Phil Mickelson: Pebble Beach Victory Only Furthers Rivalry With Tiger

Phil Mickelson vs. Tiger Woods has taken a monumental turn in the lefty’s direction in the last four years, and it has made the comeback of his main rival all the more riveting.

Woods was paired with Mickelson on the final day of last weekend's Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, and both were within striking distance of winning. A final-round 64 for Mickelson and a 75 for Woods, and Mickelson won the tournament at 17 under, Woods finishing tied for 15th at eight under.

In the past, it would have been Woods to clean up on Sunday. Now he lacks confidence and mental toughness at the most important times.

The two players have 38 years of playing experience on the tour and were consistently battling for the No. 1 spot in the player rankings before Woods’ demise.

Up until that fateful night in November of 2009, the rivalry was completely one-sided. Woods and his ability to play his absolute best when it counted the most crippled Mickelson, who earned a reputation as a choke-artist of sorts before finally breaking through at the 2004 Masters.

There was a stretch in the middle part of the last decade when the two would constantly try to one-up each other. In 2005, Woods won the Masters and the British Open, Mickelson won the PGA Championship. In 2006, it was Mickelson who won the Masters and should have won the U.S. Open, with Woods collecting victories at the British and PGA.

Phil is beloved, Woods is an enigma. Mickelson has a picture-perfect stroke; Woods is lost in the same department. There is a certain level of good vs. evil in this rivalry that makes for some much-needed spark in a gentleman’s sport.

The ironic part about these two is the similarities both share on the course. Both players are not the most accurate off the tee, but make up for it with sheer distance. They both have a risky approach to the game that makes for more excitement and drama, and each possess a superb iron game.

With the win on Sunday, Mickelson is firmly in control of the rivalry. But as Woods continues to show flashes of the old Tiger, I think it’s safe to say the book is still being written. Remember, Woods has 14 major championships to Phil's four. 

The greatest pair of golfers in this era is still the most relevant and interesting to watch on the tour, even if the success of the two has been completely turned upside down.