Mickelson hungry for more

US OpenThe jaunt in his step, if anything, is even jauntier than it was. The twinkle in his eyes has, well, an extra sparkle. The sheepish smile has widened; and the dimple is more prominent. For Phil Mickelson, a monkey, nay a gorilla, has been thrown off his back.

Instead of fending off questions about being a perennial loser in a major, people are queuing up to ask old 'Lefty' about a possible Grand Slam.

At a corporate gig on Monday night for watchmakers Rolex, one of his blue chip sponsors, images of Mickelson's back nine charge in the final round of the US Masters in April were screened. "I still get chills looking at that final putt go in," remarked Mickelson.

"It was an awesome memory, and I want to hopefully create more memories and more successes." Without a doubt, times - and expectations - have changed.

Yesterday at Shinnecock Hills, as he continued his preparations for the 104th US Open, Mickelson's every move was greeted with boisterous cheers. On a Tuesday? Today, he'll celebrate his 34th birthday and tomorrow he will set out in the quest to become only the sixth player to win both the Masters and the US Open in the same year: the others were Tiger Woods (2002), Jack Nicklaus (1972), Arnold Palmer (1960), Ben Hogan (1951 and 1953) and Craig Wood (1941).

These days, it's good to be Phil Mickelson. In 14 appearances on the US Tour this season, he has won twice - the Bob Hope Classic and the US Masters - and finished in the top-10 ten times. He has a stroke average of 69.10 and earnings of $4,233,322. And, most importantly, an improved self-belief. These days, Mickelson doesn't go out on to the course wondering if he can finish off the job. Instead, he goes out believing he can complete the job.

Mickelson had competed in 40 majors before winning his first major at Augusta. There were times when he had near misses; and there were times when his course management, or lack of it, came into question. "I really believed it would happen (eventually)," he insisted. "It was just a matter of time and I never doubted it would happen . . . now, I am looking at things differently, more big picture. I want to try and build on the Masters' victory. It was a wonderful, exciting moment for me and I don't want it to be the pinnacle per se. I want it to be a kind of a stepping stone to playing at that level more often in majors.

"Rather than dwell on the Masters as a pinnacle, I want to take what I learned from that event and what helped me succeed and bring it into this week." In short, the win hasn't made Mickelson softer; it has made him hungrier. Although his form since winning the Masters tailed off - he finished in the top-five in his next two outings before missing the cut at the Byron Nelson and then finishing tied-35th and tied-16th in his final two appearances before coming to Shinnecock Hills - there is an edge of anticipation about playing on a course that holds terrific appeal to him.

On his last appearance here in 1995, Mickelson finished tied-fourth, four shots behind winner Corey Pavin, and despite dropping six shots over the four days on the par five 16th. On that occasion, he continually drove into rough but, now, that area has been shaved. "I like the fact that it is now fairway, thank you," quipped Mickelson.

Part of his preparations for the Masters was to work out how to shave half-a-shot a round off his score.

"It's very easy to look back on '95 and salvage a shot around here. Just look back to 16 where I threw away six shots . . . I don't feel like I have to do that much different from 1995. I drove very well that year, hit almost 80 per cent of fairways. I think it will be much easier to shave that half a shot to a shot (here) than say at Augusta where I had been playing very well the last few years."

Mickelson knows this course better than most, having paid advance visits, one lasting three days, to play the course. "I think the best players should be able to come out on top in the more difficult circumstances because the luck factor has been taken out of the scoring . . . the only thin that luck is involved in is in the bunkers, where there's so many rocks that balls can shoot anywhere. I've ruined two wedges in five (practice) rounds.

"But I like it here. I like the greens, how the break is very subtle and I'm able to read the greens well. It's poa annua grass and I grew up on it in southern California.

"I don't think there's any tricks to it that you need to play here for a few years to know the course . . .

I feel like if you're playing well, it's pretty straightforward golf and you can do well." For someone who always talked a good game, the confidence is positively oozing from him. The weight has lifted off his shoulders, and it shows.