Phil needs?

[BreakingPar]

[quote name='Clambake' timestamp='1439762235' post='12149720']
He needs a breakthrough in psoriatic arthritis medication. Although the Enbrel has helped him significantly, I have a friend who deals with Phil regularly, and he indicates the arthritis really bothers him frequently and it's amazing he can play golf at a high level at all.
[/quote]

I'm Phil Mickelson, professional golfer...

[attachment=2909964:enbrel'.jpg]

J/k

On a more serious note, Phil needs a US Open

[rony]

Phil has had a great career, and still plays high level golf for a 45 year old player. He has always been a favorite of mine but then, I'm a NY Guy and golf people know that Phil is extremely popular with NY Fans. I think you have to be a New Yorker to really understand that. It is a "certain demeanor" that is given off by Professional Athletes that appeals to NY Fans. Phil definitely has it, and Tiger definitely does NOT have it! I will never forget watching the difference in the reception given to Phil Mickelson vs Tiger Woods at Bethpage Black during the 09 US Open. I like Tiger however for what he accomplished and did for the game of golf. He just happens to be a guy who is very hard to warm up to!

[ND2005]

[quote name='Clambake' timestamp='1439762235' post='12149720']
He needs a breakthrough in psoriatic arthritis medication. Although the Enbrel has helped him significantly, I have a friend who deals with Phil regularly, and he indicates the arthritis really bothers him frequently and it's amazing he can play golf at a high level at all.
[/quote]

Was going to say this. I don't think people understand how severe psoriatic arthritis can be, and tend to just chalk it up as regular old "arthritis"

[gopherguts]

[cradd10]

shorter backswing with the driver. When he was just getting to parallel, he was just as long and more consistent.

[f5joe]

Not a Phil fan ............ but, the barbs at his weight are unfair. He's actually trimmed down and looks good.

[Christen_The_Sloop]

Core work and to lose about 20-25 pounds, it's painful to watch him walk. He tries to make it look like he's still got spring in his step, but it looks like it takes a lot of effort.

[AintNoHobby]

Phil needs the Champions Tour lol

He will contend in Majors for a few more years. Might even win another one. The PGA is going back to Baltustrol next year (where he won in 05).

But I think his game sets up perfectly for the Champions Tour and he's only 5 years away from eligibility. Something tells me he will dominate there.

[llewol007]

Did we seem to forget that Phil has won a few or so many tournaments in his golfing career. All Phil has to do is play and he still commands an audience. We should all just be happy we still have Phil to talk about.

[Ripvanwinkle]

The one thing at this years PGA that stood out to me is that the he consistently under clubbed his irons into the greens. I think he heeds to be re-calibrate , honestly, his distances he hits his irons. I'm currently going through the same same thing... and I'm seventeen years older. He's relying on a memory that has changed. C'mon, Bones...talk some reality into him!!!!!

[KYMAR]

[quote name='Christen_The_Sloop' timestamp='1439869727' post='12159224']
Core work and to lose about 20-25 pounds, it's painful to watch him walk. He tries to make it look like he's still got spring in his step, but it looks like it takes a lot of effort.
[/quote]


Lol this is dumb on so many levels. First, the guy has an often very painful arthritic condition, hes 45 years old and in his 26th season on tour. You and i might look a little slowed down to.

Secondly have you seen dudes calves? His legs are scary strong, frankly they're kind of gross. I realize hes always been a bigger looking dude but damn,some people act like he's all John Daly'd up underneath his golf shirt.

[Christen_The_Sloop]

He hits golf balls for a living. He's not packing dry wall. He gets the very best care available to a human being. It looks like he enjoys eating, that's all. He has sort of addressed the situation. He was going really downhill a few years ago, but at the age he's at now he probably has to take more drastic action. I remember Nicklaus talking about how his diet changed as he got older... Now that's dumb. Dumb on so many levels.

[bladehunter]

[quote name='cradd10' timestamp='1439820652' post='12154018']
shorter backswing with the driver. When he was just getting to parallel, he was just as long and more consistent.
[/quote]


nah... hes too old to be trying to change things now... from a guy with a similar backswing .. its more timing related than trying to hit it long... shortening isn't easy at all..I screws with your whole swing and makes everything else off... would take a year or more to do it properly.. he doesn't have a year to give.... I personally think its a good sign.. hes certainly more flexable than most his age... and with arthritis that's a good sign... all phil needs is to hit more putts and hit less driver... I have never figured out why or how he doesn't find an easier to use putter... I have a couple 8802 ..one a PM Pt-82 and practice with them.. and I can tell you that either will make your anser or mallet feel automatic compared to the small blade.... I would love to see him go to something a bit more forgiving...

[Ballbag]

Better friends

[gopherguts]

[quote name='bladehunter' timestamp='1439901035' post='12160280']
[quote name='cradd10' timestamp='1439820652' post='12154018']
shorter backswing with the driver. When he was just getting to parallel, he was just as long and more consistent.
[/quote]


nah... hes too old to be trying to change things now... from a guy with a similar backswing .. its more timing related than trying to hit it long... shortening isn't easy at all..I screws with your whole swing and makes everything else off... would take a year or more to do it properly.. he doesn't have a year to give.... I personally think its a good sign.. hes certainly more flexable than most his age... and with arthritis that's a good sign... all phil needs is to hit more putts and hit less driver... I have never figured out why or how he doesn't find an easier to use putter... I have a couple 8802 ..one a PM Pt-82 and practice with them.. and I can tell you that either will make your anser or mallet feel automatic compared to the small blade.... I would love to see him go to something a bit more forgiving...
[/quote]

What I don't understand is why he uses a toe down putter with what appears to be a SBST stroke.

