Signs that Phil Mickelson may be getting too old for the PGA Tour

Although he will always be the fan favorite, Mickelson’s season-opener at the Humana is a challenge for Phil and for the event. Both had glory and are now trying to reclaim it.

Humana is using charming ex-President Bill Clinton as its new host replacing the incomparable Bob Hope. Once a five-day star-studded event, the Humana has scaled back in size and scope hoping to regain its popularity; the two biggest names in the field this week are Mickelson and Greg Norman, another "sentimental favorite".

Mickelson will be attempting to get 2012 off to a strong start in a comfortable setting where he is the leading money winner in order to help reclaim his top-ten spot in the OWGR. Lefty currrently resides in the 14th position in the world rankings.

Humana Tournament Chairman Larry Thiel, while welcoming Mickelson to the event, mentioned that Phil chose a comfortable start over a more intense one. 

 “Everyone who has the privilege of watching Phil play sees a true master at his craft and we are thrilled our fans will have that opportunity in a venue that Phil is comfortable playing in.”

The Humana Challenge has a better chance of enjoying a resurgence than Phil.

1. Rory McIlroy joined the PGA Tour this year with the sole purpose of dethroning Luke Donald from the top spot in the rankings. Lee Westwood has also joined the battle. With only ten spots available, Phil is going to have a tough time doing battle with these young guns and will have to revert to using his famous “phony smile”...a lot.

 2. Over-forty Phil struggles with a debilitating illness, Psoriatic arthritis, a pain, stiffness and swelling of the joints. At twenty-two, a sore back and a few aches and pains are easily removed with an Advil.

 3. The “unspoken law” of the over-forty crowd. When you finally make it to forty, the body doesn’t recuperate as easily or quickly as it once did…ask Phil.

 4, When a committee votes you into the World Golf Hall of Fame, you have to be over-forty years old, a PGA Tour player (on the PGA Tour ballot) for ten years and have either ten Tour wins, two majors or two Players Championships to be considered. Ask Ernie Els how well he's fared since his entrance into the HOF.

5. The probability of winning a U.S. Open lessens with age. In the 110-year history of the U.S. Open, only three golfers have won after the age of 40. Mickelson has a 0 for 20 record at the Open.

I hope that Phil Mickelson has a great 2012 golf season starting with the Humana Challenge.

Although he is my favorite golfer and I will be cheering for him, his time for greatness on the PGA Tour is running out and players who might have once feared his footsteps are now dogging them.


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photo credit: TeeTimes.info

Golf courses that inspire an Unfolding Drama

If you are a fan of the beauty and majesty of golf courses and how they fit seemlessly into the constructs of nature, then you will love "Golf's Unfolding Drama", a new ebook created by master photographer Evan Schiller.

From the cover which displays the 7th hole of Pebble Beach Golf Links (where Tiger Woods will make his 2012 debut) to the 3rd hole at Ballyneal, nature appears to be effortlessly captured and displayed; but it's not without studying the course in advance. The "timing and angle of the sun's rays on each fairway and green" are necessary, states Schiller, in order to determine optimum conditions for each photograph.

Capturing drama is a challenge and although Evan has photographed hundreds of golf courses in the past twenty years, Schiller admits, "I’ve also waited hours—even days—to capture many a photograph, anticipating something wonderful to unfold at any moment only to have nothing materialize. At other times, it has just been sheer luck."

Take a tour of Evan Schiller's website, Golfshots.com, and view his collection of golf course photography from all over the world (yes, you will ooh and aah as you click through the gallery) and then head over to iTunes.com to learn more about "Golf's Unfolding Drama". 

This book is "specially designed for the iPad" and available for download on an iPhone, iPad or iPodTouch. I'm sure that one of these extraordinary photos will find their way onto your computer's main screen. My copy of Evan Schiller's 2012 Golf Shots Calendar designs my wall with this month's feature, the extraordinary 15th hole at Ko'olau Golf Club in Kaneohe, Hawaii...simply stunning...and makes me feel as if I'm on vacation even when it's thirty degrees outside!

 

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Is the PGA Tour or European Tour now more important to McIlroy, Westwood?

One year has passed since Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood adamantly stated that they would not, under any circumstances, join the PGA Tour, deciding instead to support the growth of the European Tour. This year both golfers have changed their tunes and are accepting membership in the PGA Tour. Why? Can the Euro Tour thrive without them as full-time supporters?

McIlroy's reasons to remain only on the Euro Tour in 2011 were selfish to some degree using excuses that he was helping to grow the Tour and that he wanted to stay closer to home. The schedule was longer and tiresome on the PGA Tour, and money could not buy a golfer happiness.

Now that Rory's attachments to a former longtime girlfriend has been severed and a new connection has been made with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, McIlroy has decided it important to match his girlfriend's ranking. It's interesting to see what gets this 22-year-old golfer's juices flowing. Money? Not necessarily. Girlfriend? Top player on Tour? Definitely!

McIlroy confirmed earlier this year, "She's number one in the world and I've got a major, and we sort of both want what each other have. It's a big goal of mine. I want to become the best player in the world."

Westwood used a blend of sentiments: he was forced to sit on his couch and pine away while the Players Championship took place and also complained that he never took place in FedEx Cup events.
McIlroy and Westwood's change of sentiments are a far cry from last year's outbursts but perhaps it's time for both the PGA Tour and Euro Tour to work together in order to make schedules fit for all of the A-level players while improving the visibility of upcoming stars. This way, golf fans will get to see new talent as well as a wide variety of European and PGA Tour standouts.

On the "top end" of both Tours, talent is pretty much equal. Looking past the top-100, golfers don't get as much exposure as they should in order to give them opportunities to be seen and get into the mix.

Luke Donald has been making waves on the PGA Tour and now McIlroy and Westwood have also decided it important to chase glory. With Tiger Woods back in action for the PGA Tour 2012 season, it looks as if the European Tour once again will fall to the sidelines for golf fans. Great talent like Oosthuizen and the 2012 Race to Dubai will certainly pale in comparison to a possible Tiger Woods, McIlroy duel on Sunday during a major tournament.


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photo credit: PGATour.com