This post is NOT intended as a slam on Mickelson. I just don't understand his rationale and am looking for your input.
With so many golfers grinding to qualify for competitions like the WGC, the Tour Championship, the Grand Slam, and the Mercedes, why does Phil choose to skip them?
Is it because he is that tired by this time of the season? If so, he really needs to work on his conditioning big time! Or did he spend so much time preparing for the majors, that he wore himself out physically and mentally?
I see comments around the net about him wanting to spend time with his family during the school year but yet, wasn't it during the school year when he was making multiple trips to major venues for preparation?
His scheduling just makes no sense to me but maybe he just has so much money, he has decided to only work 8 mos per year regardless of what events fall outside that window.
My guess would be family time, Donna. I don't recall his practice schedule for the majors, but The Masters is the only one held during the school year. How old are his kids now anyway ? It seems that it wasn't that long ago he had his first.... time flies... I'm going to steal Stagday's line - this aging thing has got to stop. This year he may be mentally shot after what happened at the US Open, but I doubt he's burned out or exhausted physically. It's a good life... all of the money you possibly need, golf for a living, beautiful wife & kids. As the saying goes , nobody ever laid on their deathbed and said "I wish I'd spent more time at work". For Phil golf is work.
His not playing the rest of the year seems to affirm whether or not he really wanted to be on the Ryder Cup. Next time he would do the U.S. a favor and let the 11th person in the stanidngs take his place.
I guess that for Phil, who now really has pretty much all the money he'll ever need, his prime motivation is winning Majors. He's got plenty of Tour wins to prove he can do that, now he's got 3 Majors and he wants more.
He is setting up his life and schedule to support that goal, and in so doing he also gets to spend more time with his family. I don't have a big problem with that.
As far as this year's Ryder Cup performance, it seems fair to think that his blow-up at Winged Foot has knocked him for six (as we say here). He needs to rebuild his confidence and a nice long break will help.
If this is what Phil has to do to have a chance of pushing Tiger in Majors, I support that. I don't mind Tiger winning lots of Majors, but I'd like to see the others make him work.
I guess that for Phil, who now really has pretty much all the money he'll ever needhis prime motivation is winning Majors. He's got plenty of Tour wins to prove he can do that, now he's got 3 Majors and he wants more.
He is setting up his life and schedule to support that goal, and in so doing he also gets to spend more time with his family. I don't have a big problem with that.
As far as this year's Ryder Cup performance, it seems fair to think that his blow-up at Winged Foot has knocked him for six (as we say here). He needs to rebuild his confidence and a nice long break will help.
If this is what Phil has to do to have a chance of pushing Tiger in Majors, I support that. I don't mind Tiger winning lots of Majors, but I'd like to see the others make him work.
exactly the 2 key motivators in todays PGA...and exactly why the us failed miserably last week....
Winning MaJors will always be th emost important thing to a golfer. But it is not the only thing.
Arnie is remembered for his approach to the game ,swashbuckling and honest, Jack for his concession to JAcklin in 1969, . Both are remembered for what they put into the game and how they left it better than how they found it.
Tiger has achieved that through his impact on purses, but Phil does not seem to contribute to the great game in the same way.His agenda is purely self centered. Sponsors put up huge money to atrtract the best to WGC events and Grand slam playoff. Phil can not be bothered to turn up. What message does that give?
Frankly I used to love Phil, before he won his Majors and up until the US Open. That love fell apart when I realized how spoiled winning those Majors made him. I may be wrong but it just flat looks like he dosen't care. I mean Tigers a cold guy on the course, but he plays alot and he shows up. You can tell he is truly concerned about the game and his game on a level that is above the money, his fans, sponsors, or the media. I love the underdog and seeing them rise to the top, but I hate it when they do and all the sudden they are above everything else and when things don't go their way they whine and quit. The best thing that could happen to Phil would be for him to lose his card, maybe then he would go back to being the Phil I remember.
I love the underdog and seeing them rise to the top, but I hate it when they do and all the sudden they are above everything else and when things don't go their way they whine and quit. The best thing that could happen to Phil would be for him to lose his card, maybe then he would go back to being the Phil I remember.
That's a little extreme and quite unlikely...imo Phil is experiencing golf's equivalent to post-partem depression...after striving for so long to win a major and now he's had three in the last three years. He's obviously lost the fire in his belly but he'll get it back in due time, imo (maybe it'll burn a few calories as well ) It's just like everyone knows that it is supremely difficult to follow a Tour win with another...after burning so hard for 4 days, especially if it involves a playoff, it takes a lot out of you. Phil's just experiencing the same thing on a larger scale. Couple of old articles (there are lots more if you'll look) that shed some light on Phil the human being...
That's a little extreme and quite unlikely...imo Phil is experiencing golf's equivalent to post-partem depression...after striving for so long to win a major and now he's had three in the last three years. He's obviously lost the fire in his belly but he'll get it back in due time, imo (maybe it'll burn a few calories as well ) It's just like everyone knows that it is supremely difficult to follow a Tour win with another...after burning so hard for 4 days, especially if it involves a playoff, it takes a lot out of you. Phil's just experiencing the same thing on a larger scale. Couple of old articles (there are lots more if you'll look) that shed some light on Phil the human being...
I think that misses the point. I think the worst thing to happen to the Ryder Cup is the Presidents Cup. I think the Ryder is diminished in stature in the top US players minds and has become more of an albatross than a lark. For Phil I think it is all about the majors. What other sport has an 11 month season? I think Phil is deciding to have a significant off-season, and if that is what it takes for him to not burn out, more power to him.
I think that misses the point. I think the worst thing to happen to the Ryder Cup is the Presidents Cup. I think the Ryder is diminished in stature in the top US players minds and has become more of an albatross than a lark. For Phil I think it is all about the majors. What other sport has an 11 month season? I think Phil is deciding to have a significant off-season, and if that is what it takes for him to not burn out, more power to him.
I agree that it might be a good idea to nix the President's Cup. We've lost 5 out of 6 Ryder Cups with this.
Why not have Euroepan PGA tour vs. PGA tour and we would have some real competition? Ernie and Retief could be on the European side since they are members of the European tour. We could have Immelman, Singh, Scott, and Oglivy.
I think that misses the point. I think the worst thing to happen to the Ryder Cup is the Presidents Cup. I think the Ryder is diminished in stature in the top US players minds and has become more of an albatross than a lark. For Phil I think it is all about the majors. What other sport has an 11 month season? I think Phil is deciding to have a significant off-season, and if that is what it takes for him to not burn out, more power to him.
He would have done the team a big favor and not bother to play. Surely John Rollins couldn't have done much worse.
September 28th, 2006, 05:33 PM
This year he may be mentally shot after what happened at the US Open, but I doubt he's burned out or exhausted physically. It's a good life... all of the money you possibly need, golf for a living, beautiful wife & kids. As the saying goes , nobody ever laid on their deathbed and said "I wish I'd spent more time at work". For Phil golf is work.
) It's just like everyone knows that it is supremely difficult to follow a Tour win with another...after burning so hard for 4 days, especially if it involves a playoff, it takes a lot out of you. Phil's just experiencing the same thing on a larger scale. Couple of old articles (there are lots more if you'll look) that shed some light on Phil the human being...
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