David Briggs: Mickelson’s win reminds us of golf’s ageless appeal (and some Toledo history)

May 24—A victory for the ages.

A win for the ageless.

On a day scripted in network television heaven, Phil Mickelson wondrously turned back the clock Sunday afternoon, capturing the 103rd PGA Championship, a stand-alone place in history, and, above all, our imagination.

His electrifying performance at Kiawah Island was nothing if not a reminder of the timeless appeal of golf.

One of the game’s great beauties is that you can play it almost all your life and — no matter if you are nine or 90 — execute a given shot as well as the best players in the world would have hit the exact same ball in the exact same situation.

And its magic is in days like this, when a legend flirts with major championship history in the autumn of their Hall of Fame careers — see a 58-year-old Jack Nicklaus at the Masters in 1998 or a 59-year-old Tom Watson at the British Open in 2009— or, no freaking way, finishes the deal, like Jack and Tiger did at Augusta in 1986 and 2019, or Phil did on Sunday.

Three weeks shy of his 51st birthday, the people’s champion gave us his piece de resistance, becoming the oldest major champion ever and thrilling the people.

When Mickelson tapped in the clincher at No. 18, you could have heard the roars of the massive gallery from Toledo, which, incidentally, is where the six-time major winner finished sixth in his first PGA Championship in 1993.

Think about that.

That’s how long he has been at or near the top of pro golf.

For the longest time, remember, Mickelson had that backhanded tag — earned through one heartache after another — of the best player to never win a major. Well, he got rid of that monkey … 17 years ago, and he’s since won six of the things, with none more remarkable or fun than this one.

You couldn’t have dreamed it any better.

A wind-swept oceanfront setting as treacherous as it was beautiful. Phil and Brooks Koepka in a superstar final pairing. A back-and-forth early thrill ride that made the Millennium Force seem like a leisurely Sunday motor. Mickelson persevering to build a five-shot lead and hold on for the two-stroke win.

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“This is just an incredible feeling because I just believed that it was possible but yet everything was saying it wasn’t,” Mickelson said. “I hope that others find that inspiration. It might take a little extra work at [this age], and it’s a little bit harder effort to maintain physically or maintain the skills, but gosh, is it worth it in the end, and I’m so appreciative to be holding this Wanamaker Trophy.”

Now, before we go on, and because Toledo is the center of the universe, we would be remiss to not mention our hometown connections to the moment (OK, sort of).

Historians will note the Glass City is no stranger to golfers flouting the hands of time.

In fact, it shouldn’t have been a 48-year-old Julian Boros who Mickelson surpassed as the grayest major champion. It should have been Harry Vardon, who at age 50 held a five-shot lead with five holes at the 1920 U.S. Open at Inverness. But Vardon unimaginably closed with three straight three-putts and a double-bogey on No. 17 to give the championship to 43-year-old spring chicken Ted Ray (imagine the hot takes Vardon would endured today).

We’ll also remind you that Mickelson tried out for the Mud Hens in 2003, hoping to earn the opportunity to pitch in a real game in Toledo. (He did not make the cut, with Tigers then-assistant GM Al Avila saying, “We appreciate his competitive efforts and also appreciate the first-class manner in which he has handled himself.”)

So, in a way, if we were really provincial, we could have headlined this column: “Former Mud Hen becomes oldest major champ, breaking record that should have been set in Toledo.”

But we won’t be selfish.

Because, really, this was a story to be savored by all.

A left-handed tale completely out of left field.

Like Mickelson said, there was nothing that suggested this possible, other than his greenside wizardry and eternal ability to blister drives into orbit (you kidding me with that 366-yarder Sunday?) He was ranked 115th in the world and going nowhere. Here were his results on the PGA Tour this year: 44th, missed cut, 76th, missed cut, 55th, missed cut, 53rd, missed cut, 35th, 25th, missed cut, 21st, missed cut, 69th … first.

But, again, that’s the magic of the only sport in which a gift such as Sunday is possible.

On the longest course in major championship history (7,876 yards) in duplicitous conditions, Mickelson suddenly put it all back together, outlasting the young guns and everyone else. He was brilliant, from tee to green, and off to the side, too. (His hole-out of the bunker — sorry, “sandy area” — on No. 5 gave us the added present of one more all-time call from another venerable wonder, Verne Lundquist. “Oh my gracious!”)

Truly, it was a victory for the ages.

A win for the ageless.

First Published May 23, 2021, 9:53pm