Mickelson’s Return Adds Intrigue To St. Jude Storyline

12/06/2009 01:48

Will play in first tournament since wife diagnosed with cancer

With two of the biggest draws in the game returning to the PGA Tour, this week's St. Jude Championship can hardly be considered filler, sandwiched between last weekend's Memorial Tournament and next week's U.S. Open.

Normally, TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tenn., is no more than a tune-up for the second major championship of the season for many, but this year the St. Jude's storylines are Phil Mickelson and John Daly.

Mickelson took an indefinite leave from the Tour on May 21 after announcing his wife Amy had been diagnosed with breast cancer.

His decision to return now was based on doctors saying the cancer had been discovered early and that surgery is scheduled for the first week in July, at which time the couple will know better what they're dealing with.

Daly is back from a Tour-imposed six-month suspension for a number of off-course incidents. While away, he has worked on his game, shed as much as 60 pounds following gastric surgery, and played on the European PGA Tour with some success, including a second-place finish at the Italian Open.

Daly, playing on sponsor's exemption this week, also will be modelling a new line of wild and colourful pyjama-like golf attire from Loudmouth Golf of Sonoma, Calif.

But all the serious interest will be focused on Mickelson and how he plays, with his wife obviously foremost on his mind, not only this week but at next week's U.S. Open at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y., where in 2002 he waged an epic battle with Woods for the Open title before losing by three shots.

Mickelson met the media on Wednesday for the first time since news of his wife's diagnosis was made public, and the strain was obvious.

"I've never been this emotional where if I'm driving alone, or what have you, I'll just start crying," he said. "It's kind of a weird thing. I'm looking forward to having a four- or five-hour mental break where I force myself to focus on something else.

"I don't think it's going to affect how I play. I'm going to still play aggressively. It's just that off the course I've never felt something like this.

"I think it's as hard or harder for somebody on the side."

"I would much rather be going through it and doing it myself than seeing somebody I care about so much go through it."

SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:

It’s nice to see Phil back at work. We continue to wish Amy the very best as she battles breast cancer.