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When Phil Mickelson tees it up on Thursday at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, it will be just shy of seven weeks since Lefty has participated in a PGA Tour event. As you know by now, Mickelson has been dealing with some family health issues, as both wife Amy and mother Mary have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Word on Amy is that she is doing well after surgery, so, like most Americans dealing with issues, Phil has to go back to work even if his 9-to-5 is trying to rattle in that five-footer for birdie. What should we expect from the world No. 2, who hasn't won on Firestone Country Club since 1996, when he comes back from to the tour?
His numbers aren't the best sign. Since 2002, Phil has taken off 28 days or more 13 times during the season, mostly for trips to Europe to prepare for the British Open. While he is playing competitive golf during some of these times, his stats when returning back to States golf aren't great. His average finish with four weeks or more off is 26th, with one missed cut tossed in at the 2003 BellSouth Classic. (Some might argue that the telling stat to focus on is Phil's success at the start of the year, which has included two wins, both at the Bob Hope, since '04 in his first official tournament each season.)
Mickelson's 2009 has been standard Phil, with two wins, two missed cuts and a second place finish at the U.S. Open, which he holds the record for. But, his showings at Firestone have hardly been impressive. Since the tournament turned into a World Golf Championship event, and Phil ran off four straight top-10s from 1999-02, Phil has just one top-10 (in '08) and four finishes of 43rd or worse.
In a perfect world, Phil would be coming back to a course he has had a little more success on (by comparison, Tiger Woods has won six times at Firestone), but the return is more to prepare for the PGA Championship than anything.
The last time a major championship was held at Hazeltine National (the 2002 PGA Championship), Mickelson finished t-34, his worst finish at the event this decade (he almost bested that finish as an amateur at the Hazeltine-hosted U.S. Open in 1991, when, on his 21st birthday, Mickelson finished t-55).
No matter his golf results, it'll just be nice to have Mickelson (and Woods, for that matter) back in the field again. The golf world needs these two to keep their attention (just look at the Buick Open ratings), and if anything, get ready for next week. Since 1999, there has only been one year, 2003, when neither Phil nor Tiger claimed a major championship. If one of the two can't pull through next week, it'll be another year the mighty go majorless, and that is the last thing the golf world wants.
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