Nothing to forgive, but hard to forget? 2006 US Open at Winged Foot. Standing on the 18th with par for a win. Phil, DO NOT touch that driver? Double bogey later, "I'm such an idiot" Just Phil being Phil.
Even though he says the one this year at Merion was his hardest to take, the one at Winged Foot was a done deal victory if he pulls out the 3 wood on 18. Still remember Johnny Miller yelling "what are you doing Phil?". What is missed in the storyline of Mickelson's utter collapse at Winged Foot is the fact that Colin Montgomerie choked just as badly, needing only a par to force a playoff with Ogilvy (and needing Phil to bogey), he couldn't throw his drive out onto the fairway any better. He has the easiest 7 iron he could want for his approach on 18, and he shanked it to the right. He had no chance to get up and down out of the rough. He simply choked. What was even worse with the loss at Winged Foot was history for Phil being only the 4th golfer ever to win 3 majors in a row (Nicklaus, Woods, Hogan were the others). Jones also did it, but the Masters was not in existence back then and 2 of his wins were as an amateur. Phil had nearly won the British Open a year earlier in 2004, so heading into that event with 3 in a row would have been some fantastic suspense and buildup leading to the Open Championship.
I'm still a Freddie fan however I like him a lot less since he started using that faggy broom handle for a putter. I cannot wait for this rule to go into effect. If for no other reason the damned thing looks ridiculous. I wouldn't use one if it hit the ball in the hole for me. Finally an organization gets it right! There was an article in one of my recent golf magazines where they interviewed Butch Harmon. He said Phil showed up to one tournament a little late (not late for his tee time, just for practice and stuff) and when he (Butch) went to get him he could barely walk. He said Phil made him walk/hold him up and go the opposite direction of everyone else because he didn't want anyone to see him like that and that he didn't want any excuses in case he didn't play so well. Really hard not to like him but I still just can't quite get there.
