Phil Mickelson Let a Career-Defining Moment Slip Away at the Masters

Last Sunday at the Masters, it was almost as if two separate events were taking place.

There was, of course, the much awaited Woods vs. Mickelson showdown. When that ended in disappointment, we focused our attention back to the guys that actually had a chance of slipping into a green jacket on Sunday night.

Mickelson's final round 67, which included a record tying 30 on the front-nine, was an absolutely incredible round of golf to say the least.

To win the event outright, Mickelson would have had to tie the course record of 63. Even thinking it was possible for Mickelson—or anyone for that matter—to do such a thing would have seemed ludicrous at the start of the day.

That being said, Mickelson's round ended up being somewhat of a disappointment down the stretch, not because he carded a 67 and finished three strokes off the lead, but because, amazingly enough, he actually had a very legitimate chance of firing a 63 and completing one of the greatest final round charges in the history of the game.

Mickelson found the water on the 12th, however, with a risky nine-iron punch shot, missed a short eagle putt on the 15th and another short putt for birdie on the 17th. Had it not been for those three mistakes on the back-nine, Mickelson would have finished with a 63 and won the 2009 Masters outright.

Maybe after his 30 on the front nine we began to get our hopes up a little too high. After all, everyone has to eventually come back to reality at some point or another during their round.

But, had Phil not inexplicably lost four strokes on the 12th, 15th, and 17th, he might have put together the one round of golf that would have defined his career and would have left a lasting legacy long after he has stepped away from the game.

Lately, Mickelson has often been referred to as this generation's version of Arnold Palmer. He is likeable, draws massive, loyal galleries, is erratic and unpredictable on the course, and is a great golfer that just happens to have the unfortunate luck of playing during the same time as an even greater golfer.

Although there are some similarities that can be drawn from the two, there are also some differences.

Palmer was the best player in the world before Nicklaus arrived on the scene in 1961. Mickelson, on the other hand, did not win his first major championship until he was almost 34 years old.

Once Nicklaus had come into his own after a few years on tour, Palmer was never able to win another major championship. Nicklaus all but dominated this rivalry in major championship play from 1964 until the end of their careers. All of Phil's majors, on the other hand, have come while Tiger Woods was the No. 1 ranked golfer in the world.

Other than being known as one of the most likeable players of all-time, a true ambassador to the game, and the man that paved the way for the modern day athlete's off-the-course earning potential, Palmer is most known for his miraculous Sunday charges.

Palmer's most significant charge came at Cherry Hill in 1960. Facing a seven-stroke deficit after 54 holes, Palmer went on a tear and was able to surpass both Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan to capture his first and only US Open title.

Many golf historians look at that event as the changing of the guards in professional golf.

Ben Hogan was running on fumes, Arnold Palmer was right in his prime, and playing as an amateur in the event, while Jack Nicklaus had made it known that he was on his way to stardom very soon.

This past Sunday at Augusta, Mickelson had a very good chance to mount his own version of Arnie's charge at Cherry Hill. His charge would have been a major career achievement that would certainly have jolted him into another stratosphere in terms of how he will be remembered when he eventually steps away from the game.

Since his now famous meltdown at Winged Foot back in 2006, Mickelson has just not been the same player. He has spent a career lurking in the long shadow Woods has cast over him and the rest of the PGA Tour.

Had Mickelson managed to carry his incredible charge to the back-nine this past Sunday and somehow pull together a final round 63—while be being paired with Tiger Woods no less—it would have erased a lot of the mishaps he has suffered in major championships throughout his career.

But, of course, it just didn't happen.

Maybe shooting a 63 in the final round of a major was simply an insurmountable task, or maybe Mickelson was once again overtaken by those inner demons that have been plaguing him since Winged Foot.

Either way, Mickelson may have just missed out on an opportunity to truly be known as "the Arnold Palmer of this generation" and to leave behind a lasting legacy that would have been forever associated with "Mickelson's Sunday charge at Augusta".