Phil Mickelson had little to complain about as he turned his thoughts to next month’s US Open after winning the Players Championship by two shots on Sunday.
The three-time Major champion produced one of his best performances from tee to green in claiming his 31st PGA Tour title and putting was his only weak link in the final round at the Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass.
”It was a very mediocre day for me putting,” Mickelson told reporters after needing 31 putts, his highest tally of the week, for a closing three-under-par 69.
”I could have run it high if I would have made some reasonable putts. But I will gladly take the way the round went because it was a stress-free type round.”
The 36-year-old Californian, playing his third tournament under the guidance of swing coach Butch Harmon, has worked hard to eliminate inconsistency off the tee.
He blew a golden opportunity to win last year’s US Open at Winged Foot with an erratic drive and a double-bogey six at the final hole but missed only four fairways out of 14 at Sawgrass on Sunday.
”Our goal is to eliminate half the trouble,” Mickelson said of his strategy with Harmon, who previously helped Greg Norman and Tiger Woods reach the pinnacle of the game.
”Then I only have to worry about half of the golf course, and that makes it a lot easier.
Great week
”This was a great week to have the chance to spend each day with Butch to work on my game, to work on these changes. As the week wore on, I started to hit it better and better.
”I can’t wait for another three weeks to go by and start getting ready for the US Open, and then another three or four weeks to go by and get ready for the British [Open].
”I’m really excited about the direction I’m headed.”
Mickelson is cautious, though, about how much improvement he has made.
”What I’d like to do is have four days of ball-striking like today’s final round and then it takes a lot of pressure off my short game,” he said after rattling up four birdies and a lone bogey on Sunday.
”I do need those three or four weeks to continue to progress and get sharper,” he added of his preparation for the June 14 to 17 US Open at Oakmont.
”I struck it today the way I need to, but I didn’t do it all four days and that’s what I need to do. I need to be able to hit it like I did today for all four rounds.
”I believe that if I keep working at these things and progressing, I should be ready to take on the ultimate tough challenge at Oakmont.” — Reuters