At 50 years old, Phil Mickelson won one for the older guys, and one literally for the ages yesterday as he captured the 103rd PGA Championship before a raucous crowd of 10,000 that seemed like 100,000 on the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, S.C.

Phil shot 73, but it was a round featuring bogeys and spectacular birdies. His chip in from the sand on the par 3, fifth for birdie was one for the ages. It rattled playing competitor Brooks Koepka, who proceeded to miss his 8 footer for birdie. It was a miraculous performance by Mickelson, who became the oldest major winner in 161 years of major championship golf. That’s beyond impressive. I texted “Derrick” Henry O’Neal when it happened yesterday because I knew he’d be ecstatic. Derrick played with Phil in 2009 in the Pro Am of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow and said Phil couldn’t have been a nicer guy to him. Derrick was a pretty happy guy yesterday. Everybody who is 50 and older is happy. One more thing. Phil hit the longest drive of the tournament at 366 yards. Put that in your pipe and smoke it DeChambeau. Probably need to load up on more ‘Roids for Torrey Pines.

Phil has now won 6 major championships, his first coming at the 2004 Masters. He then won the 2005 PGA Championship at Baltusral in New York. He followed that up with the Masters in 2006. He had a collapse in the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot that was very disheartening. He had a one shot lead over Geoff Ogilvy heading into 18th, but chose driver off the tee instead of playing it safe with a 3 wood and ended up double bogeying the hole to lose the tournament. He won another Masters in 2007, then again in 2010. In the 2013 Open Championship at Muirfield Golf Links in Scotland, Mickelson captured a major he wasn’t sure he could win with a 66 in the final round to secure the Claret Jug. The U.S. Open is the only major he has failed to win and he’s finished runner up 6 times. He got a special exemption last week to play in it as he had not qualified. But he secured his spot in the U.S. for the next 5 years with the victory. He’s also exempt in the Masters for the next 5 years, though with his 3 victories there, he’s set for life at Augusta National. He’s also exempt for 5 years at the Open Championship and the PGA. So a lot of achievements with this unique and uplifting victory.

Phil surpassed Julius Boros, who was previously the oldest winner of a major championship at 48 years old. Boros won his at the 1968 PGA at San Antonio. With his 6th major, he ties Nick Faldo and Lee Trevino for 7th all time. Where is his place among the greatest in golf history? Hard to say, but I’d put him in the top 6 on a talent standpoint. I’d put it at 1. Nicklaus, 2. Tiger, 3. Hogan, 4. Player, 5. Tom Watson, 6. Phil. Just the fact that he can win at age 50 is a sign of an all time great. It’s one for the older guys, one for the guys who’ve been in the battles of life. Tom Brady did it at 43, in Super Bowl 55, and Phil does it for the older guys in the PGA Championship. I’m not counting him out of the U.S, Open June 17-20th at historic Torrey Pines in San Diego, Father’s Day weekend. He turns 51 June 16th. He said in his post victory press conference that this could be it for him as far as winning on the tour, but he also said, who knows, maybe not. All of us older guys, who’ve been through the challenges of life, hope Phil can pull off one more miracle at Torrey.

SEC Baseball Tournament 2021

Here’s the schedule at the Hoover Met starting tomorrow. All times Central. All games will be televised by the SEC Network except for the Championship game which will be televised by ESPN2.

Tuesday, May 25, First Round, Single Elimination games

Game 1, 9:30 AM No.6 seed and 13 ranked Florida (17-13, 35-19) vs. No. 11 Kentucky (12-18, 29-22)

Game 2, 1 PM No.7 South Carolina (16-14, 33-20) vs. No. 10 Alabama (12-17, 29-22)

Game 3, 4:30 PM No.8 Georgia (13-17, 30-23) vs. No.9 LSU (13-17, 34-21)

Game 4, No.5 and 12th ranked Ole Miss (18-12, 38-17) vs. No.12 Auburn (10-20, 25-26)

Wednesday, May 26, Second round, Double elimination

Game 5, 9:30 AM, No.3 seed and 8th ranked Mississippi State (20-10, 40-13) vs. Game 1 winner

Game 6, 1 PM CT, No.2 and 4th ranked Tennessee (20-10, 42-14) vs. Game 2 winner

Game 7, 4:30 PM, No.1 and No,1 ranked Arkansas (22-8, 42-10) vs. winner game 3

Game 8, 8 PM No.4 and No.3 ranked Vanderbilt (19-10, 39-13) vs. Game 4 winner

Thursday, May 27, third round, double elimination

Game 9, 9:30 AM CT, Game 5 loser vs Game 6 loser

Game 10, 1 PM CT, Game 7 loser vs. Game 8 loser

Game 11, 4:30 PM CT Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner

Game 12, 8 PM C T, Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner

Friday, May 28 Fourth round, double elimination

Game 13, Game 9 winner vs. Game 11 loser

Game 14, Game 10 winner vs. Game 12 loser

Saturday, May 29, Semifinals, Single Elimination

Game 15, Game 11 winner vs. Game 13 winner

Game 16, Game 12 winner vs. Game 14 winner

Sunday, 2 PM CT, ESPN 2 Championship Game

Game 15 winner vs. Game 16 winner

Predictions

The Crimson Tide may need to make it to the championship game to get into the NCAA Tournament. If they make the semis, that may be enough. The Auburn Tigers HAVE to win it all to make it to the NCAA’s.

Semifinals

Game 1

Mississippi State 7, Tennessee 5

Game 2

Vanderbilt 5, Arkansas 4

SEC Championship Game, Sunday at 2 PM CT on ESPN2

Many will call me a homer for doing this, but my Commodores have that magic that the Crimson Tide has in football. The odds are stacked against them. Their stellar shortstop, Carter Young, dislocated his shoulder last Tuesday sliding head first into second base, and star left fielder Troy LaNeve has a banged up knee having hurt it diving for a line drive in the outfield. But both could play and there is quality depth. The pitching staff has been beset by some injuries and the bullpen has been shaky. But there is good depth in the pitching staff too, the team has the best energy in college baseball, and Tim Corbin, who has won national championships in 2014 and 2019 and been to Omaha 4 times along with SEC Championships in 2007 and 2019, and has taken his teams to 14 straight NCAA Tournaments, has a knack for getting his team ready when the spotlight is the brightest. Give me my Vanderbilt Commodores to take the title at Hoover and go for back to back National Championships in June.

Vanderbilt 6, Mississippi State 5

SEC Champions; Vanderbilt Commodores