One’s been there done that.
The other wants to.
Both are on a move up from where they’ve been over the past two years.
Rickie Fowler and Phil Mickelson are connected in golf.
When Fowler first showed up on the PGA Tour, Mickelson took a liking to “The Kid” with the long hair and a previous penchant for dirt bike danger. Something about Mickelson, he loves a gambler, loves the action.
It is a bit of an irony that one at age 27 is ready to make his next move and the other at age 45, wants to get back to where he was.
They were on opposite sides of the world last week — Mickelson in the California desert — Fowler in the Middle East.
What they both showed is that 2016 may be a big year for both of them.
“The Kid” first.
Fowler jumped right into the fire against a stellar field at the HSBC Champions in Abu Dhabi and came away with his first signature win of 2016. In the process, he beat world’s No. 1 Jordan Spieth and No. 3 Rory Mcilroy. The win moved him right up into their draft. He’s now No. 4, breathing down their necks and yes, you too, Jason Day, world’s No. 2.
“I’d like to be in with that crew,” is how Fowler put it and what he means is that he wants that major championship on his resume. Can’t you just imagine the trembling at Augusta National with the starch-collars fearful that Fowler will show up on the grounds wearing his new high tops and pants with elastic bottoms. Oh, the horror!
Fowler showed on Sunday that he’s got it. In football, they call them “splash plays” — you know the ones that turn the course of the game. Fowler made two of those when he needed them most. His first came at the par five eighth when he holed a long bunker shot for eagle. That erased a strategic error on the previous hole that ended in double-bogey.
Fowler’s second “splash play” came with Belgium’s Thomas Pieters bearing down on him. Fowler chipped in from the fringe at the par three 17th for birdie to give himself a two-shot cushion going to the 18th and it was one of those “anything can happen here” type of holes.
Bang. Fowler bags a nice one, moves to No. 4 and sets his sites on Augusta. Just like that.
On the other side of the world Mickelson needed to see something positive to back up all the talk about how he has fixed his “out of plane” swing. He knew it and so did everyone watching him.
“I’m excited, this is a good week for me with validation I’m on the right track,” Mickelson said after finishing 21-under and tied for third behind winner Jason Dufner.
Most noticeable part of Mickelson’s game was his driver. He has been plagued by errant tee shots for two seasons, the dreaded “devil ball” kept showing up, always unwelcome.
“It felt very easy off the tee,” Mickelson said of his driver for the four days at the CareerBuilder. “I could feel little fades and draws.” More shots from the short grass means more birdies for Mickelson, who moved from 36th to 31st in the rankings, something that means little to him.
“I should start to get better and better,” he said, almost like a warning and he’ll be on one of his favorite courses this week — the South Course at Torrey Pines for the Farmers Insurance Open.
Both players — “The Kid” and “Philly Mick” will cross paths this week. Standing in their way is the defending champion and world’s No. 2 — Jason Day.
Expect all three to be in the thick of it this week but it’s not a pipedream that Fowler and Mickelson are both thinking ahead a bit.
Fowler is dreaming of Augusta and don’t think that Mickelson isn’t already believing he can win there again.
Two players making their move.
One young, one older but both moving forward.
