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Geesh, I heard Phil in an interview yesterday say he hadn't touched a club for weeks over the holidays and that it "takes some time to get back into it" when the season starts!! What kind of lousy (lazy?) excuse is that? He had one heck of a layoff....he should have been honing his skills to perfection with that layoff, coming back to the game like Tiger, without skipping a beat. He's got enough money he could have packed the family off to a course-side location, heck, buy your own mini course and practice on it (instead of infront of a computer analyzer/driving range setup). I'm disappointed in what I heard (from his own mouth) how he 'prepared' over the off season and SUGGEST THAT MY MAN PHIL IS NOT HUNGRY ENOUGH TO COMPETE LIKE HE IS USED TO.

So, Phil, I'm saying, if you ain't hungry enough to show up well tuned and well rehearsed, then I hope these 'hungry' kids from the Nationwide Tour will start kicking your butt (like they're doing last week and this week).

^^ mouthful, he plays like he doesnt care IMO, like hes dead, no emotion just that chinsey smile, i was the biggest phil fan out there last year, but winged foot got the best of him, seems like it sucked all of his game out, he needs some confidence back so bad

He doesn't seem any different to me (his energy).

From what I heard, he spent a lot of the offseason lifting weights. And I think he lost like 20 lbs.

Anyone's golf swing would be a bit cocked after that.

I don't even lift weights during the season. Swinging a club with tight muscles isn't very productive- IMO.

Calm down guys. Mickelson hasn't even played 2 events and the bashing is already starting. I know its easy to just make up random thoughts about a golfer and throw out low blows, but Phil has worked out hard during the off season and just because hes a little rustier than previous years doesen't mean theres something different about his personality.

I don't see Phil saying hes going to start missing majors or anything.

Who cares if he is....He's getting payed huge bucks to show up at these events, so why not?

We questioned his heart all those years when he had nary a major. Then he went out and won three majors, and some of us are still questioning his heart.

But.... that comes with the territory, I guess.

Some people need the extended break to recharge their batteries. He is pretty much a feel player anyway, so the practice might not help him that much.

You gotta remember though, although I'm sure Phil LOVES to play golf, playing golf is his job. I mean, if you're an accountant, I'm sure on your vacations you're not crunching numbers so that you're better at your job when you come back.

He doesn't have to be hungry, he's making millions of dollars doing something he loves to do and he's going to be exempt on tour for a long time. I'm sure he's not really losing sleep at night because he's not breaking records or what not.

[sarcasm]The audacity of that man!! How dare he spend time with his family over the holidays rather than hone his golf game for some essentially throw-away events in January! [/sarcasm]

very true and hes a proven winner. unlike MWIE who does the same thing, but hasn't won.

WIE IS a

I don't think he is getting paid just for showing up. His position on the leaderboard after 72 holes will determine how much he makes.

None of the elite players need the money for anything, they are playing mostly for prestige, status, and posterity. Phil's strategy is to skip as many events as possible, do course-specific preparation for the majors, and go for them. He's a self-centered guy who was voted one of the "10 Most Hated Athletes" and doesn't do much to endear himself to fellow players. But, that is part of his strategy and it has worked in recent years.

1. Phil hasnt touched a club in literally months...That's his perogative
2. Phil isnt hungry? What more does he have to prove? 3 majors and well over 20 tournaments won?
3. Who then is he playing for? He certainly doesnt need to money. His family is taken care of finacially, as well as taken care of phyisically. IMHO, he is playing for US. For our enjoyment and entertainment, not for his sake.
4. So what he hasnt exactly been stellar so far. As one poster already said, Its early. The January tourneys arent exactly starstudded with the top 10 players. The season for me doesnt start until Sawgrass.
5. Phil is Phil! He will be there when it counts (unless its the Ryder cup)

I honestly think Phil is as hungry, or even hungrier this year (Double entendre intended). But as people have posted, it's only January, he has 3 months before the season proper starts in Augusta.