Phil Mickelsons ex-caddie named favorite day in | Golf News

Phil Mickelson is stirring up pleasure at The Open Championship, aiming for a gorgeous victory at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland this week.

The 55-year-old LIV Golf star started his second spherical within putting distance of the leaders, having carded a strong 70 on Thursday. Despite a slower begin on Friday, Mickelson stays in competition to make the cut and pursue his seventh main title.

Mickelson, who has gained the Masters thrice, the PGA Championship twice, and The Open once in 2013, displayed his sportsmanship on Thursday after responding to a request from a peer. His long-time caddie, Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay, fondly remembers Mickelson’s triumph at The Open as “probably my favorite day” in their shared {golfing} journey.

Mickelson’s first main win got here with the Masters in 2004, adopted by a PGA Championship victory in 2005. He reclaimed the inexperienced jacket from Tiger Woods in 2006 and secured one other Masters win in 2010.

However, it wasn’t until 2013, at the age of 43, that Mickelson captured his first Open title, after only two top-five finishes in the occasion over 19 earlier makes an attempt. Entering the Muirfield match on the back of a Scottish Open win, Mickelson gave himself an exterior shot at the Claret Jug, trailing by 5 pictures before the ultimate spherical.

Although Mickelson was thought-about a long shot at that stage, Mackay, who served as his caddie from 1992 to 2017, had a feeling one thing particular was brewing after witnessing his warm-up routine. The seasoned main champion proceeded to fire a sensible spherical of 66 to seize the title by three strokes.

“It might have been the most massive to be quite honest with you,” Mackay informed the BBC in 2021 when requested if Mickelson’s Open win was the most important of his profession. “That Sunday at Muirfield in 2013 is probably my favorite day, for a number of reasons, that I ever had as a caddie.

“His warm-up was so good, I keep in mind him turning around and saying to Butch (Harmon, his swing coach) and I, ‘My goodness, I’m hitting every shot precisely where I’m trying, ought to I keep on going, or ought to I take a minute off right here?’

“To come from five back as he did and win by three and have players walk up to you after the day ended and say, ‘My goodness, what course were you playing?’ It was the best round of golf I ever saw him play, period. And it was on an incredibly big stage and at an incredibly important event, and that, for me, just means the world.”

Mickelson later claimed his sixth main and second PGA Championship at Kiawah Island in 2021, establishing himself as the oldest main champion ever at 50. Now 55, he would need to shatter that milestone once more to emerge victorious at Royal Portrush this Sunday.

Few are inserting their bets on Mickelson to clinch a victory in Northern Ireland, given that the LIV Golf star hasn’t tasted match success since his monumental PGA win. But, as they are saying, you never know…