[Mudcat]

I was just thinking how my respect for Phil Mickelson has increased.

I put pro golfers in 3 categories.



NEVER WON A MAJOR - self explanatory

WON 1 MAJOR - that's good but it could be a fluke. With a guy like Davis Love, it almost seems like a badge of his under-achievement.

WON MORE THAN 1 MAJOR - those are the big boys. Any discussion of golfing greats should only include guys in this category. These are the guys that got it done.



In the case of Mickelson, now that he has won not just 2 but 3 of the last 9 Majors, he has moved from tour boob who is lacking in the backbone department to truly one of the greats of our time.

It's all about the Majors.

I look at guys like John Daly and Olazabal much different than the rest of the crowd - even guys who might have made a lot more money - because of those multiple Majors wins.

[The Great One]

Golf in a way is so predictable. it seems a big name every year wins the Masters. Either a big name or a "next tier" player wins the US Open, and someone you have never heard of wins the British and PGA ever year.

But golf, like girls tennis, can you really say there is a difference in a major tournament from a smaller level event. Especially in girls tennis where it is probably easier to win a grand slam than it is a regular tournament. All matches are best of 3 sets and on a Grand Slam event, you have 13 days(final is always on Saturday) to play 7 matches instead of the normal 7 days to play 5 or 6 matches.

Golf is exactly the same way in there are 4 rounds each day. The only difference is supposedly the course is a little tougher at majors. But if that was the case, you wouldn't have a "nobody" coming from nowhere to win.