Maybe one of the most defining shots of Phil Mickelson’s career came on the 17th yesterday at Muirfield. Phil faced a 303 yard second shot on the par five. He took out a three wood and in typical Phil fashion let it rip. The ball carried the mounds hit hard and rolled up 50 feet short of the pin leading Phil to a putt for eagle which he two-putted to move to -2 in the 142nd Open Championship. He went on and birdied 18 from 12 feet to shoot a final round 66 and win his fifth major championship, in a major he wasn’t sure he’d ever have the game to win. He called it the most fulfilling victory of his illustrious career. It was one of the best rounds of golf ever played in the final round of a major. It was close to equalling Johnny Miller’s 63 at Oakmont in the final round of the U.S. Open in 1973. I may have had more drama.

Now Philip Alfred Mickelson has five major championships to his resume: Three Masters, one British and one PGA. He said to Tom Rinaldi of ESPN afterwards when asked about winning the career grand slam: “If six seconds counts as a win, I’d have all four of them.”

After Phil sank the 12-foot birdie putt on 18, he and Jim “Bones” Mckay, his phenomenal caddie and his closest friend,  had an emotional embrace. Bones is the spark plug that make the MIckelson engine go. He’s special. Then it was an emotional embrace with Amy and the kids. This ia the first family in sports as Paul Azinger alluded to. Certainly the first family in golf.

“Darn it,”  Phil said when he misplayed a shot on Saturday. On Sunday, when he left a shot short of the hole, he said to Bones, “My bad. I’m sorry. That was my fault.’ It’s pretty awesome when you have a golfer that plays the sport like a true gentleman. Most guys do keep their cool about themselves out there, but Phil, as Zinger said, “Is one of those guys that controls his emotions and doesn’t let his emotions control him.”

Now, we look at Phil as one of the all-time greats. Nicklaus was the greatest ever, Tiger is second, and you can probably say Hogan is third, though Walter Hagen won 11 majors to Hogan’s nine. But Hogan’s impact on the game was greater than Hagan’s. I’d put Gary Player, Arnie, Watson, Trevino, Bobby Jones, Sam Snead and Byron Nelson in that elite group.

I’d put Phil in Sir Nick’s and Seve’s class right now. Nick had six and Seve five. Phil is right there with them, probably top 12 ever. He’s won 42 times in his career on the PGA tour. That’s spectacular. Those are greatness numbers. He’s 43, he’s in good shape, think he’s got control of the arthritis, and he’s playing the best golf of his life. There could be two or three more majors for Phil,. then he’d really get it rarified air with seven or eight. Four more are not out of the question. He’s hitting the ball better than he ever has and his putter was other worldly  yesterday. He could get in that Player, Watson territory. His impact on the game may be greater than anybody’s outside of Jack and Tiger.

Phil is a transcendent supestar. Want him to get as many more majors as he possibly can. Class act, epic golfer. Phil thrills us once again.