Lefty fails again

Lefty is Phil Mickelson. Have to like the guy even after the much publicized tiff with Tiger Woods. I rooted for him in this year’s US Open at Bethpage. The desire, the drive, the determination, made me a fan.

Too bad he finished second again, his third bridesmaid finish in the US Open. This year Lucas Glover beat him and Tiger. Phil himself said that the US Open is one major tournament he wanted to win and is tired of finishing second.

After Tiger almost didn’t make the cut, I’ve watched Phil closely. I wanted him to win this year – for sentimental reasons.

Phil’s wife Amy has been diagnosed with breast cancer early this year and is waiting for her date on the operating table. Phil has to cut some of his playing schedule to be with his ailing wife.

If there was one player affected by rain delays in the US Open – it was Phil. After the tournament, he was supposed to take his family to a vacation before Amy goes under the knife. The delays must have kept him a little jumpy and anxious.

An errant shot in the 18th that made him miss a boggy putt cost Phil the title he has been craving for. It would have been a booster for him to win before his family face a protracted battle with the Big C.

Now, back to Tiger.

An opening 74 had Tiger on the brink of being cut for only the second time in his career. The first was in 2006 at Winged Foot while he was mourning the death of his father.

Tiger had to scamper all the way from 14 strokes down, had a final day 69, but still fell four strokes behind eventually winner Lucas Glover. He blamed his putting for this loss. Imagine if he scored a 70 in the first round…

Tiger not winning this one means that it will take more time for him to break Jack’s record of 18 major wins. It could have been number 15 for Tiger. I still believe he will break Jack’s record in my lifetime.

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While at it, Roger Federer will try to become the winingest tennis player in the world at the current Wimbledon tournament. He’s currently sharing the record – 14 grandslams – with Pete Sampras. Will this be the 15th?

I remember when Sampras was trying to equally (and eventually break) Rod Laver’s 13 grandslam wins, how I whopped it up every time he wins a grandslam.

Sampras himself said Federer is the “greatest” and winning 15 will just be a matter of time. If Roger doesn’t get it at Wimbledon there’s the US Open. I know Federer would love to win at Wimbledon to make it six titles. He was the king of grass for five straight years, from 2003-2007.

With Rafa out of the way, perhaps Federer should be wary of Andy Murray. The Scot is bidding to become the first homegrown male talent to win the grass tournament since 1930’s.

I say Federer should be wary of Murray because the latter has a 6-2 record over him spiced with wins in their last four meetings.

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