When Losing is Winning: Thank you Phil Mickelson for helping golf grow

Jordan Spieth won the 2015 Masters by shooting a remarkable 18 strokes under par; a historic low score he shares with Tiger Woods. Few people remember those who finish second, but not in that major. Justin Rose posted an impressive 14 under par at the finish. After his round, a sportscaster asked Rose what he would have done differently. "Nothing," he said. His words were without bitterness or sarcasm. He added, "the only thing I needed to do was play better than Jordan, and today that wasn't possible." I was reminded of his words at the conclusion of the 2016 British Open; I wouldn't have been surprised if Phil Mickelson said the same thing. 

This year's finish reminded me there are different ways athletes win and a variety of paths to a championship title. Sometimes a victory is born from an epic collapse (2016 Masters). Other times a lead is so strong, the win is earned without much contest (2014 World Series). Some wins aren't even possible to watch given our personal biases or the intensity of a given rivalry that colors our vision (2016 NBA Finals). But the 2016 Open was one to appreciate for the sake of what it was—near match play competition between two exciting competitors. Though it didn't come down to the 18th hole—akin to a game 7 in MLB or NBA finals—both men raised the game of golf and one another in the process. When that type of win transpires, it helps golf grow. 

I am a Phil Mickelson fan for simple reasons. I've always loved a lefty (even though he's right handed), I like his aggressive style of play (it's cost him...and I'm ok with that), I admire his 28 year relationship with his caddy Jim "Bones" Mackay, I think gamblers can be fun (sorry!) and and any time a professional athlete is older than me, I celebrate their achievements. For example, I was upset when Tim Duncan retired not because I think he's such a classy and talented athlete, but I was sad to lose someone over 40 still making a run for it! Mickelson turned 46 in June. Therefore my bias toward Mickelson over Stenson, permitted the camera—otherwise known as my eyes and mind—to go out of its way to watch him on the course. I found myself psychoanalyzing his every move. I asked myself What is his body language suggesting? Why isn't Phillie walking with Bones right now. How much does he love finishing his putt first? 

In my humble and limited observations, amidst the pressure of every single shot on Sunday, my take away from the final round is that Phil truly enjoyed the competition. Shooting a bogey free Sunday at 6 under par, the highlight had to have been the eagle he made on the fourth hole. His putting was excellent and were the golf gods just a little bit kinder, more than two of them would have fallen (including the putt on 18 on the first day. It lipped out...he posted a 63 instead of a 62). But they didn't....and Henrik Stenson who has been flirting with a major longer than people might think was incredibly precise. I believe Germans are known for precision, but I'd like to make a case for his Swedish engineering of the game.

Some competitors lose sight of the larger game that is unfolding before them. I know because I've been that athlete, but I can't say that was true of Phil Mickelson during the Open final. He recognized good strokes and putts by Stenson, he smiled when the Swede completed an incredible up and down, rather than pouting or walking away without acknowledging what he did. He offered an extensive congratulations to Stenson—the number six player in the world— upon his victory. The face to face dialogue reminded me of the exchange between Payne Stewart and him at the US Open, Pinehurst in 1999. But in that duel, not this one, the man ushering the warm words was the victor, not the one who walked away in defeat. 

Henrik Stenson will represent his country at the 2016 Olympic games in Rio, but other golfers like Rory McIlroy have opted out. McIlroy, himself a former Open champion explained "I didn't get into golf to try and grow the game. I got into golf to win championships and win majors."

I will be blogging about McIlory's comments soon as every fiber of my being disagrees with his outlook. Though I believe professional athletes must have a mindset that their goal is to win championships and win majors, I also believe it can and should be done in a way that grows the game. I think Mickelson's words affirm that it did: "I played close to flawless golf and was beat. It's probably the best I've played at not won. But Henrik made 10 birdies, so what are you going to do?" Like Justin Rose said, "nothing."

Phil, you may have lost on Sunday, but you have won the respect of the man who holds the 2016 Claret Jug and most especially those who love the game of golf. I hope you and Stenson said three powerful words as you walked off the course: "We did that." You did....he just did it better.  Thank you

Photo Credits
Two champions
Stenson and Mick
Thumbs up
YES

All You Need to Know about the 2015 British Open: Thanks, Help, Wow

Most sports fans wanted to know one thing about this year's British Open. Would Jordan Spieth earn a third major championship? Although some nasty weather changed the conversation, if you were able to tune in for today's final round you may have been asking "Who's Marc Leishman?" or "Wait, where did Phil Mickelson hit the ball on the 17th hole?" or "When will Jordan birdie again?" However as far as I'm concerned there's only one question worth answering about the 2015 Open. "What did Zach Johnson say?"

