"Phil made new friends that night, East Coast guys who were never around him before, who just read and heard about this Left Coast character and never knew what to think."

Tim Rosaforte fawns over Phil Mickelson's appearance at a Boys and Girls Club tournament and calls him the "unofficial host pro" when the U.S. Open arrives at Torrey Pines. But more importantly, we learn that Phil is just a regular guy, carrying his own Callaway double strap bag (and here I figured Phil would have picked up a Sun Mountain on ebay).

Mickelson's buddy Gregg Tryhus, the Scottsdale developer (Grayhawk and Whisper Rock), walked every step with them, but Phil never let him take the bag.

Uh, you don't usually hand your bag off to a developer who overpays you to design a course for him.

Seeing Mickelson in shorts, carrying his own sticks, is nothing new around Torrey Pines. Lefty has been doing that since he was playing junior golf. He was out with brother Tim before the Players in the same gear and came back with a scouting report and take on the Golf Digest U.S. Open Challenge. Tim, the coach at the University of San Diego, is actually longer than Phil, who drove one 357 yards on Thursday at Colonial during an opening round 65.

"Phil has enjoyed carrying his own bag since his junior golf days," Coe said. "He just feels more connected to the course and it allows him to play at his own pace. I feel if the USGA would let him, he would pack his own bag for the Open and probably imagine he was playing in another Junior World."

And if his sponsors let him, he's play barefoot with a shred of hay tucked between in his cheek.

Now about this Boys and Girls club dinner...

Hosting the dinner was New York Times best-selling author Jim Nantz, who said during the introductions he had a vision of a Mickelson victory.

Okay I know I keep interrupting here, but New York Times best-selling author Jim Nantz? Continue...

Afterward, they sat on a stage and conducted a question and answer session that lasted almost an hour. Phil was open, self-deprecating, teasing, funny. At one point, radio host Rush Limbaugh stood up and asked an impassioned question about Tiger Woods, but Phil gave it the full dodge, as any good politician would.

Phil made new friends that night, East Coast guys who were never around him before, who just read and heard about this Left Coast character and never knew what to think.

I'm sorry, did I miss the part where this article started with "For Immediate Release?"

And talk about your buried lede. The last sentence:

Phil forgot to mention what he told the guys gathered around him on the putting green Tuesday morning at Torrey. Even at 7,607, he'll only have to hit driver four times.

Phil Risks Family Values Q-Rating For Entourage Shoot

Have already lost points for his scruffy hair, Phil Mickelson is endangering his Q-rating to shoot an episode of Entourage, reports Melanie Hauser.

"It's a funny show,'' said Mickelson, who is back in the field for the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial after two years. " . . . I just think it's one of the best shows I've ever seen. Certainly it's edgy, the language is a little rough. But I just love watching the show.''

He didn't give away much -- if anything. He's on a course with Piven, Martin Landau and Paul Ben-Victor and "the four of us were having a deal." It seems Piven was trying to get someone in a movie.

"I don't know what I can or can't say,'' Mickelson said.

The bottom line? The episode will likely be shown in September, but not in the Mickelson household, where small, tender ears could hear rough things.

'It will be (shown) in 12 years,'' Mickelson chuckled.

You may recall Phil was part of an Ari Gold joke two seasons ago.

"Have the stretching exercises led to shaft changes with any clubs other than your putter?"

The Star-Telegram's Jimmy Burch asked Phil Mickelson about his growth spurt and other uh, shaft changes as a result of stretching.

What kind of stretching do you do to increase your height?

Just legs, low back, stuff like that. It has helped the elongation through motion. It's like a pitcher when he throws. He can't get his arm into certain positions statically when he throws a baseball. It's the same thing as using motion to stretch his length. It helped.

Have the stretching exercises led to shaft changes with any clubs other than your putter?

Not really. But my posture has been more consistent and easier to hold throughout the swing, so that's led to a little bit more consistent ball-striking.

Phil Considering Euro Tour Membership To Take Family On Educational Trips Where They Pay Appearance Fees

Andrew Both reports on what could become a trend for Phil Mickelson that started last fall.

His manager, Steve Loy of Gaylord Sports, has left open the door to the possibility.

"Phil is not considering joining the European Tour at this time, but it is an option in the future, given the global nature of professional golf," Loy said today.

Mickelson's membership would be a massive boost to the European Tour, which is using its international schedule and some deep-pocketed multi-national sponsors to challenge the once all-dominant American PGA Tour.

Mickelson is believed to be considering the move due to several factors, including his sponsorship deal with Barclays Bank, the naming-rights sponsor of the Scottish and Singapore Opens.

