KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – Phil Mickelson was standing on the 16th fairway when the leaderboard showed that Brooks Koepka had caught him for the week. Sunday, Mickelson will try to keep Koepka from catching him for a career. It is possible that neither man will win this PGA Championship. But it will be a day they both remember, because even great players only get so many chances to climb history’s ladder.
Mickelson is 50 and has won five major championships. Koepka is 31 and has won four. If Mickelson wins his sixth major Sunday, Koepka might never catch him. But if Koepka wins his fifth, he will tie Phil and start aiming at other members of the First Name Only Club: Arnie (seven) and Tom (eight).
When the PGA was held in August, as the final of the four men’s majors, it was marketed as “Glory’s Last Shot.” Phil’s last shot—if it is his last shot—is far more compelling.
Midway through the third round, Mickelson surged to 10-under for the tournament—and, stunningly, 10-under for his previous 18 holes, going back to his second nine Friday. He looked like he might run away with the thing, but 50-year-olds don’t run away with much.
Mickelson walked the back nine here Saturday afternoon as the adored favorite of a crowd that had indulged in some serious thirst-quenching; the man had earned the drunken cheers, but his shots on the back did not. He snap-hooked his drive on 13 into a hazard and had to re-tee. On 15, he played a putt to break left and it never did. On 16, he finished his drive with one hand on the club and let out a half-hearted “Fore!” He missed a birdie putt and smiled and shook his head. He missed the 18th green to the left. He spent a lot of time on the back nine with his hand on his hip, staring at the spot where his ball was before he hit it. And still, he managed to finish with five straight pars to take a one-shot lead into Sunday.
Mickelson can become the oldest men’s major championship ever, and one of the most surprising. It’s a hell of a story, but Mickelson, who is usually a willing and funny storyteller, has not had much interest in the story this week.
“I’m having so much fun that it’s easier to stay in the present and not get ahead of myself,” he said.
This is a strange PGA Championship. The first three men on the leaderboard all walked off the course Saturday annoyed with themselves in some way or another. Mickelson (7-under) said, “I’m playing a lot better than the score is showing and I think if I can just stay sharp tomorrow, I’ll post a score that is—that better reflects how I’m actually playing.” Koepka (6-under) said, “I left a lot out there … that was the worst putting performance, I think I’ve ever had in my career.” Louis Oosthuizen (5-under) said, “I wouldn’t call that solid play. That was probably the worst I’ve played in a while.”
Oosthuizen is a serious threat to win, and if the wind blows hard, as it usually does here, any number of players could win the Wanamaker Trophy. But the story will be Mickelson and Koepka for as long as they can keep it that way. Mickelson’s career has been marked by great play for decades; Koepka is the master of great play when he needs it. This day won’t define either career, but it will help shape the discussion.
Erick S. Rasco/Sports Illustrated
Koepka remains a mental marvel. He arrived here having played four competitive rounds since February because of knee surgery; until he showed up at the Masters, there was speculation he would be out for a long time. But this is a major and Koepka is made for them. He is steadier than just about anybody else here and he knows it. He has won 8 PGA Tour events and half of them are majors.
Mickelson has been so good for so long that his impressive haul of five majors still seems like it should be more. He has finished second 11 times, including six in the U.S. Open, the one major he hasn’t won. He cannot change that any more than he can wake up and be 32 again. But winning this week, when most people figured he was washed, would be one of the most rewarding victories of his life.
Koepka is young enough to keep expecting chances. Mickelson is old enough to appreciate how few he has left. He has looked, all week, like a man battling mental and physical exhaustion. He tried to end his Saturday press conference so he could go work on his game before leaving the Ocean Course.
“Last [question],” Mickelson said, “‘cause I don’t have much sunlight.”
He answered, and then he walked over to the driving range, where he tried different club heads on different shafts and worked on shaping his shots. He needs one more day of greatness. Hell of a story, but Mickelson isn’t here for the story. Neither is Koepka.
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