Killer 25 foot putt to put Johnson to 15 under for the tie. "I had a good read." Wish we always did, bud.

Tom Rinaldi, one of my favorite analysts allowed Johnson to paint a perfect picture. Indeed less is more. He met him off the green and simply said: How do you describe it?

Johnson replied,

I can’t. I’m at a loss for words. You don’t want to see a tournament end on a miss. Louis is a champion…and a friend. 

But I'm grateful, humbled. I’m thankful, I’m honored. 

This is the birth place of the game. I felt great. I was patient. I had some scripture running through my head. 

I thank the Lord. I thank my friends. I thank my family. I’m in awe right now.  

It’s a beautiful game.

One of my favorite spiritual authors is Anne Lamott. In her newest book "Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers" she writes.  

I do not know much about God and prayer but I have come to believe, over the last twenty-five years, that there’s something to be said about keeping prayer simple. "Help. Thanks. Wow."

Sounds a whole lot like what Johnson said. Congratulations to man who "gets to play golf for a living." A beautiful person for a beautiful game.

Johnson joins the luckiest golfers in the world. A victor at the Masters & The Open

Photo Credits
Great putt
St. Andrews

What the British Open Taught Me: Some We Win, Some We Lose

It was both exciting and…..what’s the word? It was dramatic and yet tragic. Watching the final round of the British Open on Sunday, July 22, 2012, I was left with one question: Did Ernie Els win or did Adam Scott lose? You might be thinking the answer is simple: “yes.” But I want to explore the question again…

Scott, the 32-year Australian golfer played his final 18 holes with a 4-shot lead over Brandt Snedekker and Graeme McDowell, his final round playing partner.  Els was 6-strokes back and 5-under par. It was Scott’s to lose—so to speak—and he did.

Similar to the 2012 US Open, I was hoping that Sunday’s leader would force a play-off rather than reveal who was the winner and who was not. As Scott’s 8-foot putt curved around instead of falling into the final hole, I wondered: to what degree does Scott’s loss take away from Els’ win. Again, did "The Big Easy" really win?

Els was one of the few contenders who shot under par on Sunday. Looking at his long putt from across the green on the on 18th hole, one couldn’t help but wonder for a brief moment if a victory was in store. For some reason however, the lingering feeling that sat with loyal fans at Royal Lytham-St Anne’s and me was different. It was a one-man loss / one-man win. For Adam Scott’s four bogeys on the final four holes, we had Ernie Els’ four birdies.  Is that enough evidence?

Look to the golfers and you won’t get an answer. Scott was remarkably calm and poised. I expected tears like Andy Murray’s after his Wimbledon final loss or a silence like the New England Patriots’ locker room. But no, Scott communicated his failing, especially on the last four holes with disappointment, but it wasn’t palpable. He acknowledged his mistakes, but without a wince. He looked the camera in the eye and kept his chin up. Did he lose?

Erine Els said again and again how badly he felt for Scott and how sure he was that Scott would have his moments.  He assured him that just about everything that can happen in the game of golf, I've gone through," said Els. "I've done what Adam has done. So to sit here with the Claret Jug is crazy."

I began to wrestle with this question as it applies to life. This idea is much different than winning the battle but losing the war.  No, this is about how we achieve a goal…how we meet the outcome.  In life we win and we lose, but how we do that varies. 

Sometimes we lose because a better opponent trumps us. We are clearly outmatched, outsized and outranked. At other times we simply do not win, not because we are not the worthy opponents, not because we are lacking in ability or spirit and not because our strategy failed. We don’t step it up at “the” critical moment. We fail to succeed; the end result is a loss. It is tough to lose, but the irony is that it’s also tough to win at this moment. 

I think that might be why we have a word for a great victory; it is a triumph. It is not something to be taken for granted.  A great victory leaves the athlete and the spectator with a sense that both teams or athletes played their best and fought until the end. One had to win. The scoreboard will indicate a winner, but to some degree the game was raised to another level because of the path to victory. 

The final round of “The Open Championship” revealed a different facet of life. Elections are won, and others are lost.  Relationships, jobs, and even wars are subject to this dynamic.  It is a tough perspective on life, but it also reveals quite a bit about one’s character.  Adam Scott and Ernie Els could not have been more grace-filled and respectable. In that way, both men won.  Both are champions and Sunday was a triumph for golf.

Photo Credits
Scott congratulates Els
Els with the Claret Jug
Scott Loses
Els' Great Putt
King Fed and Andy Murray