Jan 19, 2017
Mickelson returns to play after surgeries
Phil Mickelson starts his 2017 campaign on Thursday at the CareerBuilder Challenge, a return to action that comes amid many questions, writes Bob Weeks.
By Bob Weeks
Phil Mickelson starts his 2017 campaign on Thursday at the CareerBuilder Challenge, a return to action that comes amid many questions.
That Lefty would be at the tournament was not in question; he’s the tournament ambassador, replacing former U.S. president Bill Clinton. But teeing it up was a game-time decision after Mickelson underwent two off-season sports hernia operations, one in October and another in December.
In a statement he issued this week, the five-time major winner said he wasn’t sure what to expect of his game. “I feel good and I want to play. I don’t know where my game is but I figure the only way to find out is to play.”
He has reportedly only been practicing for the past week after recovering from his surgeries.
While still eminently competitive, Mickelson turns 47 this year and hasn’t won on tour since 2013 when he captured the Open Championship. It’s difficult to say if his game is waning due to age or if he is still capable of being a force in the game.
For instance, he missed the cut in the first two majors last year but came about as close as possible to winning the Open Championship at Troon, falling just short to the remarkable play of Henrik Stenson.
On the PGA Tour, he had two other runner-up finishes and was tied for third at the CareerBuilder a year ago, but also missed six cuts, the most in a single season since 1995. He was a force at the Ryder Cup, going 2-1-1 but starts the year outside the top 20 in the Official World Golf Ranking for just the second time in the last 20 years.
Mickelson isn’t the only one on his team returning from surgery this week. His longtime caddy, Jim “Bones” Mackay had double knee replacement surgery on the same day as his boss’s first hernia operation. Mackay, who has caddied for Mickelson since 1992, told Bob Harig of ESPN.com that his knees have been hurting for years and fixing them up was a necessity.
In the three-course rotation use for the tournament, Lefty gets started Thursday at La Quinta Country Club, followed by the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West on Friday, and the Stadium course on Saturday. Sunday’s final round – if he makes the cut – is also at the Stadium course. The weather is forecast to be cool and wet, an unusual mixture for the desert area.
Mickelson is also scheduled to play next week at Torrey Pines in the Farmers Insurance Open.