As this years Masters kicks off, last night I watched a review of lefty winning last years green jacket.
It was intriguing to hear big Phil’s thoughts to gain an understanding of his mental state.
After hitting a great tee shot on the par 3, 12 th, he recalled having a similar putt back in 2004, from where he proceeded to win the Masters. You could see a noticeable spring and fist clenching after he’d sunk the putt believing it could again be his day.
This enhanced self belief manifested itself on the very next hole, with the now infamous shot out of the trees onto the 13th green. His long term caddy ‘bones’ advised him to lay-up. But Phil reiterated he had a good lie and that he just needed to trust in his swing. Bones said "golf fans perhaps don’t fully appreciate Phil is such an aggressive player."
Phil said the tee shot on the par 3 16th over the water is probably the most difficult shot for a lefty at Augusta. As a TV spectator I always thought it was a good birdie opportunity for the best golfers, never realising the extra difficulty for a lefty.
Perhaps Phil’s extra aggression was the overriding winning factor in 2011.
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