At age 50, Phil Mickelson hopes to recapture magic at Masters

At the age of 50, three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson hasn’t quite reached the stage of being a ceremonial presence at Augusta National Golf Club, but he no longer ranks among the favorites to win a green jacket at a course that favors youth and massive distance off the tee. Still, Mickelson will carry a degree of confidence into the first round on Thursday after winning the first two events he played on the Champions Tour.

"I have been playing a couple of Champions events to build my confidence," Mickelson said during his Tuesday media conference. "I haven’t played the best on the regular tour this year, other than a good run in Memphis (where he was second). But I love coming here, and I’m very appreciative of the extra work this club has gone through to make this event happen."

The oldest Masters winner ever is Jack Nicklaus, who was 46 when he won his record sixth green jacket in 1986. Because there is minimal rough and local knowledge is an advantage, Mickelson believes he still has an outside shot at Augusta National.

"Think this golf course does not require you to be perfect," Mickelson said. "You can recover from mistakes. There’s something very spiritual about this place, and to have won this tournament means a lot to me. I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since I won it last. I would love nothing more than to have the opportunity to be in contention, and that’s my goal."

Tiger Woods won last year at age 43, breaking an 11-year drought in the majors. Mickelson had to leave early, but he left a note congratulating Woods on a napkin at his locker and the Masters posted a photograph.

"I thought that was one of the greatest feats in the history of sports," Mickelson said. "It was incredible knowing how many challenges he has gone through over the last few years prior to the win…I was really happy for him and happy to see him do that. I think it provides a little bit of inspiration for a lot of us."

By Greg Logan

Gregory.Logan@newsday.comGregLogan1

Greg Logan has worked for Newsday since 1982 covering a wide array of sports and events, currently including the Brooklyn Nets beat.