April 21 , 2006

Mickelson Masters his way to another green jacket

By DREW BONIFANT
atb001@marietta.edu

For the third time in four years, a lefty came away with the green jacket, the traditional reward given to the winner of the Masters.

And for the second time in three years, that lefty was Phil Mickelson. Mickelson held off a pack of golf’s most well-known players to earn his second victory at the sport’s most prestigious tournament.

The Masters is normally characterized by dramatic shots and turnarounds, such as Nick Faldo’s comeback from six strokes back on Sunday in 1996 and Tiger Woods’s miracle chip-in from a year ago. But the 2006 version of the Masters was defined by the unbeatable consistency from Mickelson.

Nicknamed “Lefty” for being the game’s most highly-profiled left-handed player, Mickelson never flinched despite being pressured from such past and present greats as Fred Couples, Jose María Olazabal, Retief Goosen and Tiger Woods.

As the rest of the field struggled to make putts due to the notoriously slick Augusta greens or tampered with the abundant water hazards, Mickelson remained mistake-free as he avoided a bogey in the final round. By the final final hole, it was clear Mickelson had claimed the top spot. He was no longer “the best player to not have won a major,” the nickname that haunted his career for years.

The mistakes did hit the others, and quickly. Tiger Woods, routinely a fan favorite, struggled to keep the ball in the fairway and had make putts. At 46, Fred Couples, was a perceived longshot but found himself a stroke from the top on the final day. He hit well all day, but unfortunately watched as numerous short putts lipped out or rolled past the hole. Goosen and Olazabal played well but found it was too little, too late.

In the end, all were hoping for Phil’s collapse, but his play remained solid. Putt after putt fell, and Mickelson reaped the benefits of consistent success with his drives and approach shots. Despite playing 31 holes on Sunday in order to finish his rain-shortened third round, Mickelson showed no signs of fatigue, seemingly getting stronger as the sun started to set on the 76th Masters and player after player fell out of the running.
Phil Mickelson’s 281st shot earned him a second green jacket, and Mr. 0-for-42 was able to celebrate his third major in his last nine tries.