PGA Championship 2021 R4
May 20-23
Ocean Course, Kiawah Island, SC
Round 1, Round 2, Round 3

Estimated reading time: 14 minutes

KIAWAH ISLAND, SC. Phil Mickelson's career has been one of epic highs and devastating lows.

Lefty's improbable win at The Ocean Course in South Carolina's Lowcountry along the Atlantic Ocean showcased a high of unprecedented stature. Mickelson became the oldest winner of a major championship at 50 years of age -- surpassing the previous mark set by Julius Boros who won the 1968 PGA Championship at the age of 48.

Mickelson's last major victory came in 2013 at The Open Championship at Muirfield and his last PGA Tour win came in February 2019 at the AT&T National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach. He is now tied for 12th in terms of major championships victories with six and added his second PGA Championship -- the first coming in 2005 at Baltusrol GC in New Jersey.

 Coming into the 103rd PGA Championship Mickelson had not cracked the top 20 in any PGA Tour event played this seaon. Oddsmakers had him at no less than 200-1 odds and his world ranking had him at 115th -- he's now 32nd. 

Entering the final round with a one-stroke lead and playing in the final twosome with four-time major champion Brooks Koepka, Mickelson knew full well the need to play at a high level given the qualities of Koepka and those chasing him. Beyond the nature of the competition was the daunting challenge presented by The Ocean Course which proved vexing to all competitors throughout the four days of the competition.

Mickelson fired a final round of 73 and 282 total -- outlasting co-runners-up Koepka and South African Louis Oosthuizen who finished with a 284 total.

The on-site gallery -- limited to roughly 10,000 because of pandemic protocols -- were clearly engaged to lend their support to Mickelson as soon as he stepped onto the 1st tee.

The demands of The Ocean Course provided for constant tension on nearly every shot for the main contenders. Mickelson opened with a bogey on the 1st hole -- rebounded with a birdie at the 2nd -- then bogied the 3rd. Koepka momentarily tied for the lead with an opening birdie but fell back with a double-bogey at the par-5 2nd.

The pair would trade major shot swings throughout the outward nine with Mickelson holing out a greenside bunker shot at the par-3 5th and then following-up with a bogey at the par-4 6th and rebounding for a birdie at the par-5 7th. 

Koekpa would close the margin with a birdie at the 6th but inexplicably a pushed 3-metal club at the par-5 7th resulted in another debilitating bogey. 

As the two exited the par-4 9th -- it was Mickelson who held a two-shot lead.

With nine holes to play Mickelson expanded his lead at the par-4 10th with a sensational birdie courtesy of a wonderfully played approach shot and a 15-foot birdie putt. Koepka continued his uncharacteristic erratic play with another bogey - the lead growing to four shots.

 Oosthuizen hovered in the mix but a deflating double-bogey on Sunday's most difficult 13th hole derailed his efforts.

Koepka made a late round move with consecutive birdies at the 15th and 16th hole -- and was aided by back-to-back bogies by Mickelson at the 13th and 14th holes. The lead narrowed to two shots as the final pairing made their way to the 18th tee. Mickelson found the left rough with his tee shot but his 9-iron approach to the center of the green left him with a 20-foot putt which he easily two-putted to seal his triumph.

 For much of his career Mickelson has played in the considerable shadow of Tiger Woods. That shadow prevented Mickelson from ever being ranked number one in the world. The win at The Ocean Course has pushed his already considerable stature even higher and for once Mickelson has done something in his accomplished career that neither Woods, nor any other golfers has ever done, win a major at 50 years, 11 months and 7 days. 

Mickelson displayed a revamped physique and a committed mental process that worked superbly in tandem with his brother Tim who serves as Phil's caddie. The interplay between the two was certainly evident and above all else -- meaningful.

 As Mickelson approached the final green the crowd engulfed both players. In the same manner that supporters flocked around Woods when winning the '18 Tour Championship, the gallery at Kiawah was certainly buoyant having played a meaningful role in supporting Mickelson to victory.

The next major arrives in June with the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Club. It is a San Diego course Mickelson grew up playing and he has won the Farmers Insurance event three times. The USGA had extended Mickelson an exemption to play in the event and Phil's play this week showed how prescient they were in doing so.

The lone major Phil has never won is the U.S. Open -- being runner-up a record six times. A win in June would mean becoming the 6th golfer to have won the career grand slam. What seemed unlikely before this week's PGA Championship cannot now be summarily dismissed. Clearly his odds for that event will not be anywhere near what they were for the PGA Championship. He now returns to his childhood venue in grand style.

Final notes --

*Rickie Fowler, granted a special exemption into this year's event, had his best finish in a major with a T8 since the 2019 Open Championship when he earned a T6. Fowler played well on the weekend with rounds of 69-71.

*A total of 13 players scored in the 60s during the final round. The low 18-hole round for the event was shot by Abraham Ancer scoring a seven-under-par 65.

*Defending champion Colin Morikawa finished T8 along with rising star Will Zalatoris, this year's Masters runner-up.

*Wind direction for the final round did what forecasters expected. For the first three rounds a northeast wind blew. For the final round winds changed to the prevailing southwest direction causing players to make major adjustments in terms of club selection. The 18th and 17th -- the two most difficult holes for the first three rounds -- played much easier with helping wind for the final 18 holes.

*Ireland had two of its favorite sons in the mix during Sunday's final round. Padraig Harrington, who is 49 and turns 50 in August, finished in a T4th with fellow countryman Shane Lowry.

*Kudos to the PGA of America in opting to move its flagship event to the May time frame which commenced with the 2019 event. Going from the August time frame to May and in following the Masters has smartly positioned the event between the Masters and U.S. Open.

*An additional acknowledgement to Kerry Haigh of the PGA of America in once again demonstrating the wherewithal to properly prepare a site for a major event. The Ocean Course was a formidable test and while the layout presented scoring opportunities it only did so when proper execution was carried out.

*Mickelson's win only adds to the pressure USA Ryder Cup Captain Steve Stricker faces when announcing selections for the American team in the next few months. Phil has been a member of every team going back to 1995 but his last performance in 2018 in Paris was hardly a highlight as he was beaten decisively in his singles match against Francesco Molinari to provide the decisive point for Team Europe's resounding win. With Phil's win at Kiawah -- Stricker may have to ponder if including a revitalized Mickelson as one of his six Captain's picks will be an added plus as the USA attempts to win back the Cup. This year's matches are to be played in late September at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. Mickelson has played in a record 12 matches for Team USA.

 *The 104th PGA Championship in 2022 will be played at the Southern Hills CC in Tulsa, OK. The site was included after the original venue Trump National Bedminster (NJ) was shelved by the PGA of America given the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and the connection with then President Donald Trump.