Phil Mickelson is looking to toast his 21st full season as a professional toasting the one Major Championship missing from his going resume – the US Open.
Mickelson tees-up in this week’s Abu Dhabi Championship at Number Five in the world and the highest ranked player in the event and two spots ahead of Rory McIlroy.
It is the reigning British Open champions first tournament since ending his 2013 season in finishing 14th two months ago in the WGC – HSBC Champions event in Shanghai, and also the third occasion in the past four years Mickelson has commenced a new season in the United Arab Emirates capital.
Phil Mickelson joins in celebrations to mark this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. (Photo – www.europeantour.com)
“I’m excited to be back here in Abu Dhabi as it’s a great city, country, and we are all excited with what HSBC has done to bring world-class golf to Abu Dhabi and the UAE”, he said.
Last July, Mickelson captured a fifth Major Championship in winning the 142nd British Open at Muirfield that gave the left-handed player three of the four Major Championship after prior victories at the Masters (2004, 2006 & 2011) and PGA Championship (2005).
A month prior his success in Scotland, Mickelson recorded his fifth second place in the U.S. Open, losing by two shots to England’s Justin Rose after leading going into final round.
Mickelson will this year also return to this year’s US Open at Pinehurst No. 2, and where he was runner-up to the late Payne Stewart in 1999, hopeful of becoming only the sixth player in the history of the game to win the coveted Grand Slam.
“Any major championship win would make the year special and memorable,” he said.
“And I do believe that’s I’ll win a U.S. Open. I don’t know if it will be at Pinehurst this year. Very well could be, or in the future.
“But I play well in the tournament too often to not believe or be confident in my ability to close the tournament out. But any major championship would make 2014 a remarkable year.”
Mickelson will play the opening two rounds of this week’s $US 2.7m event alongside new World No. 7 Rory McIlroy who dropped one place in the rankings following Zach Johnson’s success a fortnight ago in the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.
And after McIlroy’s frustrating 2013 season, and a year he did not win all year until capturing the Australian Open in his penultimate event, Michelson’s believes the 24-year old Northern Irishman can again claim Major Championship glory in 2014.
“I think Rory’s going to have a great year, I really do,” said Mickelson.
“He’s too talented to have another year like last year. And you saw glimpses of his game being sharp with his win in Australia last December so I think he’s going to have a great year.”
