Keeping Lefty away from the Woods

It's unfortunate for golf and, honestly, unfortunate for all of us if more people know Tiger Woods didn't win this past weekend at the Masters than know Phil Mickelson did.

But with big shot after big shot over the course of a weekend, Mickelson captured his third green jacket, highlighting a career spent in the shadows of Mr. Woods.

This one, however, had to taste all the sweeter for Mickelson.  He even seemed to thrive as Woods got all the attention that his return to the game garnered. 

Mickelson is the guy America loves to forget about, while the truth is that he's the guy America should be completely in awe of. While Woods continues to explain a marriage marred by infidelity, Mickelson exemplifies what a marriage, and being a man, should be all about.

Last May, Mickelson's wife, Amy, was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Just two short months later, his mother, Mary, was also diagnosed with breast cancer.  The two women he loves the most in the world, both suffering from a force beyond his control.

So months before Tiger Woods was ever in the news for any un-golf related activity, Mickelson was skipping tours to be with his wife and mother for their cancer treatments. 

That's what made this win all the more special for the man they call Lefty.  It was true cinematic magic when Amy Mickelson showed up at the 18th hole Sunday to congratulate her champion, a man shown to be a winner both on and off the greens.

Mickelson, who has never held the world's No. 1 ranking at any time in his career, played like there was never any doubt he would not relinquish the lead once he got it.  Even when he had a two-putt birdie on hole 13, it didn't matter because of the amazing shot he made to get such great position. 

Woods made the Masters interesting but Phil made it special.  Woods will surely return to form and begin his winning ways once again, but the spring and summer of 2010 belongs to Phil. 

Mickelson may have finished second to Woods in the 2009 FedEx Cup Standings – but the husband of the year race wasn't even close.

Dave Traube can be contacted at traube3@marshall.edu.