‘I like that aspect of Phil’: What Brandel Chamblee admires about Phil Mickelson

Within the the newest episode of GOLF Originals, host Michael Bamberger leads NBC/Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee on a U.S. Open tour of kinds, making a number of stops at historic golfy spots in and round Philadelphia.

These spots included Merion Golf Membership, host of the 2013 U.S. Open gained by Justin Rose and, you might argue, misplaced by Phil Mickelson. Certainly, you’ll be able to’t speak about fashionable U.S. Opens with out speaking about Mickelson, whose six runner-up finishes proceed to make him an intriguing storyline, even this yr.

Chamblee has been important of Mickelson for turning his again on the PGA Tour, however as he and Bamberger revisited the positioning of one in every of Mickelson’s most expensive errors — his hooded wedge on the par-3 thirteenth at Merion — Chamblee revealed that that second encapsulated a number of what he likes about Mickelson.

“The issues that make you nice, you’ll be able to’t flip these off,” Chamblee mentioned. “And with Phil, for all of the criticism he will get about flushing that wedge over the again of the inexperienced — I imply, he gained 45 instances and 6 main championships. So to what credit score do you give his curiosity and the incessant nature to know every part that you have to learn about his sport, is given to these 45 wins in six main championships. So if he loses one alongside the way in which, I’d say it’s a internet enormous constructive.

“That’s what sports activities are all about, you realize, giving it your all, and knowledge be damned.”

Chamblee mentioned Mickelson’s go-for-broke model is turning into extra of a rarity within the fashionable sport, the place gamers are extra reliant on security and taking much less threat — and that’s sort of a disgrace, as a result of gamers like Mickelson are extra enjoyable to look at.

“There’s much less sense of bravado within the sport,” Chamblee mentioned. “And all people’s roughly being coached to the center. I’m not criticizing it. I perceive it, however I believe folks pay to see, cease what they’re doing to look at, individuals who dare to be completely different. And that’s what Phil was.

“Look, I’ve my criticisms of Phil, however I’ll by no means criticize his golf, or him taking dangers, or him making an attempt to outsmart the sport,” Chamblee continued. “As a lot as folks wish to criticize him for considering he is aware of all of it, I at all times discovered him to be very fascinating.

“I like that aspect of Phil, that curiosity.”

For extra U.S. Open insights and commentary from Chamblee, take a look at the complete episode of GOLF Originals beneath.

Golf.com Editor

As a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural class of feminine varsity golfers, Jessica can out-birdie everybody on the masthead. She will be able to out-hustle them within the workplace, too, the place she’s primarily chargeable for producing each print and on-line options, and overseeing main particular tasks, akin to GOLF’s inaugural Fashion Is­sue, which debuted in February 2018. Her origi­nal interview collection, “A Spherical With,” debuted in November of 2015, and appeared in each within the journal and in video type on GOLF.com.