Chaska, Minnesota …
After the controversy immediately following the 2014 Ryder Cup, Phil Mickelson two years on labelled himself a ‘dumbass’ in putting the USA team under pressure to regain the Ryder Cup.
There was only one USA Team story post their Gleneagles loss and that was Mickelson’s attack on Tom Watson’s leadership.
Now Mickelson has agreed his remarks in the press room two years ago put himself and the U.S., side under huge pressure to win this week at Hazeltine
Leap of joy – Phil Mickelson after holing his birdie putt at the last
And while Mickelson paid his part in the USA team winning back the Ryder Cup at Hazelinte with a 17-11 success, Mickelson felt obliged to make reference to his infamous faux pas.
“The pressure to win this Ryder Cup started two years ago when some dumbass opened his mouth in the media center,” he said.
“The thing about this is that we need to build on this. Otherwise, it’s all for naught.
“We created a very solid foundation this year … and it’s important that we build on that … because for us to go to Europe and try to win the cup is a whole different feat,” he added, referring to the 2018 event at Le Golf National near Paris. “That’s going to require a whole different level of play, of solidarity, of fortitude and we are going to have to build on this in two years if we want to try to retain the cup.
“So it’s important to start this foundation. Yes, it’s great that we had success this week, but it’s not about one year or one Ryder Cup. It’s about a multitude, for decades to come.”
At 46 years of age, Mickelson was the oldest player on Team USA but was like a kid in a candy store in holing a birdie putt on the 18th in his Singles match with Sergio Garcia.
The leap of joy prompted Mickelson quizzed if he has every leaped for joy off the golf course.
“When I try to dunk a basketball, I jump pretty high,” he said. “I can touch the net. My arms are pretty long.
“I’m older now, so probably jumped higher a little bit in ’04, because I got at least six inches off the ground then.”
