[abe]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...masters10.html

Masters win gives Lefty two major titles in a row


AUGUSTA, Ga. — This time, Phil Mickelson didn't jump anywhere but deeper into history.

Two years after answering the question of whether he could win the tournaments that outline legacies, Mickelson, nicknamed "Lefty," raised another question Sunday with his second Masters victory and third major championship in 24 months.

How many majors might he win?

Unlike his first victory at Augusta National, which he punctuated with a modest leap when he holed the winning putt on the final hole, Mickelson was able to enjoy the long, uphill walk to the final green in the slanting spring sunshine, having become only the eighth player in history to win consecutive majors.

His 7-under par 281 total gave him a two-stroke victory over Tim Clark and left him three ahead of the glittery quintet of Tiger Woods, Jose Maria Olazabal, Retief Goosen, Seattle native Fred Couples and Chad Campbell.

"I don't think about ultimately leaving a legacy," said Mickelson, who won the 2005 PGA Championship and now holds two of golf's four major titles. "I'm just trying to win as many as I can. It's nice that I'm at least started. Two years ago, I hadn't."

Before Mickelson won here 24 months ago, he wore his 0-for-42 record in majors like a scarlet letter.

"Three for nine sounds better," he said, noting his recent run in majors.

With a smart, patient performance from start to finish on a beefed-up and unforgiving course, Mickelson was able to separate himself on a Sunday afternoon waiting to be seized.

This wasn't the Mickelson who built a reputation for finding ways to lose majors. That guy left two years ago.

This was the new Mickelson, the one with his slicked-back hair curling out from the back of his visor and the confident walk of a man in control. This was the Mickelson who used two drivers to more effectively hit the fairways while maximizing his distance, and who played to the proper spots on Augusta National's trap-door greens rather than tango with temptation.

"There's no doubt he's changed," said Couples, the last man to surrender the fight, done in emotionally by a short three-putt bogey at the 14th hole.

"He's an incredible player. He's got more talent than maybe anyone out here in his hands and his game. Phil can overpower a golf course like Tiger can."

Mickelson was forced to play 31 holes Sunday because of Saturday's rain-delayed third round. He worked his way through the chilly, breezy morning and, when it came time to break for lunch, he led Couples by one stroke while Woods had mortally wounded his chances with four bogeys in a six-hole stretch.

Midway through the final round, when the wind died and the sun turned everything a brighter shade of beautiful, nearly a dozen players were within two strokes of the lead.

Gradually, though, they fell away. Miguel Angel Jimenez and his pony-tail fired and fell back. Rocco Mediate drowned his dream with a 10 at the par-3 12th. Jose Maria Olazabal rocked the pine trees when he eagled the 15th to pull within a stroke, but couldn't go deeper.

Woods wanted to eat his putter it was so disobedient. Vijay Singh lurked but never lunged.

Only Couples, gray hair sprinkling his 46-year-old head, stayed with Mickelson. Friends for years, they walked in the sunlight talking about how much fun they were having as Couples, as popular in his prime as Mickelson is now, threatened to duplicate Jack Nicklaus' twilight moment two decades earlier.

With the Masters on the line, Mickelson birdied the two back-nine par-5s and let others make mistakes.

Strolling to the last tee Sunday, he saw a kid standing by the ropes, a bit of awe in his eyes. Ben Huffman, all of 10, looked up. For a moment, Mickelson paused, slipping something into the kid's hands.

Huffman looked down. His dad, Jim, beamed. It was a Calloway 4.

"It's the ball he won the Masters with," someone gasped.

"Hold on to it," Jim said, putting his hand on his son's shoulder

"I will," Ben said earnestly.

[Dork.]

OK, so Golf is that game you play by swinging at a ball with a metal bat, but when you hit it you run after it and then you hit it again, and there are no bases. Right?

[macroy]

Man... I wanted Couples to win. But it was a good win for Phil. Especially since I thought he had no chance giving up a wedge for a 2nd driver at a course like Augusta.

And man.... is Augusta made for HDTV or what?!! I think I'd give my left nut to play that place.

[abe]

Originally Posted by Dork.

OK, so Golf is that game you play by swinging at a ball with a metal bat, but when you hit it you run after it and then you hit it again, and there are no bases. Right?

No, I think you have this in mind.

[abe]

Originally Posted by macroy

Man... I wanted Couples to win. But it was a good win for Phil. Especially since I thought he had no chance giving up a wedge for a 2nd driver at a course like Augusta.

And man.... is Augusta made for HDTV or what?!! I think I'd give my left nut to play that place.

I saw him interviewed after the first round and I thought about that choice. Did he use both drivers? Did his choice play a big role in his victory?

It IS a beautiful course, isn't it?

Every time I see the sand fly from a sand shot it always looks like flour when it lands on the grass it is so white!

And I always have to stop and let my head adjust to Phil's being left - handed.

There were a good number of locals rooting for Couples up here in WA.