Phil Says Torrey Is The Hardest Course In The World; Vows To Use Newfound Heighth To Tackle It

Andrew Both reports:

"Even if it's soft I don't think anything close to even-par will win," Mickelson told reporters after firing a four-under 68 in the Wachovia Championship first round on Thursday.

"I think it's the hardest course in the world, 7,600 yards at sea level."

The 37-year-old Mickelson said the rough was particularly brutal, even by usual U.S. Open standards.

He played the course with two friends, both scratch-handicap amateurs.

"They are two very good amateurs and they shot about 85," said triple major winner Mickelson. "They had a better-ball score of 80."

Phil Undergoes Late In Life Growth Spurt; Adjusts Equipment Accordingly

Steve Elling with a tale that only Phil Mickelson could dream up.

Phil Mickelson, who a few years ago caused more than a few media smirks when he explained how the 20 pounds of off-season muscle he had gained remained hidden under a layer of subcutaneous fat, on Wednesday dropped a comparably eyebrow-hiking story.

An even taller tale at that, perhaps?

Mickelson, at age 37, believes he has grown between a half-inch to an inch because of the workouts and stretching regimen he's been undergoing over the past few seasons.

The topic came up Wednesday at the Wachovia Championship when Mickelson said he has switched to a putter that is 1.5 inches longer in an effort to improve his putting woes, which have held him back since his hot start that included a win in Los Angeles and a playoff loss in Phoenix.

"I've known that I've become a half-inch, inch taller for a few years, but I just thought, gosh, I'm not putting well, and now is the time to make an adjustment if I'm going to go to a longer putter," he explained. "It's easier on my back as much as I practice putting.

"So, given that I wasn't putting well, it just was easier to just start with it. So that's what I ended up doing when I came back and started working on it. I just started with a 35-inch putter rather than a 33½."

I'm certainly no exercise physiology expert, but is it possible that an athlete can grow in height, specifically if he has added a good bit of weight over the years? A quick, and highly unscientific Website search generated inconclusive results.

Then again, maybe his newfound height comes from those extra-long spikes Vijay Singh was complaining that Mickelson wore at the Masters a couple of years ago.

Phil's Crowne Plaza Ads

The Feherty appearance is the highlight...

"I have to address or look at the round differently starting out."

Phil Mickelson, after his second round 68 got him within three of Masters leader Immelman.

Q. Is it still fun playing this golf course or is it a grind?

PHIL MICKELSON: Well, it's changed. I mean, it's changed. It's always fun, don't get me wrong. It's always fun to come play here, but after the changes a few years ago, we don't see the same type of excitement and birdies that we're used to seeing.

And because of that, we have to -- I have to address or look at the round differently starting out. I can't think about it in aggressive terms. I have to kind of pick and choose what holes I can try to make birdies on. Like I said earlier, I hit some good shots to spots where I can make easy pars but really not good birdies.

"I think what has changed the golf course immeasurably is one hole, and it's No. 7."

Phil Mickelson was asked Tuesday about the possiblity of low scoring in the future and offered an intriguing insight into how the flow of the course has changed:

PHIL MICKELSON: They won't be lower. I think the scores may get a little bit higher, yeah, and the length is the biggest factor. Also all of the trees and the tightening of the golf course.

I think what has changed the golf course immeasurably is one hole, and it's No. 7. Because the whole thought process of playing the golf course used to be get through the first six holes around par, and you can birdie 7, 8 and 9 and you have three birdie holes and try to get one or two there, you turn at under par and then you shoot under par on the back side and you have a great round.

But now, 7 has become -- I think it's the first or second hardest par on the golf course. I think between 7 and 11, I think it's the two toughest pars that this course has; and because of that, it changes when you can be aggressive and how many birdie holes you have now and the whole complexion and mind-set of how to play the first six or seven holes. Now you feel like you have to be under par through the first six because you want to be around par when you get through 7. 7 is one of the toughest holes now.

"I would say given the efforts that I've seen this week, I would plan on making this a permanent stop."

What little I saw today of the golf in Houston, it appeared the organizers have really pulled off something special by emulating Augusta's setup to lure more players. Steve Campbell explains the promises made to players, the thinking behind the event's setup and quotes Phil Mickelson.  There are also these bits from Mickelson's pre-tournament press conference that speak to how good a job they did. Love that they even mow the grain toward the tee as Augusta does.

Q. Why did you decide to play here this year?

PHIL MICKELSON: Well, I was told, and accurately, that they were going -- the golf course was going to be set up similarly to Augusta. It was tremendous. The greens are fast. The fairways are perfect and tight. They even mowed the grain into you in the fairway just like Augusta does. There's no rough.

The first cut just like Augusta. It's a great place to get ready for next week. I'm very appreciative that the tournament made such an effort to make the course so similar.

And...

Q. Phil, lot of guys yesterday kind of said the course is set up similar to Augusta but there's only so much they can do. Can you kind of address? Do you think it's ideal preparation or only so much you can do?

