Lefty looks the master again

LIKE the first day of a new soccer season, everyone stands equal during the practice rounds of the year’s opening major.

And like footballers emerging from a summer slog of pre-season training, hope springs eternal among the 99 golfers invited to enjoy the Georgia sunshine this week at the Masters.

A new start and a clean sheet stands before them ahead of Thursday’s opening round, personal goals to be achieved and milestones to be conquered.

Of course, there is more cause for optimism for some golfers than others. For those without a major win yet, Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy and US stars Nick Watney and Dustin Johnson among them, this could be the year.

For the likes of Graeme McDowell and Martin Kaymer, there is the opportunity to drive on from breakout years in 2010 when both landed their maiden majors.

Tiger Woods believes he is nearing his first win in 17 months while Pádraig Harrington says he has never been happier with his game and is better than when he won his three majors in 13 months in 2007-08.

Then there is defending champion Phil Mickelson, who will this week begin his bid for a fourth Green Jacket at Augusta National buoyed by his victory on Sunday at the Shell Houston Open.

Two months from his 41st birthday and in the week he hopes to win a fourth Masters title, Mickelson can finally call himself America’s top golfer.

Much was made of the fact that Mickelson’s victory at Houston had finally ended 14 years of trailing Tiger Woods on the world rankings.

But there was more to it than that. Before Woods came Tom Lehman, before him came Corey Pavin and before him came Fred Couples — Mickelson has never before been US number one.

Now he is and, having leapt to third in the world and having relegated Woods from sixth to seventh, the number one spot is within touching distance again for the left-hander.

If he makes a successful defence on Sunday — only Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger have done that in Masters history — Mickelson will go top unless Martin Kaymer is second to him.

Finishing second could be good enough, but things are so tight that six players all have a chance to become number one. Top two could do it for Mickelson and top four for Lee Westwood, while Luke Donald, Graeme McDowell and Woods himself could head the rankings if they triumphed. Or, of course, Kaymer could stay there.

Despite having also moved ahead of Woods in the latest table, however, Paul Casey cannot reach number one — such is the way the two-year rolling system works.

Following an indifferent start to his season, Mickelson’s prospects have received a huge boost with his Redstone win and Lefty has been quick to draw parallels with his 2006 BellSouth Classic victory in his final start before winning his second Masters.

“Each player as an individual golfer has to find out what’s best for them to prepare for a big event and I find I tend to play my best in a major when I compete the week before.

“It gets me into competitive frame of mind and I enjoy the challenge in only having three days between competitive rounds.

“That for me personally works, but I know Nicklaus and a lot of guys prefer to have the week off and kind of focus in on that one particular golf course and those shots.

“There’s always a bunch of guys that can win The Masters. I don’t think the last two days should change anything. It’s wide open. There’s a lot of players that can do it, but I certainly like the way that I play the golf course and I’m very pleased with the way my game is coming round.

“It feels really good for me to have played well and to gain some momentum heading into next week,” Mickelson said. “It feels a lot like 2006, in that I needed to have a week where I kind of put it together.

“I’ve been saying all year I’m playing well but I’m not getting the scores out of it, and I’m having just kind of a lapse of focus. And it was even evident on a couple shots (on Sunday), a basic easy chip shot on 8 that I flubbed and three-putting 15. Those little types of lack of concentration. I’ve got to continue to work on that. Although all in all, this was one of the best weeks I’ve had in a long time as far as seeing the shot and being able to hit it.

“So, it was a great week in that regard and great for getting momentum.”