Mickelson goes for Hollywood glory at Bethpage

Justin Thrift

Maybe it’s the fact that I’ve been watching too much Sports Center lately, but I find myself rooting rather strongly for Phil Mickelson in this year’s US Open Championship. Never before have I ever bought into the media’s ‘teddy bear/everybody’s hero’ portrait of Mickelson; in fact, I usually find Phil rather disappointing and boring as a golfer.

But this year is different. As ESPN has pointed out repeatedly for the past few days, this is a big tournament for Phil Mickelson. Not only has it been three years since this modern golf icon has won a major championship, he’s also never won a US Open. You might even say that The US Open is a kind of impossible mountain for Mickelson, as he’s come in 2nd place four times in the past. Couple that with the fact that his wife Amy is battling breast cancer and has asked Phil to bring home a new shiny trophy to her hospital room, and this whole story reaches a new level of Hollywood-esque sporting goodness. Phil has also recently said that this tournament will be his last for a while as he plans to spend time with his wife as she fights her disease. Wow. This championship really does have all the ingredients to cook up one of the most epic Hollywood endings of all time. Anyone who enjoys a feel good sports flick will surely be biting at their nails when Phil tees off today in the First Round at Bethpage in Farmingdale, NY – weather permitting.

For all these reasons and more, I’m making the prediction here and now that IF Phil Mickelson does somehow pull off a major victory in this year’s US Open, we, or our children, will definitely see a major Hollywood motion picture film produced somewhere down the line. Think about it. Some big shot movie producer in LA will be licking his chops when he looks at this three days of golf magic. He’ll embrace Phil as the perfect stereotypical good guy that the American audience goes crazy for, and candy coat what was an amazing few days for the guy who had all the odds stacked against him. He’ll smile at the perfect balance of supporting characters, with the arch rival Tiger Woods trying to win his fourth US Open and battle back from a recent dry patch of his own. The two iconic golfers will go back and forth, battling until the last round and be paired up together as the last group to tee off on championship Sunday. The film will include soppy screen shots that pan from the drenched golf course to Amy’s hospital room where she watches from a small TV, rooting on her husband with a beautiful Hollywood smile. And of course, that movie producer will relish in the opportunity to tack on the words “Based on true events” at the beginning of his momentous film. Fox will market the movie as a “triumph of human endeavor!” and all the talk show hosts will have the starring actors and actresses on to talk about the amazing performance of Phil Mickelson at the 2009 US Open.

This is of course pending on Mickelson winning the tournament. All this could be yours Phil, hit em’ like you’ve never hit em’ before.

(Coverage of the first round begins today, June 18, on ESPN.)