Capelle On Golf

Phil Mickelson won twice early in the season at Riviera and Doral, two high quality Ws, to get the season off to a bang. Then he played the most exciting 9 holes of the year on the front nine on Sunday at the Masters before fading to solo fifth.

Then he got hit with double disaster – both his lovely wife Amy and mom were diagnosed with breast cancer. Somehow Mickelson, spurred on by the love from the galleries at Bethpage, managed a tie for second at the U.S. Open. Then more time off followed, he missed the British Open, and when he returned at the WGC Bridgestone he, understandably enough, seemed to be going through the motions.

But life goes on, he got great news about his wife’s and mom’s cancer – it seems they are on the road to recovery. With a light at the end of the tunnel, Mickelson brightened, and sought help for his balky putter from putting guru Dave Stockton, twice a PGA champion. Whatever he told him worked because Mickelson needed only 107 putts, second best in the field of 30.

Still, Mickelson hardly looked like a threat to win this week after he posted a snowman on the par 4 14th in the opening round to drop to three over for the day. A bogey followed at 16, putting him four over. Surely at this point he would mail it in, go play the President’s Cup, and call it a season.

But he bounced back with a birdie at 17, parred the difficult 18, and finished with a 73, six back of Tiger and seven behind Sean O’Hair.

Something must have snapped, because Mickelson then fired round of 67-66-65, nine better than Woods’ last three, to zip past the entire field and capture his second TOUR Championship.

Woods will likely be voted player of the year, but it was closer than it looked. If only Mickelson had won that darn Open he, with four wins including a major, would have been the year’s best.

But golf’s that way. The line between the best and second is often paper thin. As a consolation prize, Mickelson has much to be thankful as he heads into the off season. His loved ones are getting better. He ended his regular season on a high note. He’s reclaimed the #2 spot in the World Golf Rankings. And the return of his putter has given him hope that the Mickelson of 2004-2006 just might make a reappearance in 2010.

With Tiger back on track, maybe we’ll get that oh so long awaited rivalry going come April at Augusta.