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Just read an article over at Golf Channel about Phil. I am excited!

SAN DIEGO– One of the more compelling images from Torrey Pines apparently won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

Phil Mickelson, in the middle of a five-week stretch of tournaments, took time off to rest Tuesday. That allowed his caddie a chance to sneak over to play golf at Whisper Rock before getting back to work at thePhoenix Open.

Jim “Bones” Mackay wasn’t on the phone very long when it was time for him to play a shot, so he handed the phone off to someone in his group. That turned out to be Geoff Ogilvy, who provided details of the round.

“We’re actually having Bones run up from the fairway to tend the flag for us,” Ogilvy said.

He was only kidding, and Mackay can expect plenty of that.

In yet another case of Mickelson’s entertainment value, he needed an eagle on the par-5 18th hole at Torrey Pines to force a playoff with Bubba Watson. The odds weren’t very good, and Mickelson knew that. But leaving nothing to chance, he had Mackay tend the flag as he stood over his third shot from 72 yards out in the fairway.

Having a caddie tend the flag for a full shot from the fairway is unusual, but not unprecedented. Then again, it was only nine months ago when Mickelson told his caddie NOT to tend the flag when he had a birdie putt on the green.

That happened in the third round at Quail Hollow last year, when Mickelson was trying to make a point about the severe greens. From 60 feet away, he felt his only chance at par was to putt well right of the cup. He ended up getting his par.

Few players are more unpredictable than Mickelson.

Yes, he is Phil the Thrill.

Phil also has a plan.

Read the rest of the article here.

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Just got an email from the good folks over at Forbes.com.

They wanted to give me the heads up that our man Phil will be on their new list of the most powerful celebrities.

Here is the email:

Hello — Just wanted to give you a heads up that Phil Mickelson will be featured on this year’s edition of the Forbes Celebrity 100, our annual ranking of the most powerful celebrities in movies, television, sports and publishing. The list comes out on Monday, June 28 at 6 PM on http://www.forbes.com. We’ll send you a note Monday when it is live so you’ll be among the first have access to it. Hope you’ll take a look, and maybe share it with friends and followers who might also enjoy the list.

All the best,

Samantha French, Forbes.com

How cool is that? Go Phil!

Update: June 29th

Here is a link to the article: http://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/53/celeb-100-10_Phil-Mickelson_6OLL.html

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Phil Mickelson’s success sits very well with fans – latimes.com

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Tell it Ernie!!

I never liked Tiger, even before he got in trouble. But in a new article out on ABC, Ernie Els is quoted as saying, “Phil is probably the man to beat now” and “Phil is hitting it as long, or longer, than anybody out there”.

Phil Mickelson, a four-times winner worldwide last year, can now be bracketed alongside top-ranked Tiger Woods in all departments of the game, according to Ernie Els.

Mickelson finished his 2009 campaign in barn-storming fashion, clinching the PGA Tour‘s season-ending Tour Championship in September and the WGC-HSBC Champions in China in November.

In each of those high-profile tournaments, left-hander Mickelson overshadowed his more illustrious American rival Woods, and South African Els took careful notice.

“Phil is probably the man to beat now,” former world number one Els said at this week’s Sony Open on the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

“Even if you ask Tiger, I think Phil has got right to his level throughout his game. There is a new guy we got to chase.

“The way Phil played at the end of last year … he played with Tiger in Shanghai and won the tournament there on the final hole. The Tour Championship he won coming from behind.”

Read the complete article at ABC.net.au

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Most people have seen Phil Mickelson hit the backwards shot. But I had not seen this version.

It is taken from his new DVD set,

.

It is a 2-DVD set that covers all of the amazing golf shots that only Phil Mickelson can pull off.

Enjoy this clip!

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Phil Mickelson wins WGC at Doral

What a great finish yesterday for Phil at the WGC. Lefty held off Watney to win the World Golf Chanmpionship for the first time.

This makes him number two in the world rankings, bumping ahead of Sergio Garcia. There is also a chance that he could pass Tiger before the Masters. How good would that be?

The other story is that Phil was deathly ill the whole weekend. He thinks he may have eaten something that made him sick. So sick that he had to go to the hospital and get two bags of IV fluid.

Go to the NY Daily News for full coverage.

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Phil played 27 holes at Augusta National last Tuesday in preparation for the upcoming Masters Tournament. Even though Lefty has played the course hundreds of times in his career, he still calls it one of his favorite courses.

Check out the full article at Golf Channel.

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Phil Mickelson and Butch Harmon

In an article over at Golf Digest Butch Harmon says that Phil Mickelson will be ready for Augusta. I sure hope so. Nothing would make me happier than to watch Phil Mickelson win his third Masters. Go Phil!

Here is an excerpt. Read the full article here.

Since swing coach Butch Harmon took Phil Mickelson under his wing, there have been some changes made. Mickelson improved, won five times starting with his come-from-behind victory at the 2007 Players, Harmon’s first full week on the job. But Mickelson still recognized he needed more help and Harmon has constantly been working on Mickelson’s swing to make his misses smaller.

But close Phil-watchers realize there are additional alterations being made in a player who continues to be a work in progress. For instance, under Harmon’s tutelage, Mickelson tries red wine, but only about once a month. Butch said Mickelson’s palate is trending toward Bordeaux, especially Chateau Margaux. Actually, this is quite a nice neighborhood to visit, if a bottle from the 1982 vintage sounds right, at its going rate of about $1,195. Think about it. If somebody named Butch is whispering in your ear that a bottle of wine might really be worth four figures, you have to believe he’s on to something.

And now, with the Masters just around the corner, Harmon said that Mickelson is going to be someone to be reckoned with again. He could be on to something there, too. There’s a chance it’s going to be vintage Phil.

In dramatic fashion, our favorite PGA tour player, Phil Mickelson, won the Northern Trust open today by one shot over Steve Stricker.

If you watched in on TV you know how exciting it was. Phil started with a 4 stroke lead, gave it all away and then some, only to get make back to back birdies on 16 and 17 to win it all. 

Read the full article at The Golf Channel.

Phil Mickelson believes that the PGA Tour needs Sergio Garcia

 and 

Padraig Harrington and other European players to play more events in the US. Phil believes that this will help to keep golf enthusiasts interested int eh game, even in the current economic downturn. It certainly can’t hurt.

Read the entire article at The Guardian.