Phil Mickelson: Is His Play at the Open Championship a Sign of Decline?

Last year was the one that got away. This year might be known as the one that never got out of the bag.

While Brandt Snedeker looked like he would take his ball, his 10-under par, and run away with the 36-hole lead at Lytham (lookout, here comes Tiger Woods), some of the big names in the game found it troublesome to figure out the Open Championship course.

Add Phil Mickelson's name to that list.

After coming so close last year and watch Darren Clarke walk away with the title, Mickelson fell just short of his first Open title. Now, with a failed attempt this season and in the fashion he played across the pond, are there more championships and major titles in his future?

It also begs the question, "Did the course beat Phil Mickelson or did Phil Mickelson beat himself?"

So much has been made of Mickelson and the Americans making a resurgent return to the top of the world golf leaderboard as the last four major titles were won by an American-born golfer. His game has suffered of late and is now ranked 16th in the most recent World Golf Rankings.

It’s an odd way to look at things but at 11-over for the Open Championship and a poor showing in the last few majors, is Mickelson on the downside of his career?

His only win this season was in February and he had not won another title since April in 2011 at the Shell Open.

Does this mean one of golf’s greatest of all time and a member of the Golf Hall of Fame with 40 wins may not win another major title?

For so long, Mickelson was the American with the moniker of the “best golfer to never win a major” or the American version of Colin Montgomery. Then, after his 2004 Masters win, Mickelson won three more majors and looked primed to finally challenge Tiger Woods.

And as Woods went through injuries and personal issues, Mickelson appeared to be the “cool” choice to follow on the tour.

Suddenly, it does not seem to be a wise choice and in fact Woods, who is challenging for this year’s Open Title, is gaining some of his fans back and playing better than he has in some time.

The battle or rivalry never materialized.

While he has Masters and PGA Championship wins to his credit, this may be the one major title Mickelson may never gain, as so many greats have allowed it to fall through their fingertips. But the loss of last year, coupled with how he played the past two days and how he has fallen from the graces of golf may be a prelude of things to come.

It’s unfortunate if indeed that is true.

Golf went through a period last year where we were worried if there would be an American to finally break through and capture a major title from the stronghold of the foreign contingent. Mickelson, Steve Stricker, Matt Kucher and Nick Watney looked primed to be the frontrunners for that quest.

Now, those names have been replaced by Kuchar, Bubba Watson, Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan.

If Mickelson is going to compete at a high level, he must refresh his game, much like Tiger Woods has done. And While the circumstances of Woods’ change in his golf game are not the same as Mickelson, the need to see someone as polarizing as Mickelson on the leaderboard each week is good for game, if not good for the American cause.

Let’s hope the showing this weekend at Lytham is not a sign of things to come.