I want to start this week by congratulating Aaron Baddeley on his victory at Harbour Town. Baddeley took advantage of a sluggish Jim Furyk on Sunday to earn his first PGA Tour win. Most of the golf media expected “Badds” to win a long time ago, but a win is a win any way you slice it. I hope this win helps elevate the young Aussie to new heights on the PGA Tour.
Now to the topic at hand. I’ve read a couple articles in the past week comparing Tiger Woods to Phil Mickelson. We even had a thread in our forum discussing the two excellent golfers, both on and off the golf course. I’ll be the first to admit I’m not a big fan of either. I would enjoy it much more if Retief Goosen was the top golfer in the world. Better yet, I would love to see Sergio Garcia, Adam Scott, and Luke Donald all making headlines at the top of the world rankings.
My dislike for both Woods and Mickelson aside, they are the two best golfers in the world right now. The discussion the past year or two has centered around Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh battling it out for the top spot in the world. Lefty has since passed Vijay Singh in the world rankings and has also won his fair share of major championships since early 2004. Talk of the “Lefty Slam” has already started, albeit prematurely.
As crazy as it may sound, Phil Mickelson is quite possibly a better golfer than Tiger Woods right now. I know Tiger still has a dominant lead in the world rankings, but that has nothing to do with how great a golfer is in the here and now. The fact of the matter is Mickelson has played just as well, if not better, than Tiger Woods so far in 2006. I’m going to break down a few different categories and then come to my final conclusion on the subject. Some of the results may or not be shocking to you.
The Stats
I don’t want to get too detailed with statistics because that’s Dave Koster’s area of expertise, and he does a great job with it. I’m just going to mention a few of the key stats that jumped out at me while comparing Tiger to Lefty. Since the beginning of 2004, Tiger and Phil each have eight wins in stroke-play events on the PGA Tour. Tiger gets the edge here with a victory in the 2004 Accenture Match Play Championship, giving him nine total wins on the PGA Tour in that timespan.
Tiger also has a pretty decent edge in the money department over the last two and a half years, earning about $18.5 million compared to Phil’s $14.6 million. Both have done well for themselves, but Tiger wins the comparison nonetheless. That being said, Phil currently sits in first on the 2006 PGA Tour money list, a little ahead of Mr. Woods.
The Majors
This is really the important subject as far as I’m concerned. Tiger has won 10 major championships in his career, but only two of them have come since the beginning of 2004. On the other hand, Phil Mickelson has won three major championships since the beginning of 2004. It may have taken Lefty a little while to close the deal in a major, but he has definitely gotten more comfortable with the situation as of late.
Like I said earlier, the comparison is pretty close at this moment. Tiger has won a lot more majors over his career than Phil has, but that has nothing to do with how great they are playing right now. Like it or not, Lefty has gotten the job done when it counts more often than Tiger has in the big ones. The rest of the tournaments matter to these guys, but not nearly as much as the major championships do.
On-Course Actions
The comparison of two golfers shouldn’t always come down to the victories and money. Believe it or not, the game of golf is about more than just money at times, especially when all the great ones are making plenty. The reason I don’t really care for Tiger or Phil comes down to their actions on the golf course. I have noticed my opinion is in the minority on this subject, but that’s fine with me. I’ve talked about it in the forum, but I wanted to mention it in this article as well.
Tiger Woods is the most competitive golfer in the world and quite possibly the most competitive athlete in the world. However, he still doesn’t need to yell out expletives on national television from time to time. Woods has improved in this aspect over the past couple years, but it’s still apparent. The term “role model” gets tossed around in different context these days, and I have my own opinion on the matter.
Tiger Woods has a great work ethic, and that is to be commended. However, his actions on the course are not actions of a role model. When I have kids, I definitely won’t push them to cheer for Tiger because of this. His work ethic may be great, but the same can be said for many other individuals on the PGA Tour. I would rather look up to guys like Retief Goosen and Jim Furyk any day of the week. They may not win as much, but they act like they have been there before.
Phil Mickelson, on the other hand, always seems to be having too good of a time on the golf course. His smile is cheesy, and it often makes me wonder just how genuine the guy really is. I’m not saying he’s a phony, but it sure seems like it. I know a lot of the members of the forum believe this as well. Tiger is in a terrible mood at times, while Lefty seems to be in “Cheesy Land” at times. Surely there is a happy median between these two extremes.
When all is said and done on this topic, Phil still wins this category. He may be fake when he acts happy all the time, but at least he isn’t swearing and throwing his putter in the process. That means a lot as far as I’m concerned. This category is close, but I’m giving the edge to Lefty. While some fans may think this category is crazy, it means a lot to me.
