Phil Mickelson kick-started his 2016/17 PGA Tour season sharing eighth place in the Safeway Open but heading into a three-month break lamenting a past season where he failed to win for a third year running in his career.
Mickelson earned $US 162,000 but it was more about looking back on a 24th season in the pro ranks with disappointment, and ahead of not teeing-up again to January 19th.
“It was a good year to build off of. I had some good performances. My iron play came back, my wedge play, putting, it was a great putting year,” he said.
“A lot of really good positives that come from this year. I’ve got to fix my driving this offseason and I think the wins will follow.
Nine months after winning golf’s oldest major Phil Mickelson is still basking in his Muirfield glory.
“But then the only disappointment is I didn’t win. I had a couple good opportunities to do so and that’s the only thing the year was lacking.”
Indeed, Mickelson went the closest to victory at The Open and with he and Henrik Stenson turning the final two rounds into their own Royal Troon two-man show.
“Had I been able to break through and get that British, that would have made the whole year,” he said.
“I also had a great chance at Pebble. But again, it’s a great year to build off of.
“So if I can take this momentum and the areas that I was able to address and fix, my iron play, my chipping, my putting, and add the driving element this off-season, it’s going to be a great year.”
Of course, there was one victory Mickelson could savour and that was at Hazeltine and only his third Ryder Cup success in 11 starts.
“The Ryder Cup made the year, too. That sent the off-season going out on a high,” added Mickelson.
“It was really something special to be a part of and to see the way the guys played, the energy, the excitement that we shared, the emotional element of the Ryder Cup that we shared, and then we feel like we’re going to build on it.
“I would love to go over there in two years to Europe and try to keep it.”
If so, it would be the first time in Mickelson’s career he will have been on a USA Team winning on European soil