But I DO understand how hard it is to change something that's worked so well for so long,,,,,,,,,,

[Rock Chalk Jayhawk]

a moob job.

[crazyray]

[quote name='Clambake' timestamp='1439762235' post='12149720']
He needs a breakthrough in psoriatic arthritis medication. Although the Enbrel has helped him significantly, I have a friend who deals with Phil regularly, and he indicates the arthritis really bothers him frequently and it's amazing he can play golf at a high level at all.
[/quote]

This. Based on how far he hits it and how soft his hands are, he still should be able to contend on a regular basis. But it looks like to me that he's just not healthy enough over the course of 4 rounds and that's what stops him. All it takes is one flare up over the course of 72 holes to make a few bogeys and knock him out of contention.

[jkumpire]

He needs to sharpen up his short game, especially putting and short irons. As a commentator on Sirus PGA Tour Radio (who shall remain nameless) said he misses too many approach shots and misses too many putts. If he made four or five more easy birdie putts that he missed on Saturday and Sunday he would have been in contention to win the PGA. I didn't watch all of his rounds on Saturday or Suinday, but I can think of 5 putts within ten feet I saw him miss, and that is a mental issue, not a physical one IMO.

[bscinstnct]

Phil?

Guy goes around playing golf with the mentality of a weekend golfer, "hit driver" "wonder if I can hit it between those leaves", and wins on tour and majors. Makes dumptrucks of money, has a good time with it, great family, buys dinosaur eggs.

Wth does this guy need?

[Bohsaucey]

A real putter. At least that is the joke my dad and I make.

I would be interested to see what his stats with a #9 style vs the 8802 are. I feel like there was a point in time he had a wider flange on the back of that stupid thing.

[Rangeballz]

What does Phil need? Not much of anything, to be honest.

What does he want? A US Open trophy, a successful Ryder Cup captaincy, and perhaps a couple more regular event wins.

Let's be honest, most every one of us would trade places with him in a heartbeat.....

[TN22]

He seems content and happy in his post round interviews. Still loves the game.

He still plays pretty damn well for a 45 year old on Tour. He's had a wonderful career.

[braincramp52]

I'm not a big worshipper of anybody really but Phil has been my favorite golfer since he came on tour. I love the way he plays the game. I don't care if he blows a tournament or not, he is a blast to watch. Even if he never wins again he has had a career that most would die for. I don't find him phony at all and if that makes me gullible or dumb I don't care. I think it will be a huge disappointment to him if he never wins a U.S Open but he has nothing to be bummed about. To play during a era with Tiger and win as much as he did shows how great of a player he was. I don't see him winning a whole lot more at his age but he had a hell of a run.

[tbowles411]

[quote name='bscinstnct' timestamp='1439918309' post='12162382']
Phil?

Guy goes around playing golf with the mentality of a weekend golfer, "hit driver" "wonder if I can hit it between those leaves", and wins on tour and majors. Makes dumptrucks of money, has a good time with it, great family, buys dinosaur eggs.

Wth does this guy need?
[/quote]
/close thread

[John L.]

Phil has been fun to watch. A bit like Greg Norman with some timely collapses but, had a great career anyways.

He could still poke a finger in the eyes of "Father Time".

He's not done just yet.

[D-Nice]

[quote name='puttingmatt' timestamp='1439754526' post='12148886']
I see nothing bad in the game, he is at that age
Where he has good rounds and not so good.
No big deal,
[/quote]

Yeah, Phil can still play well, just not as often. I would think that's mostly due to age. He still has decent results (he was second in the PGA in 2014, second at the Masters in 2015, and Top 20 at both the Open and the PGA in 2015), but clearly the standard for a multiple major winner is different. Granted he hasn't won a tournament in a while, but he's not playing bad overall. He appears to just be enjoying it and going out there with a "let's see what I can do" attitude. All the golf commentators ask if he can win another major, and I'm sure Phil is trying as best he can. But, I think he's more realistic than most of us might think. He probably believes he could squeeze another one out, but I hardly think he's expecting it. And, I defintely don't think he believes he's destined to win a USO because of all of his past close calls.

[cohenfive]

I'm a big Phil fan, but think that his best days are clearly behind him. While he can still put a low number together, his consistency just isn't what it used to be, so putting four good rounds together just hasn't been happening. As someone else already said, father time can't be defeated...you can slow him down, but you can't eliminate him. I just hope we see Phil win something again.

[BoogieThumper]

Need???? Absolutely nothing, the guy is on the back side of a HOF career. My hat is off to him.

[robbie91]

[quote name='Clambake' timestamp='1439762235' post='12149720']
He needs a breakthrough in psoriatic arthritis medication. Although the Enbrel has helped him significantly, I have a friend who deals with Phil regularly, and he indicates the arthritis really bothers him frequently and it's amazing he can play golf at a high level at all.
[/quote]

+1 His condition has to take a toll on the amount of practice time and training he can do. I imagine he is in quite a bit of pain by the time the weekend rolls around.

[.squirrely.]

Just watching him continue to play is great he is still the best wedge player in the world, and if he could limit the couple high numbers that he seems to make every tournament he would have some legitimate chances to keep winning. Most guys on tour would have loved to play like he did the past two years, multiple top 5s in majors and played well in Ryder Cup, so he still definitely has it in him. Probably will not happen but seeing him win the US Open would probably be one of the greatest things to ever happen in golf.