Mickelson’s Regained Form, and the Curse of the Seventh Year

Following last week’s T3 finish at the Safeway Open, which signified Phil Mickelson’s best performance in a PGA TOUR event in nearly 15 months, the predictive capacities of golf aficionados are now directed toward Mickelson’s potential for a strong 2018 season.

After an impressive 3-0-1 performance at the President’s Cup and a T6 finish at the FedexCup’s Dell Technologies Championship, the decorated left-hander’s conclusion to the 2017 TOUR season has demonstrated a propensity for an improved 2018.

Speaking to press after the Dell Technologies Championship, Mickelson explained that he seemed “to have found something … this is the best energy I’ve had throughout the round and the best focus; the first time I’ve been able to visualize [shots].”

Phil Mickelson reacts to his putt and the crowd after finishing his…

Phil Mickelson reacts to his putt and the crowd after finishing his round on the 18th hole during the final round of the Safeway Open at the North Course of the Silverado Resort and Spa on October 8,… Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

Channeling the ethos of Joe Namath’s guaranteed win before the 1969 Super Bowl, Lefty made a bold prediction following his third round at this past week’s Safeway Open in Napa.  “I’m going to win. It’s a matter of time,” the five-time major champion stated.  “I don’t know if it’s Sunday, I don’t know if it’s in China (at the HSBC Championship) but it’s going to happen. It’s going to happen soon because I’m starting to play well enough to do it.”

Phil Mickelson plays his shot out of the bunker on the second hole…

Phil Mickelson plays his shot out of the bunker on the second hole during the third round of the Safeway Open at the North Course of the Silverado Resort and Spa on October 7, 2017 in Napa,… Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

Mickelson’s confidence is a reaffirming indicator for the 25-year PGA TOUR veteran, whose 2017 season marked only the third time since turning professional in 1992 that he failed to notch a top twenty finish in a major championship.  Even more astonishing, 2017 was the third ever season in which Phil lacked a top ten finish in a major.  The two other seasons in which this occurred were 1997 and 2007, generating an interpretable pattern in Lefty’s career: the curse of the seventh year.

This bizarre trend is especially fascinating considering that Mickelson’s 2006 season included an impressive Masters victory along with an infamous US Open near miss at Winged Foot—while his 2016 season was marked by a runner-up performance at The Open, in which Mickelson exceeded the third-place finisher by a record eleven strokes.  Despite record statistics in the preceding years, Lefty recurrently fails to perform in major championships during every tenth season.

Phil Mickelson reacts to the crowd as he walks up the first fairway…

Phil Mickelson reacts to the crowd as he walks up the first fairway during the third round of the Safeway Open at the North Course of the Silverado Resort and Spa on October 15, 2016 in Napa,… Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

Regardless, Mickelson has demonstrated a renewed form at both the Safeway Open and the Dell Technologies Championship, which—along with a potent confidence in his ability to perform competitively—bodes well as the forty-two-time PGA winner enters the HSBC Champions two weeks from now in Shanghai.

Mickelson should feel even more optimistic at the tournament’s hosting course, Sheshan International Golf Club, considering that he won the WGC event back in 2009 by a shot over Ernie Els.  If Phil’s history of decadal troughs persists, then a poor performance in 2017 cannot be interpreted as the inevitable swan song of Lefty’s decorated career.

On the contrary, it can be attributed to a temporary lull in form, along with the recurrent curse of the seventh year—which has plagued Phil’s performance in majors since 1997.  For Mickelson and his loyal supporters, the 2018 PGA TOUR season glimmers brightly on their horizon.

Phil Mickelson plays his shot from the 13th tee during the third…

Phil Mickelson plays his shot from the 13th tee during the third round of the Safeway Open at the North Course of the Silverado Resort and Spa on October 7, 2017 in Napa, California. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

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