Phil Mickelson: Is 40 the New 30 for Lefty at Augusta National?

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Don't Consider Phil Mickelson An Old Man At This Year's Masters

The last major championship 30-something Phil Mickelson ever played in he won. Mickelson was still 39 when he won a third Green Jacket last April. He turned 40 just before the start of the 2010 US Open at Pebble Beach.

A lot has been made about Phil's age the last year or so. And prior to his win at the Shell Open in Houston, that was often pointed to as the cause for a 51-week drought that saw him struggle at times.

Furthermore, with an influx of young potential stars--Dustin Johnson, Nick Watney, Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer--threatening to take control of the PGA Tour, there is potential for Lefty to start to fade from the spotlight. After all, he has much more important things than golf to deal with these days.

Don't expect that to happen. And we will start to see flashes of why this week at Augusta, where he will contend and perhaps repeat as Masters champ.

Phil definitely looks in better shape (more svelte) than he did a few years ago, so playing all 72 holes with the pedal to the metal last week at Houston doesn't seem to be a problem.

But history is also on Phil's side and he might end up winning more majors AFTER 40 than before.

Golf isn't the NFL or NBA. Often players don't hit their peak until 40. Ben Hogan's historic, three-major season of 1953 came at that age. Jack Nicklaus won three majors after turning 40. And Tom Watson proved that even at 59 he was capable of major championship heroics.

Still, it's Phil's trademark preparations that would be most responsible for finding the fountain of youth. As New York Daily News golf writer Hank Gola wrote,

....typical Mickelson, preparing to the nth degree.
For instance, he canceled his practice round Tuesday because the golf course was too wet after overnight thunderstorms that actually uprooted a tree on Magnolia Lane. Since the four tournament days are going to be played in hard, fast conditions, he didn't think he could gain anything from practicing on a soggy course.
He's also planning to use two drivers, as he did when he won his second green jacket in 2006, although back then, he was using one of the drivers so he could hit baby cuts with it.

At yesterday's press conference, Tiger Woods praised the athleticism of several of the younger pros, like Dustin Johnson and Gary Woodlawn, and how they can dunk a basketball and drive it 340 yards with ease. But if that were how we measure great golfers, Michael Jordan would have 10 Green Jackets and John Daly wouldn't be sitting home this week.

Golfers win majors, not athletes. Look for Phil to prove that this week.

For more on the Masters, see Swing for the Fences: Top 25 Performances in Masters History.

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