November 9th is Now Officially "Dave Stockton Appreciation Day"

by Ryan Ballengee on Nov 9, 2009 8:00 AM EST

In the midst of the weekend of fun on Chitown, I tried my best to keep tabs on the HSBC Champions event in China. After Saturday's third round, Phil Mickelson led by a deuce over Tiger. Not knowing the outcome that would happen today, I tweeted:

Dave Stockton has single-handedly saved golf's best rivalry.

He has. The man best known for his magical touch with the putter has instilled (re-instilled?) the confidence and fun in putting that Lefty had when golf fans were embarrassing themselves with murmurs of the Mickelslam. We are such idiots, collectively.

Well, Phil won - in case you had not see photos of Chinese people buying "I am Phil Mickelson" shirts in droves - and that gives him two very recent wins in standout fields with Tiger on his tail.

Maybe it's time to stop for a few seconds and say a brief thank you to the man that has restored golf's best on-again-off-again rivalry. When Phil and Tiger are at each other's throats, golf literally cannot get any better.

We got a glimpse of it at the Masters in April, though that turned out to be jockeying for top ten positioning. But, Stockton has made it a reality, and the proof is in the winning. It cannot hurt that Woods has not been the golfing adonis that he was earlier in the decade nearly over. No golf fan, though, would complain about a leveling of the playing field in the interest of a great rivalry.

The buzzline that you'll read in a lot of other places today is that "2010 is going to be a lot of fun." That's probably true, but just remember that two tournaments does not a rivalry make. Mickelson had gone o-fer in his career against Woods in the final pairing until today.

Still, if the rivalry we have been dreaming of this entire decade does not materialize, this tease is a fitting tribute to the decade that was.

And it's all because of Dave Stockton.

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Comments

What the heck - raise a pint to Stockton

So when Phil putts well, Dave Stockton is the savior – but the week before in Singapore when Phil couldn’t putt his way out of a wet paper sack…what was that ?

Stockton put Mickelson back in a good putting position – but Phil’s problems are still between his ears.

It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if Ernie hadn’t screwed up his approach at 18 and handed the win to Mickelson. Ernie lays up – wedges on – makes birdie or par and the pressure is on Mickelson.

Mickelson couldn’t get within 15 yards of the fairway with his 3-wood off the tee – then couldn’t get back to the fairway with his second (he did have to protect from that deep rough wrapping around the hosel and snapping the ball into the water on the right) – then a pretty good third shot onto the green where two putts wins.

Still – it’s a good win for Phil and Stockton’s work.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Nov 9, 2009 10:12 AM EST reply actions

Phil is playing better, no doubt.

Let’s not annoint him Player of the Year, quite yet, like some guys are doing. I have a feeling that there are a few other golfers who have designs on that award.

by Charles Boyer on Nov 9, 2009 11:28 AM EST reply actions