Print this page  |  Close Window

By Dave Shedloski
PGATOUR.com Senior Correspondent

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- He couldn't wait to unfurl the yellow pin flag he clutched tightly with his left hand. "Check this out," Butch Harmon said.

The rectangular swath of cloth from the 18th green at the TPC Sawgrass was adorned with the logo from THE PLAYERS Championship and a short note scribbled in black permanent ink from the newly minted champion. It read: "To Butch: The first of many! -- Phil Mickelson"

"How about that?" Harmon said with his gravelly voice.

THE PLAYERS was the first big win for Phil Mickelson since joining forces with Butch Harmon. (WireImage)

RELATED

• As good as ever, Mickelson wins • Final-round notes • O'Hair goes for it, pays price • Maginnes on perfect week • All final-round video

No, the story is not, how about it, but rather about how it was done.

The world's most renowned golf teacher -- and arguably its most accomplished and effective -- had just watched Mickelson put the finishing touches on what could well be a career-altering victory in the 34th PLAYERS, one realized while the talented left-hander continues to refine swing changes that are only three weeks in the making under Harmon's guidance.

Mickelson, who had struggled for much of his career to navigate THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at the TPC Sawgrass, shot a closing 3-under-par 69 born of ball-striking precision he has only shown glimpses of in his 15 years as a professional. With an 11-under 277 aggregate score, Mickelson finished two strokes ahead of Sergio Garcia and dispatched one of the strongest fields of the year in becoming the first left-hander to win the PGA TOUR's marquee tournament.

It would be foolish to label Harmon the architect of Mickelson's sudden burst of success. After all, Rick Smith established a foundation that helped Lefty win three majors and Dave Pelz has been instrumental in keeping Mickelson's short game as efficient as any in golf.

But clearly, in the three weeks that Harmon has been tutoring Mickelson since a disappointing tie for 24th in defense of his second Masters title, the No. 3 player in the world has looked more self-assured and in control. Finishes of third, third and first in that stretch attests to that. Whatever mortar Harmon has applied is making Mickelson a sturdier tournament player -- even though the adhesive has yet to dry.

Mickelson's swing is shorter, but the arc is wider and he doesn't have to use his hands as much to square the clubface. It's more stable on the backswing with a slightly more bent left knee that doesn't allow his hip to turn as far. That prevents the club from getting loose at the top. His sightlines are a bit different because of his setup. His swing path is designed to help him eliminate the right side of the golf course -- one of the primary strategic tenets that helped Jack Nicklaus win 18 majors.

"It's just been a couple of small tweaks, really," said Harmon, 63, the only instructor to help two players to the No. 1 world ranking -- Greg Norman and Tiger Woods. "He's a great player and a great champion with a tremendous amount of talent. It's more just a matter of getting comfortable with it and trusting it, and then going out there and doing it -- which sounds easy to do, but when you've won 30 tournaments and three majors it's not always easy to change."

Harmon, the son of legendary player and club professional Claude Harmon, who won the 1948 Masters, enjoyed a satisfying week in general. Three other students, Stewart Cink, Jose Maria Olazabal and former PLAYERS champion Adam Scott finished in the top six.

But his work with Mickelson this week was notably intense and involved, including a two-hour session Saturday and 90 minutes Sunday. Scott is Harmon's primary pupil, but Mickelson already has found a special place in Harmon's stable.

"You've got to realize you're dealing with one of the most talented people ever to play the game," said Harmon, who competed on the PGA TOUR himself from 1969-71. "The most important thing is that he had to buy into this, and he had to feel comfortable doing it on the golf course. Three weeks into it a pretty good change for a guy who has been a great player his whole life -- that's the most impressive thing. It's an incredible feat really when you think about it, this change over. He's done it in absolute style."

Mickelson had said Saturday that he'd won many tournaments with his short game, and now he wanted to win more with his ball-striking. He obviously believes he is on the right track. "The things I'm working on are correct because I've seen progression. It's steadily gotten better," he said.

"What's exciting is we're just three weeks into this," added Mickelson, 36, who makes it no secret that he is instituting the changes with an eye toward winning the U.S Open at Oakmont in the wake of last year's disappointment at Winged Foot. "I can't wait for three months or three years from now. Just to see the progression so far, I can't wait to see what's possible."

Harmon, whose carries an equally stout reputation for outspokenness, has some ideas on that.

"He's got as much talent as anyone in the world other than Tiger, and obviously if we can get him out on the fairway, he can rival Tiger. He's got a short game as good or better than Tiger's. It's just a mindset. We have to get him playing more conservatively -- which might be a bigger problem than the swing."

That drew laughs. Harmon knows who he's working with: a supremely talented player with quirks and habits that are ingrained. But he's managed to alter a few habits already in less than a month.

"You're just seeing the tip of the iceberg," Harmon said. "He's obviously a very good player. He's going to get a lot better."