Phil Mickelson

The Players Championship – Should It Be A Major?

/ The Grateful Golfer / 12 Comments

The Players Championship is the only significant tournament owned and administered by the PGA Tour.  The majors all have different sponsors:  The Masters is owned by the Augusta National Golf Club; the U.S. Open by the United States Golf Association (USGA); The Open Championship by The R&A, and the PGA Championship by the Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA of America).

Created in 1974,  Jack Nicklaus won the inaugural tournament.  Although it has a short history, it gathers an élite field every year.  The tournament runs at about the same time each year with the final round sometimes being played on Mother’s Day. Its permanent home at TPC Sawgrass since 1982 at the Stadium Course.
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Watching Exciting or Steady Golf

/ The Grateful Golfer / 8 Comments

The WGC-Mexico tournament last weekend was a great display of golf. There was everything! Hole in one, chip ins galore, steady play and then Phil Mickelson! I watched a fair bit last weekend and I was struck by the quality of young players making their way on tour. Professional golf has a great future. Continue reading →

If I Had a Choice…..

/ The Grateful Golfer / 16 Comments

I was asked a question by one of my friends yesterday about golf. This is not an unusual thing; however this question got me thinking. I answered very quickly, but now that I had the chance to think about it, I thought it would be a great topic for an article.

Of course, the choices he gave me were very pie in the sky, but sometimes it is fun to play the “what if” game. It is great fun to think of how good my game could be come if I had half the skill of some of the pros. I would be able to hit the ball over many hazards and zero in on pins as if it was second nature. Continue reading →

Is Phil Mickelson Competitive?

/ The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Golf is an amazing sport. It allows many athletes to play well into their 60s at a competitive level. By examining the abilities of professional golfers, it is sometimes difficult to determine if an aging legend has the skills to remain playing at an elite level.

This article was inspired by Brian at All About Golf, his article on Tiger Woods is worth reading. He asks some tough questions that apply to any golfer whose golfing woes seem insurmountable. However, what about that player who appears in the thick of things most weeks, but just cannot garner a trip to the winners circle. Continue reading →

The 2016 Ryder Cup – Wrap Up

/ The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

Congratulations to Team USA for winning the 2016 Ryder Cup. It was their first win since 2008 and they finally executed as advertised.

I am not sure if you watched the 12 singles matches, well I sure did. I missed most of the two previous days, but Sunday was my day to fully immerse in all things Ryder Cup. As I watched the emotions rise and fall like the tide at the Bay of Funday, I was struck by the intensity exhibited by every player. Continue reading →