danger man out there.”
Woods, who’s 22-4 worldwide when he’s entered the final round with the lead, is particularly dangerous because he’s gone about his business this past week in such quiet, if unspectacular, fashion. It leaves you to figure that he’s yet to perform the magic everyone knows he possesses.
“I didn’t do anything great,” Woods said matter-of-factly. “I plodded my way along. Two-putted and moved on. That’s basically how I’ve played all week.”
This is what’s so scary about Woods – his potential for an outburst of greatness at any moment.
Woods right now is like Muhammad Ali leading a heavyweight championship fight without yet having thrown a jab. He’s like Michael Jordan holding a 10-point, fourth-quarter lead having scored just six points. This is why Woods is such an overwhelming favorite to make history today. Because, when the lights are on – really on – Woods rises up the way Jordan always did.
And with that elusive Grand Slam feat at his talented fingertips, it’s difficult to imagine Woods not seizing the moment.
Examples of the way Woods has been able to flick the switch from plodding to special came both yesterday and Friday
Yesterday, after a disappointing bogey on the par-3 12th to drop to 9-under and two shots off the lead, Woods birdied 13, 14 and 15 en route to taking the lead from DiMarco.
On Friday, Woods stormed off the 16th green after three-putting from inside of 20 feet for bogey. He birdied 17 and 18 to come home at 8-under, just two shots back.
Only God knows what sort of brilliance Woods might pull from his magic bag today. The only thing for certain is that, if someone other than Woods wins today, he’ll have delivered the greatest performance of his career.
Mickelson was asked early last night what he’s learned from watching Woods win four of the last five major championships.
“That for me to win, I have to strive to reach a different level of play and I have to be able to attain it,” Mickelson said. “That means not worrying or thinking about other players. That means bringing my best game out.
“I came here with the sole intention of winning, and this is the best opportunity for me to do that.”
Mickelson has stared into the eyes of Tiger and left the course not only standing but with the trophy in the trunk of his car. At least year’s Tour Championship, he won the tournament after beginning the day one shot behind Woods.
Yesterday, he walked off No. 16 knowing he needed to birdie 17 and 18 to get into today’s final pairing, and he did just that, emphatically punching his left fist through the air when he drained his eight-footer on the final green.
“I have the confidence that I can prevail,” Mickelson said. “I’m looking forward to the chance.”
By sunset today, he hopes to have embraced what he wished for.
