Phil: This is a big week

2008-08-07 11:13

Bloomfield Hills - Victory by tournament favourite Phil Mickelson at this week's US PGA Championship would transform the 2008 season into a very special one for the American left-hander.

In the absence of injured world number one Tiger Woods, Mickelson is the leading contender at Oakland Hills Country Club where he is bidding for his third PGA Tour win of the year.

"This is a big week," former champion Mickelson told reporters during preparation for Thursday's opening round of the 90th PGA Championship.

"Right now my season, with just two wins, is I think just okay.

"But if I were able to come through on Sunday and win this event, it would make an okay year a great one."

The world number two experienced similar feelings going into the 2005 PGA Championship at Baltusrol where he triumphed by one shot to claim his second major title.

"I had an okay year in 2005 heading in, with three wins, and looked at it as though it (winning) would make an okay year great," said Mickelson, who has been listed by British bookmakers William Hill as this week's favourite at 10/1.

Bitterly disappointed

"I feel the same way this year. Winning the last major could turn it into something special."

Although Mickelson was bitterly disappointed to squander a one-shot lead with four holes to play at last week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, he was in optimistic mood for Oakland Hills.

"I would have loved to have won last week, there's no arguing that point, but I really needed to be there like I was," he said.

"I needed to have four good rounds, I needed to feel the pressure and I needed to play well on a tough golf course heading into this week. I take a lot of positives out of last week."

Vijay Singh, a double winner of the PGA Championship, will take even more positive memories into Oakland Hills.

The 45-year-old Fijian overcame an erratic display with his putter to clinch his 32nd career victory on the PGA Tour at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Sunday.

"My iron game was about one of the best weeks I've had for a long, long time," Singh said after closing with a two-under-par 68 at Firestone Country Club.

Reconstructive knee surgery

"It was good to see and good to know that it's happening at the right time. We've got some big tournaments coming up and I'm just looking forward to playing (at Oakland Hills) now."

With four-times champion Woods sidelined for the rest of the year from mid-June after having reconstructive knee surgery, the door is open for a long list of players to shine this week.

Of all the majors in recent times, the PGA attracts the strongest field and yet has been the most likely to throw up a surprise winner.

The championship was won in consecutive years by unheralded Americans Rich Beem (2002) and Shaun Micheel, underlining that any player is capable of victory if his game is on song.

Whoever ends up lifting the prized Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday will have coped best with one of golf's toughest challenges.

"These are probably some of the toughest greens you'll ever see," three-times major champion Ernie Els said. "There's a lot of slope, a lot of undulation. If you get above the hole, it's very fast.

"The whole golf course really feels and plays like a major should be. I think we're in for a tough week, but a very fair week."

- Reuters