[macroy]

Originally Posted by abe

I saw him interviewed after the first round and I thought about that choice. Did he use both drivers? Did his choice play a big role in his victory?

It IS a beautiful course, isn't it?

Every time I see the sand fly from a sand shot it always looks like flour when it lands on the grass it is so white!

And I always have to stop and let my head adjust to Phil's being left - handed.

There were a good number of locals rooting for Couples up here in WA.

yup - one for fades and the other for draws. He put them in last week at the Bellsouth where he lapped the field (10 shot lead?). I was just kinda suprised that he did that given the talent he has around the greens.

Speaking about Seattle, I went to that course where couples grew up on when the PGA was at Sahalee back in 97(?? forgot the exact year). I heard stories about how he would be on the other side of the range hitting balls.. and he would be able to reach the clubhouse... Thought it was a neat story.

[abe]

Originally Posted by macroy

yup - one for fades and the other for draws. He put them in last week at the Bellsouth where he lapped the field (10 shot lead?). I was just kinda suprised that he did that given the talent he has around the greens.

Speaking about Seattle, I went to that course where couples grew up on when the PGA was at Sahalee back in 97(?? forgot the exact year). I heard stories about how he would be on the other side of the range hitting balls.. and he would be able to reach the clubhouse... Thought it was a neat story.

Yeah! Awesome, huh?

I have this thing about certain sports and activities where I follow them but I have never DONE them. Never been hunting. Love to watch the hunting shows and read the mags. Same with fishing.

I casually follow golf like I casually follow hunting and fishing. Never played a round. Only once hit balls at a driving range. I can talk about it to a certain degree. And I like that I have that amount of interest. It means when I get tired of all my other interests and challenges I'll have new vistas to explore.

Here's another big hitter story.

Big Hitter
In the 1992 Texas Open, at San Antonio's Oak Hills C.C., journeyman pro Carl Hooper ripped a drive that wound up hitting a cart path and continuing on for 787 yards. After returning to the fairway by hitting a 4 iron and then an 8 iron, Cooper took a double bogey 6, and missed the cut.

http://www.ifyougolf.com/playingaround/strangebuttrue/

[Agasthya]

A glorious victory.

[Agasthya]

Originally Posted by macroy

yup - one for fades and the other for draws. He put them in last week at the Bellsouth where he lapped the field (10 shot lead?). I was just kinda suprised that he did that given the talent he has around the greens.

Speaking about Seattle, I went to that course where couples grew up on when the PGA was at Sahalee back in 97(?? forgot the exact year). I heard stories about how he would be on the other side of the range hitting balls.. and he would be able to reach the clubhouse... Thought it was a neat story.

Phil won by 13 last week at the Bellsouth. Both drivers are actually the "draw" model, one just has a different center of gravity, an altered face angle, and it is 1" longer. Same shaft for both drivers.

Phil said he will probably not use the dual driver strategy for the other majors.

[abe]

Originally Posted by Agasthya

A glorious victory.

I remember when the (faux) fear was that no golfer would ever win another championship with Tiger on the tour.

[macroy]

Originally Posted by Agasthya

Phil won by 13 last week at the Bellsouth. Both drivers are actually the "draw" model, one just has a different center of gravity, an altered face angle, and it is 1" longer. Same shaft for both drivers.

Phil said he will probably not use the dual driver strategy for the other majors.

ah - I just read that both were Fusion FT-3' - one with draw bias and the other fade bias (but they both could've been identical heads to begin with).

I guess we're gonna see a lot more Callaway clubs now.... just great....

[abe]

Originally Posted by macroy

ah - I just read that both were Fusion FT-3' - one with draw bias and the other fade bias (but they both could've been identical heads to begin with).

I guess we're gonna see a lot more Callaway clubs now.... just great....

What's the matter with that? Here are some Big Bertha reviews. The comments I've seen re: their irons and other drivers have also been positive. Why do you disapprove?

http://www.rateitall.com/i-10423-cal...ha-series.aspx

1. kar54 (1) , on 6/8/2005 4:33:00 PM, said:

Bought my set 6 years ago and have never been disappointed. Being a duffer, they have really helped improve my accuracy With my Yonex drivers, they complete a great set of clubs.
(0 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not)
2. pinkranger (1) , on 10/29/2003 9:22:00 PM, said:

Thought this was a great investment once I learned to hit the club. Super light, great accuracy, demands good swing dynamics and/or lots of driving range time.
(0 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not)
3. mrsmint927 (0) , on 1/8/2001 8:50:00 PM, said:

I love the feel of the Big Bertha club. It feels light, but gives you great distance. I love hearing its sound.
(0 people found this comment helpful, 1 did not)
4. XPac (0) , on 1/8/2001 7:29:00 PM, said:

They are a great club for beginners and amateurs. It allows a big sweat spot. The only complaint is that you lack control because of the oversize head. An excellent set of clubs with a great shaft.
(1 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not)
5. MikeyBoy (0) , on 1/8/2001 6:53:00 PM, said:

