This time two weeks ago Phil Mickelson was a defeated man. No, he wasn’t expected to contend at the U.S. Open, but he came out on the business end of Winged Foot, shooting the second-highest score of Round 1 on the way to missing the cut by seven shots.
“Yeah. I don’t know what to say,” Mickelson said at the time.
However, those thinking Mickelson would take the Mamaroneck proceedings as a sign that the senior circuit was calling are mistaken.
At least, that’s our interpretation of Mickelson’s latest social media post, in which the five-time major winner is flaunting some eye-popping Trackman numbers at an eye-popping venue.
“Special day with my dad and brother at Cypress and our host John Watson,” wrote Mickelson. “Tried to drive the 362-yard 17th. Didn’t make it but it was only my first day of speed training for the Masters.”
That is Cypress Point, to the layman. As for the Trackman readings, a 328-yard carry and 180 mph ball speed for any player is getting it done, let alone for a 50-year-old. Perhaps the most impressive thing is he didn’t chalk those feats to his fledgling coffee business.
Phil’s newfound strength comes with the Masters five weeks out. He will be making his 28th appearance at Augusta National, and though he’s the owner of three green jackets he’s finished inside the top 20 just once (T-2 in 2015) in his past seven starts.