Mickelson now a true rival for Tiger

The evolution has been extraordinary. Phil Mickelson is a changed man, going from one who couldn't win a major for love or money to a player stockpiling the game's most prestigious prizes faster than anyone else.

In the cosy confines of the Butler Cabin on Sunday evening, as Tiger Woods traded green jackets with Mickelson, his successor as champion, one couldn't help but feel that finally a modern-day rivalry to match the days of Jack and Arnie had materialised.

This is how it used to be with the old Phil: in his first 42 appearances in major championships, he failed to win. Not one.

And this is how it is with the new Phil: his second US Masters victory was his third major title win in nine starts, and the second in a row after his success in last August's US PGA championship.

Mickelson has now won a major for each of the last three seasons, a sequence started with his 2004 Masters win.

"Three-for-nine sounds better, huh?" he quipped, when reminded of the 0-for-42 statistic.

Mickelson's transformation into a winning machine was not a solo effort, and the evolution from nearly-man to a winner can be traced back to the painstaking work he undertook with his coaches, swing guru Rick Smith and short game expert Dave Pelz, before the breakthrough major win two years ago.

"There's no doubt he's changed," said Fred Couples, who played in the last pairing with Mickelson in Sunday's final round. "He's an incredible player. He's got more talent than maybe anyone out here in his hands and in his game."

Harnessing that talent was always Mickelson's problem.

But before the 2004 Masters, the American changed his preparations, visiting Augusta National in the weeks beforehand and working on different shots. This time round, he showed an ability to "think outside the box", as Paul McGinley put it, by having two drivers in his bag for the extra length of the course. One for drawing shots, the other for fading.

"I couldn't have done this myself," acknowledged Mickelson after a final round 69 for seven-under-par 281 gave him a two-stroke winning margin over South Africa's Tim Clark, the highest winning total on the toughened-up course since Mike Weir shot that total in 2003.

Woods was one of five players bunched in a tie for third.

"I have always practised hard, but maybe I didn't practice the right way or on the right things . . . to have the help from Dave Pelz and Rick Smith, it has really given me the (right) guidance. When I do spend time practising, I'm spending it on the right things to help me prepare my best and to play my best."

Mickelson, who became the first winner since Sandy Lyle in 1988 to win the Masters after winning the previous week, put two drivers in his bag at the BellSouth two weeks ago in preparation for the Masters. It's not a trend that he envisages doing every week, just one specifically undertaken with the Masters in mind because of the course's extra length.

It worked. In the driving distance statistics, Mickelson was ranked number one with an average of 299 yards. He was 13-under-par for the par fives during the tournament, including birdies on numbers eight and 15 in all four rounds.

With this win, fashioned on a final-round Sunday that saw him play 31 holes, 13 with Darren Clarke in completing the weather-hampered third round, and then the final 18 with Couples, Mickelson has moved to number two in the world rankings and to the top of the US Tour money list with earnings this season of $3,123,827.

In his champions press conference on Sunday evening, Mickelson was reminded that Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer traded the green jacket back and forth between 1962 and 1966, and that, now, he and Woods have done it three years in a row.

"Well, you know, I don't really want to trade next year . . . but I certainly enjoyed having the jacket put on me rather than putting it on. I don't know if it is good for the game or not, but I love the chance to compete against guys like Tiger, guys like Retief and Ernie and Vijay and Fred, who are playing so well. It gives me an incredible feeling of accomplishment to be able to come out on top."

Mickelson also became the first player since Woods in 2002 to win back-to-back majors, and this latest success has naturally led to thoughts of him accomplishing the so-called "Tiger Slam" of winning four successive majors; and, perhaps, even the elusive Grand Slam, of all four majors in the one season. The next part of that equation will be the US Open in June at Winged Foot.

Of his growing collection of major titles and that the win sets in motion thoughts of a Grand Slam, Mickelson responded:

"I don't really think of that. As much as I want to be part of the history of this tournament and a part of the history of the great game of golf, it's not something I dwell on. I really enjoy the challenges that each major presents. I don't think about leaving a legacy. I just try to play well and compete and hopefully win as many as I can. It's nice that I've started, because two years ago I wasn't."

Indeed, times have changed.

Driving Distance ... 299.25 ... Rank: 1st

Driving Accuracy ... 35 of 56 = 62.5% ... Rank: T36

Greens in Regulation ... 50 of 72 = 69.44% ... Rank: T4

Putts Per Round ... 116 (72 holes) = 1.611 ... Rank: T16