I don't like these clubs nearly as much as I thought I would. I don't like the oversize club head, and I wasn't satisfied.
(0 people found this comment helpful, 1 did not)
6. Chach (0) , on 12/5/2000 5:51:00 PM, said:

The Big Bertha Woods are by far the best I've ever hit. They go straighter and longer. I also like the way they feel and sound at contact! Calloway is also very compliant with their customers in terms of trade ins or broken club replacement. I definitely recommend using the woods from Calloway.
(2 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not)
7. Crewguy (0) , on 11/30/2000 12:49:00 PM, said:

These are excellent clubs. The drivers are easy to use and allow you to hit your ball so much farther than regular clubs. I love them and would recommend them to anyone.
(0 people found this comment helpful, 1 did not)
8. Cookie (0) , on 11/21/2000 8:15:00 PM, said:

These clubs are great for the person who wants maximum distance out of their drive. They are very accurate and have a sweet feeling when you strike the ball.
(0 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not)
9. DannyM (0) , on 11/8/2000 5:42:00 PM, said:

Hozel connection is not traditional and breaks easily.
(0 people found this comment helpful, 1 did not)
10. DALE9831om (0) , on 8/16/2000 12:39:00 PM, said:

I got to play a round with these clubs and I dropped five strokes off my game. They are very forgiving, and the driver just crushes the ball. The irons have a great sweet spot.
(0 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not)
11. long9339om (0) , on 8/4/2000 12:20:00 AM, said:

These are excellent drivers with great flexibility and decent accuracy. My only complaint is that the head is getting way too big.
(0 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not)
12. bigw9101du (0) , on 7/28/2000 1:45:00 PM, said:

I love the drivers because you can knock the crap out of the ball. However, accuracy is not these club's strong point, and they are rather expensive. The irons are oversized which is usually my preference, but I can't seem to hit these irons well. I prefer Ping's.
(1 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not)
13. Tomm8633om (0) , on 7/15/2000 2:28:00 PM, said:

Having recently purchased a Big Bertha driver, I can attest to its superior quality. Callaway golf clubs tend to be on the expensive side, but the large club head of the Big Bertha driver allows more of a sweet spot to compensate for my mis-hits.
(1 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not)
14. clda8118om (0) , on 7/3/2000 11:33:00 PM, said:

These clubs are just too expensive. The knockoffs perform just as good if not better and are less expensive. Why does metal or aluminum shafts and some rubber cost so much?
(0 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not)
15. KING8015et (0) , on 6/30/2000 3:08:00 PM, said:

Callaway represents the finest in golf clubs. Quality product with excellent customer support, it makes the difference in choices I make when buying clubs.
(0 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not)
16. Mdsa7888du (0) , on 6/26/2000 5:16:00 PM, said:

I love these clubs. I have used them on numerous occasions and have played well with them. They are long and straight and can improve your game.
(0 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not)
17. jjwo7733du (0) , on 6/23/2000 11:27:00 AM, said:

These clubs are really great. I have used my Bertha driver for years, and it has greatly improved my game, adding numerous yards to my drives. The lightweight material makes it easy to swing and the large size head allows forgiveness in your swing.
(1 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not)
18. nhya7557du (0) , on 6/20/2000 12:24:00 AM, said:

These clubs allow excellent power and are light. It is easy to hit consistantly and the grips are comfortable.
(0 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not)
19. UCDK7546om (0) , on 6/19/2000 8:38:00 PM, said:

The Big Bertha series with its oversized heads allows those with a less than great swing to hit striaght. I personally haven't found a club that I can hit as well as the Big Bertha driver.
(0 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not)
20. NISM7545om (0) , on 6/19/2000 8:00:00 PM, said:

Callaway definitely lives up to its reputation for being one of the premier club manufacturers. The weight is evenly distributed, so as to increse club head speed. Even more so, it has a good tone when the ball sizzles.
(0 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not)

[macroy]

Originally Posted by abe

What's the matter with that? Here are some Big Bertha reviews. The comments I've seen re: their irons and other drivers have also been positive. Why do you disapprove?

http://www.rateitall.com/i-10423-cal...ha-series.aspx

hehe - no harm meant. It was just my subjective view of Callaway. Clubs are like cars... some you love, some you hate, and some just annoy you. They just don't fit well with my eyes. You also tend to "sterotype" players based on clubs.....

Callaway - Rich, below average golfers. They rather look good than play good.

Nike - Tiger wannabees.... the degree depends on what else they have... the biggest wannabees are those that have his exact equipment down to the Tiger headcover.... of course, their skills is usually the exact opposite.

Taylor Made - they'll try anything to bring their score down.

Mizuno/Ping/Titleist - Real Golfers

[Agasthya]

I carry a TM driver, Nike 3 wood, Titleist 5 wood, Bridgestone irons, Titleist wedges, a Yes! putter and play a Maxfli ball... What would you classify me?