The Clutch
When it comes to clutch situations, there is no golfer I would have on my side ahead of Tiger Woods. This is Tiger’s bread and butter, and it’s the reason he won 10 major championships before the age of 30. Phil has improved in this aspect over the past couple years, but he still needs a little bigger lead to finish things off on Sunday. Whether or not the gap will close between the two in this category remains to be seen. I have a feeling Lefty will continue to improve on closing the door.
The Future
The future is bright for both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Tiger will go on to break Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major championships. In fact, he will win 20 or more before it’s all said and done. Woods will also break the record for most career victories on the PGA Tour before his time is done. Add to that the fact that Tiger will probably go down as the greatest golfer to ever play the game. Yeah, the future is that bright as long as the desire remains.
That is the distant future, however. As for the near future, Lefty is well on his way to becoming the 2006 PGA Tour player of the year. I know it’s still early in the season, but you can mark it down right now. The “Lefty Slam” may be out of the question, but Mickelson will still win a few more tournaments before the year is over, including another major championship. The last decade may belong to Tiger, but 2006 will belong to Lefty. And who knows, Mickelson may win 10 major championships before his career is finished.
The Final Say
The comparisons are endless when talking about Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. They can be broken down in so many ways it’s not funny. Since neither guy won a major championship in 2003, I started with 2004. That seemed like the fair thing to do. A lot of my golfing friends, including some here at The Sand Trap, say Tiger is the best golfer in the game, hands down. That may seem true, but the stats are much closer than most would expect.
I still think Tiger is the best golfer in the world, but not by much. The world rankings don’t do the comparison any justice, and I guarantee it eats at Tiger that Phil has more majors than he does since the beginning of 2004 (2003 really). That just shows the competitive fire in Tiger. If Phil wins a couple more before Tiger wins one, the comparisons will heat up even more. Until then, keep the competition going. Tiger needs to keep the swearing down, and Phil needs to wipe that cheesy smile off his face every once in awhile. If those two things happen, I might actually cheer for the two guys from time to time.
That’s all I have to say this week. I’m sure you all have something to say this time around, so speak up! Who do you think is better right now, Tiger or Phil? Also, how many majors will each win in 2006? Finally, do the actions on the course affect your opinions of professional golfers? If you have anything to add, feel free to comment below or discuss it in the Tour Talk forum. Thanks for reading Thrash Talk this week!
Photo Credits: © AP, © Hooked on Golf Blog.
A few things. Tiger was re-working his swing in 2003-2004, and obviously every year further you go back before that, you get more major wins for Tiger versus the same number of wins for Lefty.
Lefty to win 10 majors? The dude’s 36 and he’s not even 1/3rd of the way there. No way he gets 10.
Why is Tiger so dominant in the world rankings, which go back two years but measure, first and foremost, the past year a good portion more than the year before that? You said it yourself, albeit in a different way:
In the tournaments Tiger plays in, he finishes higher than Phil and earns more money. Good golf isn’t just about the wins you have over a weak field at the Bellsouth Classic, but about how you play when you’re not winning, too, and Tiger clearly has the advantage here. Take away Phil’s weak-field wins and Tiger’s lead gets even bigger.
Phil Mickelson was a “better golfer” for four days only this year. Those days were in April, and not at Doral (where Tiger dusted Phil in winning again, as he did last year). 2006? Tiger’s the better golfer. 2005? Tiger again. 2004? Phil had the edge, but again, 2003-2004 were the years Tiger was devoting to his new swing. A swing that, in 2005, put him four shots out of a grand slam and gave him two major titles.
How can you say that you “dislike” Tiger and Phil when they do so much for people. Yes Tiger is a bit of a “potty mouth” but so are most young people these days. Look at their role model”the vice president”.I don’t think that Phil is phoney either his smile is a reflection of his personality. You may like others better, which is your choice, but to use the word “dislike” is is a bit much I think.
I am pretty tired of the “Phil’s a phony” statements I hear on the radio and other medeia. If he is indeed a phony, then the man is an Academy Award winning caliber actor. I have watched Phil extensively on TV and once on the course. I have never seen a “break” in the facade where Phil “the prick” suddenly came forth. (think Don Johnson in Tin Cup.) If Phil is indeed a phony, I want to hear real evidence, not “well the press says so” innuendos. Sure Phil is more than a bit goofy and, I agree, cheesy. But that is part of his charm. I enjoy watching him play and I enjoy seeing a top level professional, in any sport, enjoying himself on the course, field, or court. Somebody explain how that is “phony.”
P.S. Note to Phil: A little bit of the kids at the end of a tournament win goes a looong way. You could tone that one down a bit.