PHIL MICKELSON: It's ideal. It really is. It may not be exact, but all the shots that you have to hit next week, you have the same conditions here. You have the same shots out of the first cut, same shots around the green, tight lies, grain into you. It's very similar. It was just a tremendous job. I'm very impressed.

 Q. Is it too early to say you'll be back here again next year?

PHIL MICKELSON: It might be too early, but I would say given the efforts that I've seen this week, I would plan on making this a permanent stop.

Update on 2008-04-04 15:21 by Geoff

Stephanie Stradley at AOL Fanhouse shares this video of Redstone super Roger Groettsch talking about what went into the Augusta-like preparation.

Phil's Driving Drop

Thomas Bonk considers the state of Phil Mickelson's game after his 20th place finish at Doral, and you have to think that this will be straining Phil's relationship with Butch Harmon at some point:

Mickelson has found only 55% of his fairways, down slightly from 2007 and far off his 62.9% in 2004 when he won the Masters for the first time.

He's also averaging 292.3 yards in driving distance, more than eight yards shorter than in 2006 when he won the Masters for the second time.

"Depending on what survives the editing room, these promise to be funnier"

Larry Dorman reports that the new Phil Mickelson ad campaign for Crowne Plaza aspires to deliver something last year's roundtable discussions managed to avoid: laughs.

Generating the lines for the laughs was the star, Phil Mickelson, whose sometimes barbed, often self-deprecating sense of humor has been confined to the relative privacy of PGA Tour locker rooms, pro-am pairings and interview rooms. His audience will grow considerably now that Crowne Plaza, which last April started a series of amusing, golf-themed ads, is shooting a new batch starring Mickelson for release this April.

Depending on what survives the editing room, these promise to be funnier than last year’s six 30-second and three 15-second spots of unscripted banter from golf celebrities, moderated by Feherty.

Love the quote from Phil:

“I like doing this,” Mickelson said. “The gist of the humor is self-deprecating, which I like. It gives me a chance to laugh at myself in different settings. And I get to work with Feherty, who is really hilarious. Honestly, I’d rather be out playing tournament golf, but this is a different and challenging part of the game that every top player has to deal with.”

Ah the burdens of being on top...filming cutesy ads. 

"What's happened, Doug, is the golf ball is going farther."

I thought this was a good question from Doug Ferguson after Saturday's third round at Riviera, but because Phil Mickelson was anxious to get on Mickelson Airship 1, he poo-pooed the question a bit.

Still, at least he says it's the ball...

Q. Curious on 10, if conditions notwithstanding, it seems like 3-wood is the choice for most of the power hitters. When did that become the case? Has it ever been driver, and have you noticed over the years driver no longer being a choice?

PHIL MICKELSON: What's happened, Doug, is the golf ball is going farther. So when we used to hit drivers, we now are hitting 3-woods. (Laughter).

Phil Inks Hat Deal So We Don't Have To Keep Wondering When He's Going To Get A Haircut

Going back to his roots with KPMG, Phil Mickelson vetted the tax-shelter fraud specialists before signing a three year deal.

“I’m equally proud to join with KPMG,” said Mickelson.  “After talking to its leadership, I came away convinced that KPMG is passionately focused on ‘being the best,’ through building a culture based on professionalism and integrity.  It’s that culture and the shared passion to be the best that drew me to this relationship. I’ll be bringing everything that I can to our relationship, both on and off the golf course. I want to be sure that KPMG, its partners, its professionals and its clients enjoy the full benefit of our relationship.”

“Phil commands a great deal of respect around the world and shares our dedication to giving back to the community, with a particular focus on education and improving the lives of children,” Flynn said. “And we are in good company when it comes to other companies that are associated with Phil – Rolex, Callaway and ExxonMobil.”

As part of his agreement, Mickelson will be available to appear at an agreed-upon number of KPMG-sponsored marketing events, client meetings and local office events, as well as advertising opportunities.

Oh yeah, he's going to earn his money. 

"If the tour can change courses to get Tiger, they could do the same for Phil. It would save The Hope."

Tim Rosaforte says he'd rather hang in Abu Dabi than the desert this week, offering this Classic Club related quote from Joe Ogilvie:

"What's somewhat frustrating is that the player directors have almost zero power over venue," Ogilvie said. "No matter how much we say we feel like we're making a mistake going to these golf courses, it kind of falls on deaf ears."

More powerful though was Rosaforte pointing out the irony of this week's Westchester-to-Ridgewood-to-appease-Tiger-move, and the likely permanent loss of Mickelson from the Hope as long as they stay at the Classic Club:

If the tour can change courses to get Tiger, they could do the same for Phil. It would save The Hope.