A very interesting analysis. I’d probably agree that over the short term covering the end of 2005 to now, Phil is perhaps the better golfer, and may even be for the rest of the year. Why? Well, I’m not sure that Tiger is completely focused on golf right now. Sure he seems to be more in control of his swing, but I’m sure that he’s thinking much more about his father rather than preparing for tournaments (e.g., the Player’s Championship earlier this year).
I suspect that until Tiger’s father’s health gets resolved, Tiger will not be 100% focused on golf (understandably and rightly). For this reason, I would predict that Lefty will likely be the “better” golfer for the short term. But, only until Tiger gets his focus back on golf.
Tiger’s track record (10 majors and a gajillion PGA Tour victories) speaks for itself. With Tiger’s competitive nature and his physical gifts, there’s no reason to see him slowing down, even if the competition is getter better.
How can you not like Phil and Tiger and pull for all the foreign players. Its not like I dislike the foreign guys but I always root for the players from here. Do you cheer for the European Ryder Cup team as well?
Mallard, how about the fact that Phil was voted one of the 10 most hated athletes (and the most hated golfer)? It ain’t because he wins a lot. How about the conversations people have overheard (on TV) between him and his caddie? How about the truth behind the gambling and the wholesome image Mickelson continues to push on people?
Some more food for thought comes to us from this article:
Big Five (and Sergio) in the Past Five Majors
Name Major Avg. Top Total Wins Finish 5 Wins Tiger 2 2 5 8 Phil 2 21 2 6 Vijay 0 6.8 2 4 Retief 0 5.6 3 1 Ernie 0 26.5 0 0 Sergio 0 29.4 2 1Still think Tiger is playing second fiddle to FIGJAM? Phil’s only two top-five finishes were when he won. Tiger finished in the top five in ALL FIVE majors (2005 + 2006 Masters).
Okay Dokay, I do cheer for the Americans in the Ryder Cup, but I still don’t really care for Tiger or Phil. There are 10 other Americans on the team.
Last year at the Presidents Cup, I was happy to see Goosen defeat Tiger Woods in singles, but I was even happier to see the Americans win the Cup.
I don’t think the golfer’s home country really matters these days. Most of them live in the United States most of the year anyway. So it makes it easier to cheer for them.
I look at a golfer’s demeanor when I pick guys to cheer for. A little success doesn’t hurt either.
Just a few words on Tiger’s and Phil’s behalf. Your are full of xxxx!
Have a nice day.
I just wish they both played more tournaments, so I could watch really good golfers play more often. When VJ was #2 in the world he still played almost every weekend. That’s MY kind of golfer.
To follow up the “Phil’s a phony” thread:
I read the most hated athlete article, and it is exactly what I am complaining about. No details, just that everyone seems to dislike the guy for unknown reasons. Does he kick puppies or push old ladies down? I can imagine that he has a strong ego and is quite “me-oriented.” What a shock for a world-class athlete! Yeah, fine, he gambles…alot. I imagine he can afford the loses he may incur without endangering the welfare of his family and friends. And gambling is not illegal, in most cases.
I think one reason Phil is unpopular with the other Tour members is that I don’t think Phil is “one of them” the way Vijay is. Phil is selective about his tournaments, and probably enjoys hanging with his family and friends more than buddying-up to the Tour members. Vijay is out there every week grinding with the rest and hanging out all afternoon on the range. He is more a regular guy and part of the Tour clique. That’s my take, anyway.
Phil appears to enjoy his time on the course, at least when he is playing well. He has a strong enough relationship with Bones to speak frankly. Bones has been with him since Phil went pro, so Phil can’t be too hard to work with. Phil makes an effort to be available to fans and sign autographs. And staged or not, he presents a strong family image. I will take all that, real or not, over an arrogant athlete that doesn’t appear to appreciate what he has got and is all attitude, even if that is real.
Phil is better over the last three years.
You got to be kidding me … Now even at this moment is Mickelson even comparable to Woods. Look at the number of events Phil enters that he knows Tiger will not be present. Tiger is the bain of Phil’s existence ant Phil knows this. Do you think at the Master’s this year, had Phil been matched up with Tiger he would have one?? He would have choked and folded by the 4th hole. And don’t talk about Tiger not being a good role model. On the course he is in a zone and may not act “cheesy” like Phil, but no one has done more or will continue to do more with children and golf then Tiger. If Phil had the schedule like Tiger does, he wouldn’t even win half the tournaments that he does now. It is like saying that Michael Jordan was not the best player of his time. At anytime during his career, there would be no other person you would want on your team, but did he win the MVP every single one of those years? No, but he was still the best, so for all you “Lefty” fans, wake up and realize who the Greatest is.